英美文化概况

GuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries英语国家概况英语国家概况TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIrelandChapter3GovernmentandtheCommonwealthTheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland英语国家概况ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesPoliticalPartiesConstitutionGovernmentElectionTheCommonwealthIIIIIIIVVCONTENTForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesConstitutionIGreatBritain(UK)isaparliamentarydemocracywithaconstitutionalmonarchastheheadofstateBritishConstitutionismadeupof:StatutoryLaw(成文法)CommonLaw(判例法)Conventions(习惯法)ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries1.1StatutoryLawpassedbyParliamentexample•theMagnaCarta(1215)whichprotectstherightsofthecommunityagainsttheCrown•theBillofRights(1689)whichextendsthepowersofParliament•theReformAct(1832)whichreformstheparliamentaryelectoralsystem•theEuropeanCommunitiesAct(1972)•theEuropeanCommunities(Amendment)Act(1986)whichdefinestherelationshipbetweenBritainandtheEuropeanCommunity(欧共体）.ConstitutionForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries1.2Commonlaw（判例法）deducedfromcustomorlegalprecedentsandinterpretedincourtcasesbyjudges1.3Conventions（习惯法）rulesandpracticeswhichdonotexistlegally,butareregardedasvitaltotheworkingofgovernment.(forexample:Themonarchreignsbutdoesnotrule.)1.ConstitutionForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesGovernmentII2.1TheLegislature2.2TheExecutive2.3TheJudiciaryForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries2.1TheLegislatureBasicStructureofUKCentralGovernmentMonarch(non-political)Legislature—ParliamentExecutiveJudiciary(non-political)HouseofCommons(political)HouseofLords(semi-political)PrimeMinister&Cabinet(political)Ministers&Civilservice(non-political)HouseofLordsCourtofAppealForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries2.1.1ParliamentParliamentthelaw-makingbodyofBritainoneoftheoldestrepresentativeassembliesintheworld(inthemid-13thcentury)Strictlyspeaking,theparliamentconsistsoftheKingorQueen,theHouseofLords(上议院),theHouseofCommons(下议院)ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesQueenElizabethIIBorn:April21,1926QueensinceJune2,1953QueenElizabethIIisa“constitutionalmonarch”Althoughsheisofficiallytheheadofstate,thecountryisactuallyrunbythegovernmentandledbythePrimeMinister.2.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesBuckinghamPalace2.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesQueenElizabethII2.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesShereignsbutdoesnotrule!Theoretically,sheisthesourceofallgovernmentpowers:•anintegralpartofthelegislature•headoftheexecutive,executiveandjudiciarybranches•thecommander-in-chiefofallarmedforcesoftheCrown•“supremegovernor”oftheChurchofEnglandMoreQ.WhatpowersdoestheQueenhave?2.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesInreality,herroleis“ceremonial,unpoliticalandsymbolic”:StateopeningoftheParliament(国会开议大典)RoyalassenttonewlawMeetingwiththePrimeMinisteratBuckinghamPalacePaystatevisitstoCommonwealthcountriesasheadofstateandnon-CommonwealthcountriesonbehalfoftheBritishgovernment2.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesFromBuckinghamtoWestminsterTheStateOpeningofParliamentWednesdayNovember26,20032.1.2QueenForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries2.1.3TheHouseofLordsoftenreferredtoas“theUpperHouse”TheLordsSpiritual(上议院神职议员)(archbishopsandprominentbishopsoftheChurchofEngland)TheHouseofLordsintheearly19thcenturyTheLordsTemporal(上议院世俗议员)(hereditarypeersandlifepeersandtheLawLords）上议院高级法官)ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountriesTheUpperHouseReformsReducethenumberofseats•from705to666(Mar.1,2004)Finalcourtofappeal—SupremeCourtTheHouseofLordsmeetsinalavishlydecoratedchamberinthePalaceofWestminster(alsocalledRedChamber)2.1.3TheHouseofLordsForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries2.1.4TheHouseofCommonsOftenreferredtoas“theLowerHouse”(centerofparliamentarypower)Threemajorfunctionstopasslaws,billsandactsofParliamenttoscrutinize,criticizeandrestraintheactionsofthegovernmenttoinfluencethefuturegovernmentpolicyForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries646MembersofParliament,knownas“MPs”forshort,whorepresentthe646geographicalareas/constituencies2.1.4TheHouseofCommonsForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries2.2.1ThePrimeMinister—powerfulleaderheadofthegovernmenttheleaderofthemajoritypartyinParliamentcontrolstheParliament2.2.2TheCabinetsupremedecision-makingbodyintheBritishgovernmentCabinetmembersarechosenbythePrimeMinisterfrommembersofhisownpartyinParliament.2.2TheExecutiveForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressAGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountrie