GuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries英語國家概況英語國家概況TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland第1頁Chapter3

Governmentand

theCommonwealth

TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland英語國家概況第2頁Whatis“constitutionalmonarchy”Whatis“divinerightofkings”第3頁PoliticalParties

ConstitutionGovernmentElectionTheCommonwealthIIIIIIIVVCONTENT第4頁ConstitutionalmonarchyBritainisaconstitutionalmonarchy,thatis,amonarchyinwhichthesovereignhasmainlyadvisoryandceremonialresponsibilities.Theothermajorformofmonarchyistheabsolutemonarchy,inwhichthemonarchyisalsotheruler.Theconstitutionalpositionissummedupinthefamousphrase“TheQueenreignsbutdoesnotrule”第5頁DivinerightofKings(P38)Thepowerofthemonarchywaslargelyderivedfromtheancientdoctrineofthe“divinerightofkings”.ItisheldthatthesovereignderivedhisauthorityfromGod,notfromhissubjects.Becauseofthisdivineright,theactualexistenceofthemonarchyhasseldombeenquestioned.Clue:Monarchy→theGreatCharter→Parliament→cabinet第6頁TheGreatCharta(MagnaCarta)

KingJohn(1199-1216)thebadreputation(RobinHood)Johnascendedthethronein1199.Hedemandedfeudaltaxesandarmyservice/badrelationshipwiththepope.In1215,KingJohnwasforcedbyagroupoffeudalbaronsandtheChurchtograntthemacharteroflibertyandpoliticalright.Significance:influenceonlegalsystemandhumanrightsmerchantsandcraftsmen—forthefirsttimeasanewpoliticalforcetownspeople—freedomoftradeandself-governmentpartoftheBritishConstitutiontoday

第7頁BeginningofParliamenttheGreatCouncil(大議會）CommonersappearedinthemeetingtheHouseofLordsandtheHouseofCommons（existtodayandcollectivelywecallthemtheParliament)ThePuritansandCavaliers(thePuritans:freefarmers,tradesmen,artisans/theCavaliers:Catholicsandfeudallords)TheCivilWar●reason:thedisputeoverthepowerofthekingvis-à-vis(P39)第8頁Thecivilwarbrokeout(1642—1649)BetweentheRoyalists

(theCavalier[保王黨人])

andParliamentarians

(Roundheads[圓顱黨人])

Result:themonarchywasabolishedin1949Englandwasdeclaredacommonwealth,i.e.arepublicTheCivilWarRoundheadswithpikes第9頁TheCommonwealth(1649—1660)(Cromwell統(tǒng)治之下英倫三島共和國）Cromwell,theheadoftheCommonwealthConservativeinsocialreformsandprotectedpropertyownershipIn1660,

ParliamenthadCharlesIIaskingofEngland.ThisputanendtotheCommonwealth.

TheCivilWar第10頁RestorationandtheGloriousRevolutionRestoration:(復(fù)辟)1661,CharlesII:torestoretheoldsocialorder1685,JamesII:toreestablishCatholicismGloriousRevolution1688:jointsovereignofWilliamandMary1689:BillofRights(limitedthepowerofthemonarchandguaranteedtheauthorityofParliament)removedtherulingmonarchandestablishedConstitutionalMonarchy第11頁Constitution(P41)IGreatBritain(UK)isaparliamentarydemocracywithaconstitutionalmonarchas

theheadofstate

BritishConstitutionismadeupof:

StatutoryLaw(成文法)

CommonLaw(判例法)

Conventions(習(xí)慣法)第12頁1.1

StatutoryLawpassedbyParliamentexampletheMagnaCharta(1215)petitionofRights(1627)HabeasCorpusAct(1679)theBillofRights(1689)ActofSettlement(1701)theReformAct(1832)theEuropeanCommunitiesAct(1972)theEuropeanCommunities(Amendment)Act(1986)

Constitution第13頁1.2Commonlaw

deducedfromcustomorlegalprecedentsandinterpretedincourtcasesbyjudges1.3Conventionsrulesandpracticeswhichdonotexistlegally,butareregardedasvitaltotheworkingofgovernment1.Constitution第14頁GovernmentII2.1TheLegislature

2.2TheExecutive

2.3TheJudiciary第15頁2.1TheLegislatureBasicStructureofUKCentralGovernmentMonarch(non-political)Legislature—ParliamentExecutive

Judiciary(non-political)HouseofCommons(political)HouseofLords(semi-political)PrimeMinister&Cabinet(political)Ministers&Civilservice(non-political)HouseofLordsCourtofAppeal第16頁Compare

Britishgovernment

vs

Americangovernment

↓representativedemocracy↓unitarygovernmentwithafederalrepublicConstitutionalmonarchyNoformalwrittenwrittenconstitutionConstitutionHighlydisciplinedpoliticalundisciplinedpoliticalpartiesParties(partycentered)StrongcentralgovernmentweakcentralgovernmentWeakseparationpowersstrictseparationofpowersUK:aunitarystatewithconstitutionalmonarchy第17頁Parliament

Parliamentthelaw-makingbodyofBritainoneoftheoldestrepresentativeassembliesintheworldStrictlyspeaking,theparliamentconsistsoftheKingorQueen,theHouseofLords(上議院),theHouseofCommons(下議院)第18頁QueenElizabethIIBorn:April21,1926QueensinceJune2,1953QueenElizabethIIisa“constitutionalmonarch”

Althoughsheisofficiallytheheadofstate,thecountryisactuallyrunbythegovernmentandledbythePrimeMinister.2.1.2Queen第19頁BuckinghamPalace

2.1.2Queen第20頁QueenElizabethII2.1.2Queen第21頁Shereignsbutdoesnotrule!

Theoretically,sheisthesourceofallgovernmentpowers:(P42)anintegralpartofthelegislatureheadoftheexecutive,executiveandjudiciarybranchesthecommander-in-chiefofallarmedforcesoftheCrown“supremegovernor”oftheChurchofEngland

More>>Q.WhatpowersdoestheQueenhave?

2.1.2Queen第22頁Inreality,herroleis“ceremonial,un-politicalandsymbolic”:StateopeningoftheParliamentRoyalassenttonewlawMeetingwiththePrimeMinisteratBuckinghamPalacePaystatevisitstoCommonwealthcountriesasheadofstateandnon-CommonwealthcountriesonbehalfoftheBritishgovernment2.1.2Queen第23頁FromBuckinghamtoWestminster

TheStateOpeningofParliament

WednesdayNovember26,2.1.2Queen第24頁TheHouseofLords

oftenreferredtoas“theUpperHouse”TheLordsSpiritual(上議院神職議員)(archbishopsandprominentbishopsoftheChurchofEngland)TheHouseofLordsin

theearly19thcentury

TheLordsTemporal(上議院世俗議員)(hereditarypeersandlifepeersandtheLawLords)第25頁TheUpperHouseReformsReducethenumberofseatsfrom705to666(Mar.1,)Finalcourtofappeal—SupremeCourtTheHouseofLordsmeetsinalavishlydecoratedchamberinthePalaceofWestminsterTheHouseofLords

第26頁Nobilitypeer(age):hereditary/life(1958):Duke/Marquess/Earl(Count)/Viscount/BaronLords/Lady(few:patrilineallines):Lord+ChristianName+FamilyName;Lady+ChristianName+FamilyName(Husband'sfamilynameinsteadofherownaftermarriage)Knight(non-peerage)——Sir(500)第27頁TheHouseofCommons

Oftenreferredtoas“theLowerHouse”(centerofparliamentarypower)Threemajorfunctionstopasslaws,billsandactsofParliamenttoscrutinize,criticizeandrestraintheactionsofthegovernmenttoinfluencethefuturegovernmentpolicy

第28頁646MembersofParliament,knownas“MPs”forshort,whorepresentthe646geographicalareas/constituencies2.1.4TheHouseofCommons

第29頁ThePrimeMinister—powerfulleaderheadofthegovernmenttheleaderofthemajoritypartyinParliamentcontrolstheParliamentTheCabinetsupremedecision-makingbodyintheBritishgovernmentCabinetmembersarechosenbythePrimeMinisterfrommembersofhisownpartyinParliament.TheExecutive第30頁TheCabinetworksontheprincipleofcollectiveresponsibilityandindividualministerialresponsibilityMinistersresponsiblefortheirparticulardepartment (mostseniormembersaretheDeputyPrimeMinister,ForeignSecretary,ChancelloroftheExchequerandHomeSecretary)CollectiveresponsibilityorresignationTheExecutive第31頁PrivyCouncil(樞密院）abodyofadvisors(450members)currentandformerCabinet