AP Comparative Government: United Kingdom

Practice flashcards covering the constitutional foundations, governing institutions, party system, political economy, and societal structures of the United Kingdom for AP Comparative Government.

What is majoritarianism, and how does the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system foster it in the UK?

Majoritarianism is a system where the political party winning the most seats gains the authority to govern. The single-member district first-past-the-post electoral system often awards the winning party an outright parliamentary majority, enabling it to pass legislation with limited opposition.

What does it mean that the United Kingdom has an uncodified constitution?

It means constitutional rules are not written in a single entrenched document, but are instead spread across various historical documents (such as the Magna Carta of $1215$), statutes, conventions, and judicial decisions, allowing Parliament to create or repeal constitutional laws without special restrictions.

What historical role did the Magna Carta ($1215$) and the English Bill of Rights play in the development of the UK's parliamentary system?

The Magna Carta began placing formal checks on the monarch's power, while the English Bill of Rights officially established the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy.

What is the formal role of the Crown in the UK government, and what is the source of its legitimacy?

The monarch serves as the ceremonial head of state who formally appoints the prime minister, gives Royal Assent to legislation, and formally commands the armed forces. Its legitimacy is rooted in historical tradition, continuity, and public acceptance.

How are the Prime Minister and the Cabinet chosen in the UK?

The Prime Minister is typically the leader of the political party that commands a majority in the House of Commons and is formally appointed by the monarch. The Prime Minister then selects Cabinet ministers, usually from elected members of Parliament within their own party.

What is the constitutional convention of collective responsibility?

Collective responsibility is the requirement that all cabinet ministers must publicly support cabinet and government decisions, or resign from their positions if they cannot.

Why is the UK government characterized by fused powers rather than a separation of powers?

The executive (the Prime Minister and Cabinet) is directly drawn from the legislature (Parliament), meaning executive and legislative branches overlap and work together rather than functioning as separate, independent branches.

What are the primary differences in composition and legislative power between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?

The House of Commons consists of $650$ directly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) who pass laws and can remove the government via a vote of no confidence. The House of Lords consists of approximately $800$ appointed life peers, hereditary peers, and Church of England bishops, and it can only delay certain bills for up to one year and suggest amendments.

How does parliamentary sovereignty formally constrain the power of the UK judiciary?

Under parliamentary sovereignty, Parliament possesses the supreme authority to make or overturn any law; therefore, courts historically could not strike down or overturn legislation enacted by Parliament.

What institutional reform established the UK Supreme Court in $2009$?

The creation of an independent Supreme Court in $2009$ transferred the nation's highest appellate judicial authority and constitutional review functions away from the Law Lords in the House of Lords.

What major rulings did the UK Supreme Court issue in $2017$ and $2019$ regarding executive authority?

In $2017$, the Court ruled that the May government could not initiate Brexit without an Act of Parliament. In $2019$, the Court ruled that the Johnson government could not prorogue (suspend) Parliament to prevent it from carrying out its constitutional scrutiny functions.

How does the single-member district (SMD) plurality electoral system disadvantage smaller political parties in the UK?

Because candidates must win an outright plurality of votes within individual geographic constituencies, parties with widespread national support that do not finish first in specific districts (such as the Liberal Democrats or Greens) win a significantly smaller percentage of seats than their share of the national popular vote.

Why is the UK party system frequently classified as a 'two-and-a-half-party system'?

The Conservative and Labour parties dominate national elections and alternately lead the government, while a smaller third party, traditionally the Liberal Democrats, wins enough seats to play an influential role.

What was the post-World War II 'collectivist consensus' in UK politics?

A political consensus between the major parties that favored a mixed economy, the development of the welfare state (such as social programs), and state involvement in key industries.

What key economic changes were introduced during the 'Thatcher Revolution'?

Margaret Thatcher implemented neoliberal policies that dismantled aspects of the welfare state through privatisation of state enterprises, deregulation, promotion of free markets, and the legal restriction of trade union strikes and activities.

What was the 'Third Way' adopted by Tony Blair's New Labour in the late $1990\text{s}$?

A centrist platform that accepted free-market capitalism and fiscal discipline while simultaneously maintaining investment in public services, social welfare, and political modernization.

What is devolution, and how does the UK retain its status as a unitary state despite it?

Devolution is the decentralization and transfer of policy-making powers (such as healthcare and education) from Westminster to regional assemblies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK remains a unitary state because Westminster retains parliamentary sovereignty and possesses the constitutional power to restrict or revoke devolved powers.

What are the roles of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)?

The TUC represents organized labor and trade unions, while the CBI represents the interests of businesses and employers. Both act as influential economic interest groups attempting to shape government policy.

What are quangos (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations)?

They are government-funded, publicly appointed hybrid policy bodies that integrate interest group expertise directly into policy administration and advisory roles outside direct civil service oversight.

What electoral mechanisms were formed in $2010$ and $2017$ when general elections resulted in a hung parliament?

In $2010$, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats formed a formal coalition government. In $2017$, the Conservatives formed a minority government supported by a confidence-and-supply agreement with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

What rule was established by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act $2011$ regarding general elections?

It set regular parliamentary general elections at five-year intervals, requiring a $\frac{2}{3}$ supermajority vote in the House of Commons (or a vote of no confidence) to dissolve Parliament and trigger an election sooner.

Why have UK governments utilized national or regional referenda?

Referenda are used to give direct democratic legitimacy to constitutional shifts, allow chief executives to bypass legislative stalemate, or oblige the electorate to resolve contentious public issues, such as devolution ($1997$), the Good Friday Agreement ($1998$), and leaving the European Union ($2016$).

What was the Good Friday Agreement of $1998$?

A historic peace accord approved by referendum that effectively brought an end to 'The Troubles,' a period of roughly $30$ years of ethno-nationalist violence in Northern Ireland between unionists/Protestants and republicans/Catholics.

What does the concept of 'noblesse oblige' signify in traditional British social and political culture?

The perceived moral obligation of the privileged upper classes and political elite to take paternalistic responsibility for the welfare of the lower classes.

How can the House of Commons hold the Prime Minister and government accountable?

Through weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), scrutiny in parliamentary select committees, debates, and voting on a formal motion of no confidence to remove the government.