Revision:Politics A Level Unit 6C - UK-US Comparative Questions
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Compare and contrast the effectiveness of the US Congress and the UK Parliament in controlling the executive
- Need to identify the mechanisms used by the two legislatures to control their respective executives, including committees and evaluate these mechanisms.
- could show that lack of party unity and ideological cohesion in the USA reinforces the effectiveness of Congress while the ideological nature of UK politics, combined with effective whipping, weakens Parliament. President Clinton’s inability to pass major healthcare reform through a Democrat controlled Congress and the fact that the New Labour government has been able to pass virtually all of its legislation including variable tuition fees which were counter to its manifesto commitments.
- more sophisticated analysis would recognise that the problems faced by President Clinton were in different political era and both US parties have developed a sharper ideological focus, are increasingly disciplined and cohesive.
- Some of UK gov’s controversial policies have passed with opposition support.
- Can also consider where parliament has restrained exec – terror detention etc.
- Avoid old stereotypes of US political parties being little more than vehicles of convenience and UK political parties being ideological enemies clearly needs to be updated.
How successfully are Civil Liberties upheld in the UK and the USA?
- REMEMBER must look at UK courts as well as Supreme Court
- US constitution – Bill of Rights
- Texas v Johnson, Roe v Wade, Gonzales v Oregon (assisted suicide), Gonzales v. O Centro Espírita (religious tea) etc to show civil liberties are effectively upheld in the USA.
- UK judiciary - Human Rights Act, Law Lords ruling against the Terrorism Act
- 13 June 2007 – Law Lords upheld view that there should be an independent investigation into deaths of Iraqi civilians. In a four-to-one verdict, the lords ruled that the UK's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights applied to the conduct of British troops in Iraq.
- Role of European Courts in defending UK civil liberties. (see above).
- Work of groups like Liberty in bringing cases to court. Existence of organisations like the Civil Liberties Trust.
- Demonstrate understanding that civil liberties can be upheld and extended by legislatures, such as the Disabilities Rights Acts in both countries.
- Consider factors like war on terror which have played a role in limiting civil liberties.
“US pressure groups are more powerful than UK pressure groups”’ Discuss
- Could argue true because of the greater number of access points available to groups in the USA BUT REMEMBER devolution and the EU have led to additional significant access points for British pressure groups, although there is limited evidence of effective use being made of them.
- contrasting nature of political parties in the two countries provide more opportunities for pressure groups in the USA because they provide the main outlet for highly partisan issues such as gun control though with the realignment of the parties in the USA, this is not as true as it once was.
- Should point out that pressure groups evolve in both countries to meet their goals. Washington DC is seeing the emergence of partisan lobby firms in response to the growing partisanship of party politics and, in response to the banning of soft money party fundraising, pressure groups have set up ‘527’ groups to raise soft money on their behalf.
- Meanwhile, as party policies have become increasingly similar in the UK, wealthy Eurosceptics have funded candidates to challenge Conservatives who are too close to the centre while Trade Unions have threatened to withdraw funding from the Labour Party in response to increasingly right wing policies.
Which state is more democratic, the UK or the USA?
- scope to define the benchmarks wish to use to evaluate the two systems – can then use any of the synoptic topics
- E.g. the checks and balances, and protection of rights, in the two political systems etc.
- If don’t set criteria for this kind of question. You will find it VERY DIFFICULT to produce a structured answer.
The two-party system has grown stronger in the USA whilst it has grown weaker in the UK. Discuss
- Provides an opportunity to discuss the effects of the electoral systems, the extent of ideological polarisation in the main parties in the two countries and the role of minor parties.
- In the case of the USA, there is the option to explore the debate as to whether there is a two-party, 50party or one-party (divided by the issue of abortion) system.
- In the case of the UK there is the opportunity to discuss the impact of the devolved assemblies, particularly their use of more proportional electoral systems, and elections to the European Parliament on the fortunes of the parties, especially the minor parties.
- Should be able to provide an effective analysis of developments in the main parties in the UK and USA.
- Can also explore the impact of minor parties.
- AVOID responses in which UK parties are portrayed as ideologically polarised while US parties were portrayed as lacking ideological coherence.
- AVOID discussing the question entirely in terms of the extent to which the two countries are multi-party systems.
- Should offer comparisons of the party systems in the UK and USA, with examples BUT remember to include strands from other topics such as the effect of devolution and the EU on the parties.
- The best answers will produce an effective analysis of the ideological shifts in the main parties in both countries in recent decades, considering a range of relevant factors drawn from a range of topics covered throughout the course.
Are Heads of Government in the UK and USA as powerful as they appear to be?
- Provides an opportunity for students to discuss the constitutional framework within each leader operates, the constraints they face in domestic and foreign affairs, their relationships with other branches of government, relationships within the executive branch and the nature of the relationship with their political parties.
- In the case of the UK, there is the opportunity to discuss the effect of devolution on the powers of the Prime Minister and the impact of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Can exmaine the relationship between the Heads of Government and the legislatures – must use extensive illustrations to support their points.
- AVOID TWO COMMON ERRORS President Nixon was not successfully impeached and Margaret Thatcher was not deposed as a result of a vote of no-confidence.
- Can also produce narrow comparisons of the powers of the Heads of Government in the UK and USA, with examples, perhaps including constraints placed upon them by the judiciaries but should also include other topics such as the effect of devolution, federalism and the EU.
- Best answers will produce an effective analysis of the powers of the Heads of Government in both countries in recent decades, considering a range of relevant factors drawn from a range of topics covered throughout the course.
‘Power has shifted to the centre in both the UK and USA, regardless of their formal constitutional arrangements.’ Discuss
- Provides an opportunity to compare the unitary and federal constitutions and how
they have evolved, especially in relation to federalism, devolution and the European
Union.
- Also provides opportunities to discuss the impact of 9/11 and its aftermath
and the rising importance of judiciaries in both countries.
- Should be able to discuss the development of federalism – creative federalism, new federalism etc.
- Can include narrow comparisons of the constitutions of the UK and USA, with illustrations but should also include relevant strands from other topics such as the effect of judiciaries and the EU.
- Best answers will provide effective analysis of forces which have promoted centralisation or decentralisation in both countries in recent decades, considering a range of relevant factors drawn from a range of topics covered throughout the course e.g. impact of 9/11,including discussion of the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and argument that the events associated with 9/11 had strengthened the Presidency but that these gains have been undermined by the failure of the central government to deal with Hurricane Katrina and its consequences.
Compare and contrast the representative nature of the US Congress and the UK Parliament
- Provides opportunity to discuss which of the two legislatures is more responsive to the needs and wishes of their constituents.
- Issues which could be considered include the resources available to representatives on both sides of the Atlantic, the effectiveness of channels of communication with constituents, the nature of elections, the importance of political parties in the voting patterns of representatives, the level of influence exerted by Pressure Groups (and their funds), pork barrel politics and whether devolution and the EU have reduced the influence of MPs.
- The question could also be include discussion of the extent to which the composition of the two legislatures mirrored the societies they represent but need to have relevant supporting statistics etc.
- comparisons of the legislatures of the UK and USA, with illustrations, concentrating on the extent to which the two legislatures reflect the composition of their populations.
- Best answers would provide effective analysis of factors which indicate how effectively the two legislatures respond to the needs and wishes of their constituents with credit given for also discussing how far they were reflective of their populations.
Comments
This notes are aimed at people studying for A Level Politics, but will be suitable for other people too.
Originally submitted by aimeegreen on TSR Forums.
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