Group 4 10/5/2023

POLITICAL SYSTEM
 CONTENTS
01 US POLITICAL SYSTEM

02 UK POLITICAL SYSTEM

03 COMPARISON
US POLITICAL SYSTEM
 United States Federal Government
The US Federal government is a Democratic Republic following a Constitution
Capital: Washington D.C.
United States Federal Government
Federal: Power = national government +
individual states
Democratic Republic (Representative
Democracy):
Officials elected by the people
Dominant parties: Democratic party and
Republican party ➔ two-party system
Constitution: The Federal government follows
the US constitution
 The US Constitution
The supreme and fundamental system of laws:
Sets up the national frame and constraints of
the government
Outlines the roles of 3 branches of the federal
government
Determines to a large extent what law can be
passed
Principles: popular sovereignty, limited
government, federalism, republicanism,
individual rights
The Preamble: "We the People"
7 Articles
Article 1: the Legislative branch
Article 2: the Executive branch
Article 3: the Judicial branch

27 Amendments
Amd. 1-10: The “Bill of Rights” (1791)
Amd. 13: Abolition of Slavery (1865)
Amd. 15: Right of Citizens to Vote (1870)
Amd. 19: Women's Suffrage (1920)
Amd. 22: Presidential Term Limits (1951)
Amd. 26: Reduction of Voting Age (1971)
The US Government
The Legislative
Primary: Creates laws and legislation
Other authorities: approves federal justices, passes national budget...
CONGRESS: a body of elected officials across the country
House of Representatives
Total: 435 seats
Seats are proportionally allocated to every state based on the population
Senate
Total: 100 seats
Each state has 2 seats in the Senate regardless of the populations.
Process of passing legislation
➔ The majority of both chambers
vote for a law ➔ the law can be
passed
➔ Congress can refuse to approve
Presidential appointments and
override a Presidential veto
(legislative check on executive)
 The
Executive

Primary: Enforces and carries out laws

Other authorities: appoints government officials, commands
the armed forces, meets with leaders of other nations
Consists of the President ➔ Vice President ➔ Cabinet,
executive departments and agencies
Head of the branch, state, and the President
government
Elected by the citizens every 4 years
(1 term)
Maximum 2 terms
Has veto power over bills that
Congress passes: can refuse to sign
a piece of legislation which serves as
(executive check on legislative)
Can be impeached or removed from
office by Congress (legislative
check on executive)
 Vice President
The president’s running mate
President of the Senate
A tie-breaker if the Senate vote ends in a tie
The acting president, assuming all of the powers and duties of the president,
except being designated as president (When succession events occur)
Cabinet, executive departments,
independent agencies
Works closely with the president as advisor
and carries out the programs and laws of
the federal government
The Cabinet consists of the vice president
and 15 executive departments
Each department is led by a secretary
chosen by the president and approved by
the Senate
There are 7 other members of the Cabinet,
the EOP, and other independent agencies
 The
Judicial

Primary: Interprets laws and punishes who breaks

them: settle criminal cases based on the law
Consists of the court system: the Supreme Court ➔
13 Court of Appeals ➔ 94 district courts
Each state has its own court system which
interprets state laws
The Supreme Court
Led by a chief justice (head of the
branch) and 8 associate justices
Has justices appointed by the
president and approved by the Senate
to serve a life term (legislative and
executive check on judicial)
Can be impeached or removed by
Congress (legislative check on
judicial)
Responsibilities: settle state disputes,
hear appeals from states and federal
courts, determine if federal laws are
constitutional based on the
constitution (judicial checks on
legislative and executive)
 STATE GOVERNMENT
Institutional unit serving functions of government at a level below that
of the federal government.
There are 3 branches (similar to federal government)

Legislative Executive Judicial

Manages its state, has its own constitution

Has a system of checks and balances
 The Legislative

Consists of state legislatures elected by Representatives

Legislators pass state laws, approve state budget, vote on state taxes
Has a bicameral legislature (except for Nebraska) >> Nebraska: unicameral legislature =
"Senate"; its members = "Senators".
comprises the Senate + House of Representatives (or the Assembly/House of Delegates)
A senator in the Senate serves a term of 4 years
A member of the Assembly serves a term of 2 years
Citizen rights in some states
Initiative: Citizens propose for the ballot
Referendum: Citizen vote on proposed legislation
Recall: Citizens recall elected officials/vote officials out of office
 The Executive
Runs by a governor elected by the people in the
state
The governor = leads the state, creates the
budget, approves/vetos state laws
A governor serve a term vary from 2-4 years
Free to organize its executive departments and
agencies in any way ➔ has a different executive
structure
People who run those departments are elected or
appointed by the government.
Ex: Department of Education, Department of
Health...
 The Judicial
Each state has a supreme court and lower courts
State supreme court: hears appeals from lower courts
Superior court: hears serious cases, holds most trials
Special courts: hears specific cases (juvenile, divorce, housing)
County, municipal, traffic, magistrate courts: handles minor cases, arraignments

Judges or the state system can be elected or appointed

Handles legal disputes
Decisions can be appealed to the federal supreme court
(cases when there is a question of conflict with the Constitution)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
Smaller system within a state to carry out constitutional powers
Granted power by the state
Includes 2 tiers: county (or borough/parish) and municipality (or city/town)

County Municipality
 LOCAL GOVERMENT
County government
Largest local government unit
Has a long tradition of local democracy
Provides local services, passes and enforces county laws, receives revenue
from federal and state governments, collects county property taxes, etc.

Municipal government
Deals with local issues, ex: housing, police and fire protection, parks and
recreation, public works, etc.
Has municipal courts
Operates in one of three main forms: mayor-council, council-manager,
and commission.
 Municipal government
Law-
How Chief
making How chosen? Functions and Powers
chosen? Executive
body

mayor- elected by elected by may have actual power or

the mayor
council the people the people be only a council member

council- the city takes instructions from the

elected hired by council
manager manager council

one chosen by is the ceremonial head of

commission elected
commissioner commission government only
Mayor: in charge of city
services, creates a city
budget based on taxes
and funds, oversees
departments, ensure
good quality of life

City council (elected

representatives) votes
on important city issues.
Other parts run by districts
School board
Runs public school district
Negotiates with school
administrators, approves school
policies and calendars, oversees
the education system for school
districts
➔ many things students care about
can be addressed through local
government
US Elections & Votings
 Federal
elections

on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November

Presidential Midterm
elections elections
 Presidential elections
Every 4 year
A president can serve maximum 2 terms (8 years)
A candidate running for president has to be
>= 35 years old
Citizen of the US, resident for 14 years
The president is elected indirectly by people across the country through the Electoral
Colleges
Total: 538 electors
A presidential candidate with more than 270 electoral votes ➔ become president
Proportionally allocated to every state depending on the population
Voting is based on a “winner-­take-­all” system (in most states).
 Midterm elections
Every 2 year
Choose every member of the House of
Representatives and ⅓ of the Senate.
Member of the House of Representative has to
work for a term of 2 years if elected
be at least 25 years old
have at least 7 years of citizenship
be a resident of the state they hope to represent
Member of the Senate has to
work for a term of 6 years if elected
be at least 30 years old
have at least 9 years of citizenship
be a resident of the state they hope to represent
 Votings
Eligibility:
U.S. citizens
+ 18 years old on or before Election Day
+ meet state's residency requirements.
+ Registration is required (except in North Dakota)
Immigrants:
+ Must be 18 years or older
+ Must be a permanent resident for at least 5 years (or have
a Green Card)
+ Be able to read, write, and speak basic English.
UK POLITICAL SYSTEM
 The United Kingdom
The UK is a constitutional monarchy and
parliamentary democracy:
Constitutional + Monarchy: governed by a
king/queen (monarch) who accepts the advice of
the Parliament. The constitution limits the
monarch’s power.
Parliamentary + Democracy: controlled by the
Parliament which the people have elected.
The British political system is a two-party system:
Before 1914: Conservative and Liberal
Since 1935: Conservative and Labour
 The Constitution
No official written constitution.
Governed by rules, regulations, principles, and procedures that are known
collectively as 'the constitution'.
This 'constitution' includes:
Laws are written down and agreed by the Parliament
Judgements made in courts.
Some rules, regulations, principles, and procedures have never been
written down or formally agreed by the Parliament
 The Monarch
The British Monarch = a hereditary sovereign
= the Head of state of the United Kingdom.
The crown is passed from the monarch to the
eldest son/daughter
Being recognized as successful and
excellent by the public and supports the ideal
of voluntary service.
No political or executive roles
 The Monarch
Roles of the monarch:
Give royal assent to bills passed by
Parliament
Open new sessions of Parliament
Appoints the Prime Minister and other
ministers
Acts as a focus for national identity, unity,
and pride
Represents stability and continuity.
 Three branches

The The The

Legislative Executive Judicial
The Legislative
The British Parliament is on behalf of the
UK citizens to:
Check and challenge the work of the
Government (scrutiny)
Make and change laws (legislation)
Debate the important issues of the day
(debating)
Check and approve Government
spending (budget/taxes)
 House of Commons
650 MPs elected by the citizens
A maximum term is 5 years.
The business of the House is controlled by a Speaker elected by the MPs.
Role: consider + propose new laws + regulations, scrutinize Gov.'s policies.

House of Lords
No defined number of members
Only limited influence and power
Consists of Lord Spiritual; Lords Temporal; Life peers; Lords of Appeal.
Role: discuss the Bills introduced in the House of Commons, question
Government action, and investigate public policies.
 Bill to Law
There are several stages and usually the Bill begins in the House of Commons.
1. First Reading: a formal announcement only, with no debate.
2. Second Reading: The House debates the general principles of the bill and, in
most cases, takes a vote.
3. Committee Stage: A committee of MPs examines the details of the bill and votes
on amendments to parts of it.
4. Report Stage: The House considers the amendments.
5. Third Reading: Another general discussion of the bill.
6. The bill is sent to the House of Lords, where it goes through the same stages. (If
the Lords make new amendments, these will be considered by the Commons.)
7. Both Houses' agreement, the bill receives royal assent and thus becomes an
Act of Parliament which can be applied as part of the law.
 The Executive
The Government is the central executive
authority of the UK and be responsible for
Deciding how the country is run
Managing things
Setting taxes
Deciding what to spend public money on
Deciding the best way to deliver public services
 The Government consists of

Prime The Civil

Minister Cabinet Sevice
Prime Minister: Head of Government
The leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons.
 Prime Minister
Role:
In fiction, advise the monarch to select ministers. In reality, the
PM is the one who chooses the ministers.
Abolishes government departments or creates new ones.
Chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers.
Be ultimately responsible for the policy and decisions of the
Government.
Decides matters that are not discussed by the Cabinet.
Makes decisions about the UK's defense and security.
The Cabinet
A team of about 20 (or more) ministers
chosen by the Prime Minister
The members are the most senior ministers
Have to be members of either the House of
Commons or the House of Lords.
Role: Once a week, the cabinet meets and makes
decisions about
New policies
The implementation of existing policies,
Running various government departments.
 Civil Service
Remain even when the Prime minister and ministers change
Its most senior positions are usually filled by people who have been working
in it for twenty years or more.
Be politically impartial and stay out of politics
In the second half of the twentieth century, ministers began to appoint experts
from outside and their political advisers to work alongside their civil servants.
Role: running Government Departments + implementing Government's policies.
 The Judicial

Judges Magistrates Tribunal members Coroners

The judicial system of the UK is made of regional court systems

in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court replaced the House of
Lords as the highest court in England,
Wales, and Northern Ireland (2009).
The UK’s final court of appeal for all civil
cases and criminal cases in England,
Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The Supreme Court's judges = Justices of
the Supreme Court.
Decides “devolution issues”.
 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Local government authorities = councils = few legislative powers and must act
within the framework of laws passed by the central government.
Consists of councilors elected by the public in local elections.
Responsible for a range of community services.
Collect one kind of tax (council tax).
Consists of at least one or two tiers of authority.
2 tiers (county & district)
1 tier (unitary authorities, metropolitan districts, London boroughs)
UK Elections & Votings
 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Members of the UK Parliament are elected in General Elections, which
typically take place every five years.
The people who are elected will represent their local areas
(constituencies) to work in the House of Commons.

The political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons
usually forms the new government. Its leader becomes Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: appointed by the monarch. The monarch's
appointment is guided by constitutional conventions.
Voting requirements in a
Parliamentary votings
UK Parliamentary:
Be registered to vote in
the constituency.
Be at least 18 years old
Be a British, Irish, or
qualifying
Commonwealth citizen.
Not be subject to any
legal incapacity to vote.
 Local votings
England and Northern Ireland
The rules are the same as for UK
Parliamentary votings with the main
exceptions: Peers in the House of
Lords and EU citizens resident in the
UK may also vote in local elections.

Scotland and Wales

Registered 16- and 17-
year-olds can vote
All legally resident foreign
nationals can register to
vote (not just EU nationals).
COMPARISON
 SIMILARITIES

Fully-functioning democracies
Two-party system
3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial; all function similarly
Both legislatures are split into two parts
US: Senate + House of Representatives
UK: House of Lords + House of Commons.
DIFFERENCES

Monarchy vs. Republic:

UK = a constitutional monarchy,
a hereditary monarch = the
head of state. The monarch's
role is largely ceremonial, with
little to no political power.
US = a democratic republic, an
elected president = the head of
state and government.
The Constitution
✓
US a written constitution, UK ✗
US = a strict separation of powers, UK = no formal separation.
The Legislature
US, the legislative = House of
Representatives + Senate,
members of both houses =
elected by the public.
UK, House of Commons =
elected by the public, House of
Lords = a mix of appointed and
hereditary members.
The Executive
US's executive power = held by the President = elected by the people and = head of state and the
head of government. UK's executive power = vested in the Prime Minister = the head of government
and leader of the ruling party. The PM = appointed by the monarch and is accountable to the
Parliament.
US President has more power in theory but is limited by checks and balances; UK Prime Minister has
more power in practice.
The US Cabinet advises the President regularly; the UK Cabinet meets weekly and takes decisions.
The Judiciary:
US = federal courts + state courts,
Supreme Court = highest court in the
federal system.
UK = a unified legal system, the
Supreme Court being the highest
court of appeals for all legal matters.
Elections:
Presidential elections: 4-year term
General elections: 5-year term
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Thank You.