POLI102 2024 25 L1b-1 Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the primary distinction between Westminster and consensus democracies?
Westminster democracy concentrates power, while consensus democracy shares power.
Key terms for Westminster: exclusive, competitive, adversarial. Key terms for consensus: inclusive, negotiated, compromise-seeking.
What is the definition of democracy according to Abraham Lincoln?
Government by and for the people.
This definition underscores the importance of representation and governance in a democratic system.
What are the two dimensions distinguished by Arend Lijphart in his framework?
- Executive-parties dimension
- Federal-unitary dimension
List examples of Westminster democracies.
- UK
- New Zealand
- Barbados
List examples of consensus democracies.
- Belgium
- Switzerland
- EU
What is a key feature of the executive-parties dimension in a Westminster democracy?
Concentration of executive power in single-party majority cabinets.
What is a key feature of the executive-parties dimension in a consensus democracy?
Executive power-sharing in broad multiparty coalitions.
What characterizes the federal-unitary dimension of a Westminster democracy?
Unitary and centralized government.
What characterizes the federal-unitary dimension of a consensus democracy?
Federal and decentralized government.
What does the UK’s uncodified constitution imply?
The rules of the game are not defined in legally binding documents.
What is the doctrine at the heart of British constitutional doctrine?
Parliamentary sovereignty.
What does parliamentary sovereignty dictate?
Westminster has supreme legislative authority and no other body can overrule it.
What is a criticism of the UK political system regarding the executive and parliament?
The dominance of the executive leads to parliament being perceived as subservient.
What reform in 1972 impacted UK law due to EU membership?
The European Communities Act gave EU law supremacy over UK law.
What was one result of the rise of third parties in UK politics since 1974?
The decline of the two-party system.
What significant reforms occurred between 1998 and 2000 in the UK?
Devolution to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and London.
What act in 1998 increased the judiciary’s assertiveness in the UK?
The Human Rights Act.
What is one challenge to the Westminster Model identified in the text?
Coalition and minority governments.
True or False: The UK has a rigid constitution that can only be changed by extraordinary majorities.
False.
The UK has a flexible constitution that can be amended by simple majorities.
What does the term ‘elective dictatorship’ refer to in the context of UK politics?
The dominance of the executive over the legislature.
What was one consequence of the Brexit process regarding the UK judiciary?
Increased Conservative Party antipathy towards a stronger judiciary.
Fill in the blank: The British Empire led to the global ‘export’ of the _______.
[Westminster Model].
What is a common outcome for countries that adopted the Westminster Model after independence?
A failure to embed democracy.
What percentage of global population and land mass did the British Empire account for at its peak?
About one quarter.
