英语国家概况Chapter 3

1、英语国家概况 英语国家概况 The United The United Kingdom of Great Kingdom of Great Britain and Britain and Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland The United Kingdom of Great The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandBritain and Northern Ireland Political Parties Constitution Government Election The Commo

2、nwealth I II III IV V CONTENT ConstitutionI vGreat Britain (UK) is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch vking or queen : the head of state, symbolic power vBritish Constitution is made up of: Statutory Law (成文法，制定法成文法，制定法) Common Law (判例法，普通法判例法，普通法) Conventions (习惯法，衡平法习惯法，衡平法) C

3、onstitutionI v1.1 Statutory Law passed by Parliament example the Magna Carta (1215) the Bill of Rights (1689) the Reform Act (1832) the European Communities Act (1972) the European Communities (Amendment) Act (1986) Constitution v1.2 Common law deduced from custom or legal precedents and interpreted

4、 in court cases by judges v1.3 Conventions rules and practices which do not exist legally, but are regarded as vital to the working of government 1. Constitution vDivision of power vLegislature 立法机关立法机关 vExecutive 行政部门行政部门 vJudiciary 司法部门司法部门 1. Constitution Government II 2.1 The Legislature 2.2 The

5、 Executive 2.3 The Judiciary 2.1 The Legislature Basic Structure of UK Central Government Monarch (non-political) Legislature Parliament Executive Judiciary (non-political) House of Commons (political) House of Lords (semi-political) Prime Minister & Cabinet (political) Ministers & Civil service (no

6、n-political) House of Lords Court of Appeal 2.1.1 Parliament vParliament the law-making body of Britain one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world Strictly speaking, the parliament consists of the King or Queen, the House of Lords (上议 院), the House of Commons (下议院) vQueen Elizabeth II

7、Born: April 21, 1926 Queen since June 2, 1953 vQueen Elizabeth II is a “constitutional monarch” Although she is officially the head of state, the country is actually run by the government and led by the Prime Minister. 2.1.2 Queen Queen Elizabeth II 2.1.2 Queen Buckingham Palace 2.1.2 Queen In reali

8、ty, her role is “ceremonial, unpolitical and symbolic”: vState opening of the Parliament vRoyal assent to new law vMeeting with the Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace vPay state visits to Commonwealth countries as head of state and non-Commonwealth countries on behalf of the British government 2.1.

9、2 Queen 2.1.3 The House of Lords vThe Lords Spiritual (上议院神职议员上议院神职议员) v(archbishops and prominent bishops of the Church of England) vThe Lords Temporal (上议院世俗议员上议院世俗议员) (hereditary peers and life peers and the Law Lords) 2.1.3 The House of Lords vThe main legislative function of the House of Lords:

10、 v Examine and revise bills from the House of Commons The House of Lords meets in a lavishly decorated chamber in the Palace of Westminster vThe Upper House Reforms Reduce the number of seats from 705 to 666 (Mar. 1, 2004) Final court of appealSupreme Court 2.1.3 The House of Lords 2.1.4 The House o

11、f Commons vCenter of parliamentary power vThree major functions to pass laws, bills and acts of Parliament to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the actions of the government to influence the future government policy v646 Members of Parliament, known as “MPs” for short, who represent the 646 geograp

12、hical areas 2.1.4 The House of Commons Government: Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers 2.2.1 The Prime Ministerpowerful leader vthe leader of the majority party in Parliament vcontrols the Parliament vhead of the government 2.2 The Executive 2.2.2 The Cabinet vcenter of political system vsupreme decis

13、ion-making body in the British government vWeekly on Thursday at 10 Downing Street vTwo branches of law Civil lawdefines and enforces the duties or obligations of persons to one another Criminal lawby contrast, defines and enforces the obligations of persons to society as a whole English Judges 2.3

14、The Judiciary 2.3 The Judiciary vProceedings 诉讼诉讼 All criminal trials are held in open court because the criminal law presumes the innocence of the accused until he has been approved guilty beyond reasonable doubt. In criminal trials by jury, the judge passes sentence but the jury decides the issue

15、of guilt and innocence. Political Parties III 3.1 The Conservative Party 3.2 The Labor Party 3.3 The Liberal Democrats 3.0 Overall Introduction 3.0 Overall Introduction vThe Parliament : a two-party system. vPolitical parties originated in the late 17th century. the Whig PartyLiberal Party(protestan

16、t reformer) the Tory PartyConservative Party(support the King or Church of England) The Conservative Party From Tories (a political group which appeared under King Charles II) Development The Labor Party By Unionists, liberals, socialists and the Fabian Society Comparative Description on the two maj

17、or parties: 3.0 Overall Introduction The Conservative Party the middle of the 19th century (old) Time The Labor Party in 1900 (young) Comparative Description on the two major parties (cont.): 3.0 Overall Introduction The Conservative Party Right wing party They stand for private enterprise and freed

18、om from state control. Characteristics The Labor Party Left wing party They stand for national and communal growth. Comparative Description on the two major parties (cont.): 3.0 Overall Introduction The Conservative Party middle& upper- middle class People of higher position Supporters The Labor Par

19、ty Working class and common people relatively poor or underprivileged Comparative Description on the two major parties (cont.): 3.0 Overall Introduction 3.1 The Conservative Party vthe “Right” landowners and businessmen, the middle and upper- middle class free enterprise and privatization of state-

20、owned firms David Cameron 3.2 The Labor Party vthe “Left” created by the growing trade union movement at the end of the 19th century After 1945to establish a welfare state nationalized industries exercised control over private industries to revive the primary industries v Recent Prime Ministers from

21、 the left Tony Blair (1997-2006) “Third Way” Gordon Brown (June 27, 2007-2010) 3.2 The Labor Party 3.3 The Liberal Democrats vIn 1988 vAn amalgamation of the old Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party vMiddle party vremains a minority party IV Election vEvery five years in the 646 constituenc

22、ies vcandidate who wins in each constituency becomes a Member of Parliament vThe party which holds the majority of “seats” in Parliament forms the government, with its party leader becoming the Prime Minister. The Commonwealth V 5.1 The Origin of the Commonwealth 5.2 Characteristics and Functions 5.

23、3 Members of the Commonwealth 5.4 Organizations of the Commonwealth 5.5 Commonwealth Day 5.1 Origin of the Commonwealth vThe Commonwealth of Nations is the successor of the British Empire. vFrom 1960 onwards, new members joined the Commonwealth. 5.1 Origin of the Commonwealth va voluntary association of independent sovereign states v to advocate (提倡提倡) democracy, human rights, and to promote economic cooperation and growth of its members 5.2 Characteristics and Functions van organization composed of 53 sta