Constitution and Politics

Authors Avatar

Politics: Power, Governing, The struggle of power, negotiation

Definition: Comes from the Greek “Polis” (City state) and “Polity” (concerning the City state) – Power, institution, conflict and activity.

UK is a bicameral system (has to chamber government), Lords and Commons.

Politics as Power (4 types): Coercive, Absolute, Persuasive and Legitimate

Politics as Institution: Local government, regional assembly

Politics as Conflict: Resolves without violence (Ideologies, national/international, enough supply

Politics as Activity: Protests, voting and pressure groups

Authority: The right to make something happen        

Representative Democracy: Indirect (majority), if contrary to our decision: get out!

Direct Democracy: People take part in all aspects (referendum)

Pros and Cons of Representative Democracy:

Pros: Control (logistically) deliberation, people who know more about it (not in favour of themselves)

Cons: Lesser of evils, takes while to make decisions, loyal to party not constituents

Liberal Democracy: Run by publicised laws and accepted (government chosen through fair elections). Liberal principles: Freedom of speech, religion, movements and devil rights.

Parliamentary: Representative democracy.

Totalitarian democracy: government controls all the aspects, no political opposition, ruling party. Independent observers in elections? Mostly no.

Democracy – Rule by the people, open elections, for the people

Direct – majority of the people take part actively

Representative: vote for representatives, if we don’t like them: get out!

Constitutions: establish rules and principles (any organisation). Country: fundamental principles, establishes structure, powers and duties (of a government). The usually come about through civil war, independence or defeat in war

  • Outlines structure and division of government activity
  • Power relationships (how each one is dependent/independent on the other)
  • Lists freedoms and rights for individuals and the extent of the power of the rulers (also what the individual in entitled to from the state)

Purpose of Constitution:

  • Provides legitimacy (everyone: Stalin: appearance of legality)
  • Defines extent of power and protects freedom
  • Governmental stability and introduce degree of predictability (enables everyone to understand government rules and political game
  • Fundamental points (values)
  • Federal: sets out how much power/influence regional and central has
  • Fresh start (after revolution, war, defeat)

Key Terms

Preamble: introduction sets out purpose and aims

Amendment: procedure for constitutional change

Bill of rights: statement of individual freedoms and rights

Organisational section: main institutions of government

Federal: Country where power is divided between central and regional governments.  

Executive: the branch of government responsible for directing the nation’s affairs and initiation of laws

Legislature: responsible for passing laws and being a watchdog over the government

Separation of Power: Power divided between Judiciary, Legislature and Executive

Common Law: is a body rules that has evolved over a long period of time (judge’s precedents cover ambiguities)

Statute: Act passed by Parliament – signed by Queen, majority = easy to pass

Judicial Review: The courts can overturn executive/legislature actions which they deem to be unconstitutional. UK has weak form, they can say whether they have acted beyond their powers or unfair.

Conventions: Unwritten rules/customs, known by all, accepted and followed (cabinet secrecy and big change referendum)

Parliamentary Rule – cabinet chosen from people from largest party

Differences in Constitutions:

Written/Codified – all main provisions are brought together in a single document

Unwritten/Uncodified – many constitutional rules have been written down but have not been gathered together.

Flexible – Rare, constitution can be altered though law-making process, no fundamental laws

Rigid – Fundamental laws, procedure for amendment is difficult on purpose so that discussion and consideration can be taken into account

Unitary – this is where the power is concentrated in the government.

Federal – power is divided into central and regional/state – the functions they are given are made clear in constitution.

Republic: Head of state is not chosen by hereditary, elected

Join now!

Monarchy: Hereditary, only constitutional form now (not absolute power) so this isn’t much a distinction now.

Parliamentary – there is no distinction relationship between executive and the legislature. The executive is chosen from and accountable to the legislature (largest party leader = Prime Minister)

Republic – Separation of power of executive and legislature (elections for Congress and President)

Sovereignty Constitution: this is where constitution is based on sovereignty of parliament

People Constitution: this is where constitution is based on sovereignty of people

British Constitution: old, changed over time, conventions, acts, precedents and traditions make it ...

This is a preview of the whole essay