英美概况——英国政府系统

4.BritishGovernmentSystemHowanationisadministered?HighlightsCulturalNouns•ConstitutionalMonarchy•TheBritishConstitution•GeneralElection•BritishParliament•TheHouseofCommons•TheHouseofLordsConstitutionalMonarchy•AConstitutionalMonarchyisatypeofgovernmentinwhichamonarchsharesgovernmentalpowerswithelectedlegislaturesorservesmainlyasaceremonialleaderofthegovernment.ConstitutionalMonarchy•SuchcanbefoundinAustralia,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,Malaysia,Netherlands,Norway,Spain,Sweden,NewZealand,Japan,Thailand,UnitedKingdom,etc,inwhichthemonarchistheheadofstate,butadirectly-orindirectly-electedprimeministerisheadofgovernment.ThepresentMonarchyinBritain—QueenElizabethII•TheKingorQueenisthepersonificationoftheState•ElizabethII(1952--present)Queen’sstatusAsymbolofBritishculture,traditionandwayoflife,ofthespiritoftheCommonwealth,representingthenation’shope,idealsanditshistoricalpast.Queen’sfunctions•TheQueenisinformedandconsultedoneveryaspectofnationallife.•Sheisalsoinvolvesintheday-todayworkingsofgovernment,suchasholdingmeetingsofthePrivyCouncil,summoninganddissolvingParliament,confirmingmajorpublicappointments,declaringwar,recognizingforeignstatesandconcludingtreaties.•Conferringhonors,ispartofherjob.•Inpractice,sheactsonlyontheadviceofherMinisters,andmustbecompletelyimpartial.AlthoughallofficialdocumentsmustbeartheinitialsOHMS(OnHerMajesty’sService).•“TheQueenreigns,butshedoesnotrule.”UKConstitution---AnuniquenessNowrittenconstitutioninBritain.•Before1066,theAnglo-SaxonkingsconsultedtheGreatCouncilbeforetakingmajordecisions.•1066-1215,Kingsruledalone.•1215,KingJohnwasforcedtosignedtheMagnaCarta(theGreatCharter).•1264,thefirstParliamentofnoblesmet.TheUKConstitution•1688,thefirstconstitutionalmonarch.•1689,theBillofRightswaspassed.(p73)•1832,GreatReformBill.•1867,theSecondReformBill.•1969,everycitizenagedeighteenoroverhastherighttovote.FiveChiefComponentsofUKConstitution•ActsofParliament•TheprerogativeoftheCrown•ConventionsoftheConstitution•CommonLaw•ParliamentaryPrivilegeSuggestion:MoredetailshelpsyouestablishthoroughunderstandingabouttheUKGovernment.Parliament-ThehighestlawmakingbodyHouseofLordsTheHouseofCommonsTheQueenDiagramTonyBlairalongsideleaderoftheopposition,MichaelHowardBritishgovernmentalsystemItsElectionProcedure•Generalelectiontakesplaceatleastevery5years.•Thereare659constituencies(659Constituenciesnow,eachenjoys50,000voters),eachofwhichreturnsoneMP.•659menandwomenwillmakeuptheHouseofCommons.•TheLaborParty&TheConservativeParty&theLiberalDemocratsBritishgovernmentalsystemItsElectionProcedure•TheleaderofthepartywiththelargestnumberofMPsreturnedwillbeinvitedbytheQueentoformanewgovernment,andtheleaderbecomesPrimeMinister•ThePrimeMinisterthusformhisCabinet(includingtheMinisterofDefense,theForeignSecretary,theChancelloroftheExchequerandothermostimportantcolleagues,usu7-9).Electioncon-TheOppositionanditsShadowCabinet•ThepartywiththesecondlargestnumberofsupportersintheCommonsbecomestheofficialOppositiontotheGovernment•Itsmainfunctions:1.criticizetheGovernment’spolicy;2.exposeitsweakpoints;3.suggestamendments;4.drawattentiontoothermatterswhichthegovernmentmightotherwiseignore.Parliament—HouseofLords1)By1911ParliamentAct,theHouseofLordshasnopowerswhereMoneyBillsareconcerned.2)Thelordscanonlydelayabill(nomoneybillconcernedhere)forupto12months;3)TheGovernmentcanpartlycontroltheLordsbycreatingnewLife-peers.HouseofLords:Functions•Makinglaws•Scrutinizingthegovernment•Providingindependentexpertise•Havingaspecialjudicialfunction,itactsasthefinalcourtofappealincivilcasesandcriminalcases,withanexceptionofthoseinScotland.•SignificantReformasregardswiththelordchamberHouseofCommons•ThemostpowerfulandimportantelementinBritishpoliticalspectrum.•Composedof659electedMPs.•Privileges:salaried;freedomofspeech;debating;AyeorNolobbyestablishedcustomstoapproveordisapprovebillsHouseofCommons--Functions•Fourmainfunctions:1.tomakelaws;2.tocontrolandcriticizetheexecutivegovernment;3.tocontroltheraisingandthespendingofmoney.4.todebatemajorissuesoftheday•Mr.Speakervs.TheLordChancellorBasicStructureofUKCentralGovernmentMonarch(non-political)Legislature---ParliamentExecutiveJudiciary(non-political)HouseofCommons(political)HouseofLords(semi-political)PrimeMinister&Cabinet(political)Ministers&Civilservice(non-political)HouseofLordsCourtofAppealTheUKGovernmentInclassThinkingPad•Thereisactuallynoseparationofpowerbetweentheexecutive,legislature,andthejudiciary.***SeparationofPower-BritishStyle•ThePrimeMinisterisanactivememberofthelegislative,yetheisalsotheleadingmemberoftheexecutive.•AlsotheLordChancellorisamemberofthecabinetandthereforeoftheexecutiveaswellasbeingheadofthejudiciary•TheHouseofLordsalsohasarighttovoteonbillssotheyarepartofthelegislativebuttheLordsalsocontainstheLawLordswhoareanimportantpartofthejudiciary•AswiththePM,themembersoftheCabinetarealsomembersofthelegislativewhohavetheright,asaMemberofParliament,tovoteonissuesPowervsCorruption•Powertendstocorrupt,andabsolutepowercorruptsabsolutely.Greatmenarealmostalwaysbadmen.(LordActon,Britishhis