Devoir de Philosophie

Civilisation britannique: Elections and Political Parties

Publié le 09/11/2012

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United Kingdom: Elections and Political Parties Introduction I Elections 1. Historical background 2. Elections Today II.Political parties 1. Background 2. The Conservative Party 3. The Labour Party 4. The Liberal Democrat party 5. Other parties Weaknesses Strengths Future 1 Introduction Britain and France are democracies But : British and French political systems are NOT the same Britain : a very old and stable democracy a continuing and slowly evolving system the result of : the declining power of the monarch over the centuries the increasing power of parliament, the slow evolution of parliament - the development of the franchise (vote) - the development of the electoral system - the development of political parties I Elections 1. Historical background Population of the UK = nearly 60 m fewer than 5% belong to a political party (+ / - 3 m people) voting in elections is not obligatory but generally + / - 70% vote in general elections Who votes? all adults over the age of 18 (since 1969) except : peers, some categories of prisoners some hospital residents 2 18th c : the Industrial Revolution , changes in economic structure → created pressure for a political change until early 19th century : votes and political power = ownership of land Parliamentary seats (constituencies = circonscriptions) = mostly rural 1832 Reform Act – increased the electorate 435,000 → 810,000. But only for men with a certain level of income or property. Seats are redistributed between the countryside and new industrial towns. 1867 Reform Act – increased the electorate all men in urban areas and some agricultural workers electorate rises → 1.9 m 1884 Reform Act – votes for all male householders. electorate = 5.6 m (population = 36 m) 1918 Representation of the People Act – votes for married women aged 30 + ; all men 21 +; 1928 Representation of the People Act – votes for all men and women aged 21 + 1969 the age of majority drops to 18 3 2. Elections today UK – 646 constituencies, about equal size (+ / - 60,000 voters in each one) , 2.1 What happens? the date of a General Election (legislatives) is decided by the Prime Minister the date must be at most 5 years after the last election the PM tries to choose the best time for his party, in power elections held on Thursdays – secret ballot – electors have only one vote only they vote for one candidate on a list of different candidates "first past the post" – the candidate with the most votes is the winner = the M.P. for the constituency the party with the most MPs wins the election 2.2. Weaknesses a) the winner may have fewer votes than all the votes against him example : Mrs A Mr B Miss C Labour party Conservative party Liberal Democrat 10.000 = WINNER 9.000 8.000 4 b) the party with the most votes may not have the most MPs eg 1951 Labour had most votes; Conservative had most seats c) no account taken of the size of a majority in a constituency (10 votes or 10.000?) d)small parties can gain votes but no seats ( eg the Liberal Democrats) so their opinion is not represented e) usually one large party wins over another large party → 2 party system (cf USA) g) the death of an MP = bye-election = "test" of support for the government 2.3. Strengths a)clear winners b)encourages positive voting c) no tactical voting d)political stability e) an MP represents a constituency and has duties as a local representative f) coalitions very rare – only in war time = very strong leadership of parties 2.4. The Future increasing criticism, demands for reform especially from small parties What reform? Charter 88 movement (founded in 1988 - 300 years after the Glorious Revolution 1688) - proportional representation - transferable vote system - a written constitution 5 - civil liberties protected in a Bill of Rights - devolution of power to Scotland and Wales - abolition of the House of Lords II. Political parties 2.1. Background 3 main parties since 1918 – but a bi-party system From 17 c Tory party→(Conservatives 1830) Whig party → (Liberals 1859) 1900 Labour party founded 1900 – 1945 Conservatives v Liberals : alternating governments 1945 – today Conservatives v Labour : alternating governments 1980s some ex-Labour formed the Social Democrats; 1988: joined with Liberals = Liberal Democrats 2 party system parties also represent gradual development and change major differences in ideology and interest 2.2. The Conservative and Unionist Party one of the oldest political parties in existence today Rightwing –capitalist ideology? = flexible, adaptable, new ideology in 1980s 6 - strong state, establishment of authority, law and order, paternalistic - free enterprise capitalism, the market dominates the economy and society some leaders and Prime Ministers : Robert Peel Benjamin Disraeli Winston Churchill Harold Macmillan Edward Heath Margaret Thatcher John Major (William Hague (Iain Duncan Smith (Michael Howard 1979 - 1990 1990 - 1997 1999 - 2001) 2001 – 2003) 2003 - 2005) David Cameron 2005 **Margaret Thatcher (1925 - ) ideological - individual enterprise – free market economics - monetarism restrain state intervention in business and society privatisation programme, no subsidies, restrict public spending restrict the power of the trade unions diminish the Welfare State Results: inflation fell from 20% (1979) to 4% (1984) nation of shareholders and home owners (over 65%) 7 drop in taxes from 83% to 25% 2 problems : unemployment and oil prices loved and hated in equal measures too long in office 1990 the Poll Tax = riots John Major 1990 – 1997 – continued Thatcherism 2 problems - Sleaze (corruption) - dissension over Europe (Maastricht Treaty 1992) 2.3. The Labour Party February 1900 : Labour Representation Committee (trade unions + socialist societies) : 2 MPs elected 1906 Labour Party – 29 MPs close links with trade unions (origins in workers' movements, Marxism) ideology – very strong ; leftwing / socialist today more centrist *** collective ownership of production, distribution (until 1995) 8 some leaders and Prime Ministers : Ramsey McDonald Harold Wilson 1964 – 1970, 1974 – 1976 James Callaghan 1976 – 1979 (Neil Kinnock 1983 – 1992) the Moderniser (John Smith 1992 – 1994) Tony Blair (1994) 1997 - 1924 – first Labour government (PM = Ramsey Mc Donald) World War II – Labour in coalition government 1945 – 51 – PM Clement Attlee : the Welfare State programme of nationalisation (Bank of England, gas, electricity, railways, steel, coal ,...) National Health Service; education until age 15; council housing Long years in Opposition – 1945 – 1964; 1979 – 1997 external problems : the strength of Margaret Thatcher's government, Labour too weak to stop this internal problems : in-fighting; emergence of the Hard left, Militant Labour 9 deserted by traditional supporters the 1980s : period of modernising Tony Blair : leader in July 1994 – huge election victory in 1997 T Blair's Cabinet = many different sorts of MPs – including women, gays, black, blind, and many Scots Achievements : -breakthrough in peace talks in Northern Ireland - devolution for Scotland, Wales and N Ireland - reform of the House of Lords - minimum wage (April 1999) Criticisms : authoritarian style, control of information , the Millennium Dome, Foot and Mouth disease, 2.4. The Liberal Democrat party Two roots: "spin" Irak war i) the Liberal Party – (Whigs) rivals to Tory /Conservative party during 18c and 19 c in decline since 1924 ii) the Social Democrats – ex-Labour ministers , right wing socialists, 1981 1988 joined together = Liberal Democrat party 10 Problem – lack of a mass base very centralist; good results in local elections increasing in popularity leader : (Charles Kennedy) election in progress today : a record 62 seats in Parliament 2.5. Other parties with MPs : Plaid Cymru (Welsh nationalists) Scottish National Party various Northern Ireland parties – Ulster Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party SDLP ( Social Democratic & Labour Party) Sinn Fein (= I.R.A.) Conclusion absence of extremist parties – no communists, no National Front a system that is clearly undemocratic but change is not in the interests of the two big parties proportional representation has been introduced: in European elections in Scottish, Welsh and N Ireland government elections demand for constitutional change not likely to be heeded Election Results in the United Kingdom total 659 seats Date Party Number of seats % of votes May 1992 Conservative 336 41.8 % Labour 271 34.1 % 11 Lib Democrat 20 SNP 3 Plaid Cymru 4 Various N 17 Ireland Others 0 17.8 % May 1997          Conservative 165                 31.4 %                           Labour 419                          44.5 %                           Lib Democrat 46                  17.0 % June 2001 SNP 6 Plaid Cymru 4 Various N 19 Ireland Others 1                          Conservative 166                  31.0 %                          Labour 413                            44.0 %                          Lib Democrat 52                   23.0 % SNP 5 Plaid Cymru 4 Various N 18 Ireland Others 1 **646 seats May 2005 Conservative 197 33.0% Labour 356 36.3% Lib Democrat 62 22.8% SNP 6 Plaid Cymru 3 Various N 18 Ireland Others 4 12

« Weaknesses Strengths Future 1 Introduction Britain and France are democracies But : British and French political systems are NOT the same Britain : a very old and stable democracy a continuing and slowly evolving system the result of : the declining power of the monarch over the centuries the increasing power of parliament, the slow evolution of parliament - the development of the franchise (vote) - the development of the electoral system - the development of. »

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