Chapter-3-Government-and-the-Commonwealth

Chapter3GovernmentandtheCommonwealthTheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland一.ConstitutionGreatBritain(UK)isaparliamentarydemocracy(议会民主制）withaconstitutionalmonarch（君主立宪制）astheheadofstate国家元首BritishConstitutionismadeupof:StatutoryLaw(成文法)CommonLaw(判例法)Conventions(习惯法)1.1StatutoryLaw成文法passedbyParliament由议会通过的example•theMagnaCarta大宪章(1215)•theBillofRights人权法案(1689)•theReformAct改革法案(1832)•theEuropeanCommunitiesAct欧洲共同体法(1972)•theEuropeanCommunities(Amendment)Act欧洲共同体法（修正案(1986)1.2Commonlaw判例法deducedfromcustomorlegalprecedentsandinterpretedincourtcasesbyjudges由惯例或判例演绎而来，并且在法庭判例中由法官解释（英国法院特别是高等法院在司法实践中对某些案例的判决和解释）1.3Conventions习惯法•rulesandpracticeswhichdonotexistlegally,butareregardedasvitaltotheworkingofgovernment习惯法是并非合法存在的规则和惯例，但是却被认为是政府运作的至关重要的（大多数是在立宪政治发展过程中形成的经法院承认的宪法性法律规则）二.Government2.1TheLegislature2.2TheExecutive2.3TheJudiciary2.1TheLegislatureBasicStructureofUKCentralGovernmentMonarch(non-political)Legislature—ParliamentExecutiveJudiciary(non-political)下议院HouseofCommons上议院HouseofLords首相和内阁PrimeMinister&Cabinet部长和公务员Ministers&Civilservice上议院HouseofLords上诉法院CourtofAppeal2.1.1Parliament•Parliament议会–thelaw-makingbodyofBritain立法机构oneoftheoldestrepresentativeassemblies代表大会intheworld–Strictlyspeaking,theparliamentconsistsoftheKingorQueen,theHouseofLords(上议院),theHouseofCommons(下议院)Shereignsbutdoesnotrule!Q.WhatpowersdoestheQueenhave?2.1.2QueenTheoretically,sheisthesourceofallgovernmentpowers:headofthelegislature,executiveandjudiciarybranches立法,行政,司法的元首thecommander-in-chiefofallarmedforcesoftheCrown所有武装部队总司令“supremegovernor”oftheChurchofEngland英国圣公会的“最高领袖”Inreality,herroleis“ceremonial,unpoliticalandsymbolic”她的角色是仪式的,非政治的,象征性的:Royalassenttonewlaw批准新法律MeetingwiththePrimeMinisteratBuckinghamPalace在白金汉宫和首相会面PaystatevisitstoCommonwealthcountriesasheadofstateandnon-CommonwealthcountriesonbehalfoftheBritishgovernment以国家元首的身份访问英联邦国家,并为了英国政府的利益访问非英联邦国家2.1.3TheHouseofLords“theUpperHouse”上议院TheLordsSpiritual(上议院神职议员)(archbishopsandprominentbishopsoftheChurchofEngland大主教和英格兰教会的主教)TheLordsTemporal(上议院世俗议员)(hereditarypeersandlifepeers世袭的贵族、终身贵族andtheLawLords上议院高级法官)TheHouseofLordsmeetsinalavishlydecoratedchamberinthePalaceofWestminsterFunctionofthehouseofLordsToexamineandrevisebillsfromtheHouseofCommons检查和修正来自下议院的法案buttheLawLordscannotnormallypreventproposedlegislationfrombecominglawiftheHouseofCommonsinsistsonit但是如果下议院坚持,上议院高级法官通常不能阻止提案成为法律.2.1.4TheHouseofCommons“theLowerHouse”(centerofparliamentarypower议会的权力中心)646MembersofParliament,knownas“MPs”forshort,whorepresentthe646geographicalareas地理区域/constituencies选区Threemajorfunctions–Draftingnewlaws起草新法律–toscrutinize,criticizeandrestraintheactionsofthegovernment细看，批评和约束政府行为–toinfluencethefuturegovernmentpolicy影响未来的政府政策2.2.1ThePrimeMinister—powerfulleader•headofthegovernment政府的首脑•theleaderofthemajoritypartyinParliament议会里多数党派的领导•controlstheParliament控制议会2.2TheExecutive2.2.2TheCabinet•supremedecision-makingbodyintheBritishgovernment英国政府的最高决策机构•CabinetmembersarechosenbythePrimeMinisterfrommembersofhisownpartyinParliament.内阁成员是由首相在议会中自己党派挑选的.唐宁街10号（10DowningStreet）•英国首相官邸位于英国首都伦敦威斯敏斯特，威斯敏斯特区白厅旁的唐宁街，一所乔治风格建筑物。•TheCabinetworksontheprincipleofcollectiveresponsibilityandindividualministerialresponsibility•Ministersresponsiblefortheirparticulardepartment(mostseniormembersaretheDeputyPrimeMinister,ForeignSecretary,ChancelloroftheExchequerandHomeSecretary)•Collectiveresponsibilityorresignation2.2TheExecutive2.2.2PrivyCouncil•abodyofadvisors(450members)•currentandformerCabinetmembersandimportantpublicfigures•Itsmaindutyistogiveadvice2.2TheExecutive2.3TheJudiciary•Proceedings–Allcriminaltrialsareheldinopencourtbecausethecriminallawpresumestheinnocenceoftheaccuseduntilhehasbeenapprovedguiltybeyondreasonabledoubt–Incriminaltrialsbyjury,thejudgepassessentencebutthejurydecidestheissueofguiltandinnocence.•Twobranchesoflaw–Civillaw—definesandenforcesthedutiesorobligationsofpersonstooneanother–Criminallaw—bycontrast,definesandenforcestheobligationsofpersonstosocietyasawholeEnglishJudges2.3TheJudiciaryCountyCourtMagistrates’Court(JPs,stipendiarymagistrates)CrownCourtHighCourt(QBD,CCD,FD)CourtofAppealCourtofAppealHouseofLordsTheCourtSystemCivilbranchCriminalbranch2.3TheJudiciaryPoliticalPartiesIII3.1TheConservativeParty3.2TheLaborParty3.3TheLiberalDemocrats3.0OverallIntroduction3.0OverallIntroduction•TheParliamentoperatesonatwo-partysystem.•Politicalpartiesoriginatedinthelate17thcentury.–theWhigParty—LiberalParty–theToryParty—ConservativePartyTheConservativePartyFromTories(apoliticalgroupwhichappearedunderKingCharlesII)DevelopmentTheLaborPartyByUnionists,liberals,socialistsandtheFabianSocietyComparativeDescriptiononthetwomajorparties:3.0OverallIntroductionTheConservativePartythemiddleofthe19thcentury(old)TimeTheLaborPartyin1900(young)ComparativeDescriptiononthetwomajorparties(cont.):3.0OverallIntroductionTheConservativePartyRightwingpartyTheystandforprivateenterpriseandfreedomfromstatecontrol.CharacteristicsTheLaborPartyLeftwingpartyTheystandfornationalandcommunalgrowth.Com