In class this week several of you raised the issue that Parliament has several features inconsistent with the system of democracy; namely the influence of the Church of England as expressed through the presence of 26 Bishops in the House of Lords and the Hereditary Peer seats, which account for 92 of Parliament’s members.
This weekend you will explore several perspectives on the structure and functions of the modern British Parliament and answer our framing question above to prepare for a seminar that will be introduced on Monday, Is Britain a true democracy?
Directions: Summarize the role of all of the following auspices of British Parlaiment - The House of Commons, House of Lords and The Government.
Answer TWO of the questions below on your blog. Be prepared to discuss them in the seminar.
A) To what extent do appointment and election procedures relfect democratic government?
B) Many feel that the appointment of Lords by the Government (who are the Prime Minister's Cabinet) ensures that politics are influenced by individuals skilled in their fields rather than politicans who are likeable and popular figures.
With this in mind, do you think the British or American legislature is more likely to make informed legislation?
C) Are the 26 seats held by the Bishops a corruption of democracy or an expression of British culture and political tradition?
Resources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4828094.stm
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/HofLBpmembership.pdf
http://www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/whiteboard-resources.htm
your blog must be 250 words.
It has been debated, several times, whether Britain is a true democracy or not. The people there can vote on most things and the queen doesn’t rule over them like a dictator. Although, in Britain more than the U.S., laws can pass over people’s heads and they have no control over it. Britain is broken down into three sections; House of Commons, House of Lords, and Parliament. Each has a certain job such as making laws, enforcing laws, and getting rid of bad laws.
ReplyDeleteIn America, the politicians are closely chosen by the people. In Britain this is not the case. There are groups called Majority Parties who attends debates, these discuss things like; new impending bills. Afterwards the Queen invites the leader of the Party, whoever that might be, and takes them to the palace to become the Prime Minister. Prime Ministers have the job of leading other Majority Parties and Parliament among other things. The people really don’t have much say as to who gets to be elected for any of these jobs, especially the choosing of the Prime Minister. This makes it a little hard to believe that Britain is a democracy when its people don’t get to choose who rules over them.
The House of Lords has four different types of people in it. They have; Life Peers, Archbishops, Bishops, and Hereditary Members. Life Peers, as the name suggest works there until their death and are chosen by the Prime Minister. Bishops and Archbishops have their own seats because the Church of England is the “Church of the State.” Hereditary Members have their seat passed down to them by their parents and grandparents. There is debate whether or not Bishops being on the seats in the House of Lords is a corruption of Democracy. The bishops don’t have any more power on the seat than the Life Peers. They cannot make religious laws and their position in England does not earn them special treatment. That being said, the Bishops are really just on the seat there for show, thereby presenting British culture. Britain is in some ways a form of Democracy. The people there have a right to vote and have mostly all the rights the people in America have. However, Britain is not completely Democratic. Its people still can’t choose who gets to become Prime Minister or Queen for that matter. Right now, my opinion is that while Democracy isn’t completely in Britain, given a few more years Democracy there could rival that of the people of the United States.
Shawn Cybulska
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The British Parliament consists of the Queen, whom doesn't have much say and two chambers. These chambers are the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Role British Parliament plays for Britain is to provide taxes, pass laws, and control the actions of the government. The House of Commons has an elected 646 members of Parliament. These members are for the people. There is a general vote every four years. They along with the House of Lords, make laws that get debated and fixed until the end. If a specific law keeps going back and forth from the House of Lords to the House of Commons at some point they may just forget it. Laws do not get vetoed.The House of Commons have final say, but the Lords can delay a law being passed. The House of Lords are not elected, they are simply chosen. Lords are also known as Peers and there are about 750 of them. The Lords consist of four types which are Life Peers, Law Lords, Bishops and Hereditary Peers. Life Peers are appointed based upon experience and expertise such as lawyers, doctors, scientists, etc. Law Peers are legal experts which are appointed to refine policy. Bishops are members of the Church of England. There are 26 seats for Bishops. Hereditary Peers are people who inherit their seat from being in a political family. The Government is the cabinet of which consists of men and women whom are chosen by the Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteAppointment and election procedures in many ways, do reflect a democratic government. The people are greatly involved in what occurs during debates and appointments. It isn't like a dictatorship when all decisions for the country are made made by one man and the military. The people are who vote for the Members of Parliament whom come from the House of Commons. The people technically have the last say on what goes on.
The seats held by 26 bishops are not a corruption of democracy whatsoever. They are an expression of British culture and political tradition. This is because there opinion and voice in parliament has nothing to do with religion. Everyone in the British Government know that the government they live by is not a theocracy, It is a democracy and is based upon the trust of the people.
Jazmin Roman
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The House of Commons is the democratically elected house of the UK Parliament which is responsible for making laws and checking the work of Government. The House of Lords makes laws, holds the Government to account and investigates policy issues and provides a forum of independent expertise.
ReplyDeleteA) To what extent do appointment and election procedures relfect democratic government?
There are 750 peers or MPs who have been allowed to sit in the House of Lords and participate in the debates and elections. Of the 750 MPs, only 600 have been appointed to the House of Lords for life. Most of the MPs are people who inherited their title through royal family ties, were removed from the House of Lords in 1999 in the first stage of reform. Although, 92 hereditary MPs still remain in the House of Lords and were allowed to keep their seats. The other hereditary peers are still Lords but they are no longer allowed to have their seats in the House of Lords. There is allowed to be up to twelve law lords who can sit in the House of Lords, their main work not being in debates but instead it is being the judge on cases in the highest appeal court in the UK. There are also 26 Church of England archbishops and bishops who are allowed to speak and vote in the House of Lords.
C) Are the 26 seats held by the Bishops a corruption of democracy or an expression of British culture and political tradition?
The 26 seats held by the bishops are not a corruption of democracy. They are part of British culture and tradition because their opinion in parliament doesn't have anything to do with customs or beliefs.
Bethany Greenman
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ReplyDeleteAn on going debate is whether Britian is a true Democracy or not. The People of Britian can vote like the US. Aswell as the Queen does not stand over them a dictator. Yet unlike in the US Britian can pass law without any say from the people. Britain is broken down into three sections, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Parliament. Each having a certain job, making a system of checks and balances
ReplyDeleteIn Britian the people do not get to chose the politicians, unlike in the US. One is invited to br Prime Minister yet has to fufill certian guidelines much like the US. Prime Minister is head of the leading majority party and of Parliament. Even then the people have little to none say of who is elected to apointed for the spots in House of Commons, and House of Lords. The House of Lords is made of 4 different people: Life peers, Archbishops, Bishops, and Hereditary members. Life peers work until death, and are appointed by the Prime Minister. Bishops and Archbishops have their own seasts because of the Church of England. This being an on going debate of whether this is corruption of democracy. Hereditary members have their seats passed down to them by their families. "Bishops and life peers really have no say in the making of religious laws, and their positions earn them no special treatment" as shawn stated above... Britian is in some ways Democratic but not completely.
Vanessa Cucuzza
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The House of Commons, House of Lords, and government in Britain all play a role in ensuring that the citizen’s point of view is reflected in the policies that enforce them. The government in Britain is the prime minister appointed cabinet who advise the prime minster. The House of Commons are six hundred forty six members elected into office by the people and the majority party is the party that is chosen for prime minster. Even though there is only one winner in the election the other parties still play apart in parliament. The House of Commons creates bills and policies for Britain which is sent to the House of Lords. The House of Lords consist of seven hundred fifty members, twenty six of which are Church of England bishops, and ninety two of which are given a seat based on their hereditary in British politics, the rest of the house of lards is men and woman appointed to office for their experts in their fields. The House of Lords revise and review the policies and bills that the House of Commons pass to them, making sure that they meet the standards of fields in which the represent whether it be education, or environmental protection. The House of Lords are strictly in place to revise laws, so they are not able to veto a bill or police but merely delay it.
ReplyDeleteThe British government is defiantly more reflective of their citizens then the American government. Even though the lords are not elected into office does not mean that they do not understand their job, they are purposely put in to power because they understand their fields so well that they are qualified to make political judgments on it. Where as in America it is all about politics, a politician may be elected into office but that does not mean they understand what would have the most benefit in areas such as environmental protection, this shows a lack of experience and expertise’s for the decisions that will shape America.
There are twenty six seats held in the House of Lords for bishops to represent the Church of England. What are these bishops representing? The bishops may represent tradition in England but they also stand for a huge amount of corruption in the nearly perfect form of British democracy. These bishops have nothing to stand for in a true form of democracy, by representing the church in political means shows that there is truly something wrong with the political system in Britain because these bishops are only holding part the British democracy.
Katie McSherry
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The British government has many complicating features that lead to the question of its democratic legitimacy. Though it may be questioned, the government is indeed a democratic government. Like any other democratic society, the roll of Parliament takes place like any other democracy, head leaders of the country are voted by all eligible citizens, the president chooses his cabinet, and there are several different political parties running for the lead spot.
ReplyDeleteThe parliament of Britain is made up of the House mearly of Lords and House of Commons, both of which is made up of many layers of people. Lords, or peers, have the important job of revising and considering new laws. The commons have the final say to this ultimately.
Checks and balances are in effect with the houses of government like Americas democracy. The most conflicting fact about the government is that there is a queen, which can seem to promote a monarchy. This actually does not conflict with the democratic rule. The queen is meerly a political figure, one to look up to and respect. Her roll is to take care of the more traditional activities and represent the country. Another fact is that some rolls in the house of lords is taken by religious leaders, or bishops, and that some are born into their rolls in the government. This doesn't change the ultimate fact that the democratic government that Britain has established is first and for-most a democracy, the rest is more of a of tradition than anything else.
Francisko Kim
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The British government has many complicating features that lead to the question of its democratic legitimacy. Though it may be questioned, the government is indeed a democratic government. Like any other democratic society, the roll of Parliament takes place like any other democracy, head leaders of the country are voted by all eligible citizens, the president chooses his cabinet, and there are several different political parties running for the lead spot.
ReplyDeleteThe parliament of Britain is made up of the House mearly of Lords and House of Commons, both of which is made up of many layers of people. Lords, or peers, have the important job of revising and considering new laws. The commons have the final say to this ultimately.
Checks and balances are in effect with the houses of government like Americas democracy. The most conflicting fact about the government is that there is a queen, which can seem to promote a monarchy. This actually does not conflict with the democratic rule. The queen is meerly a political figure, one to look up to and respect. Her roll is to take care of the more traditional activities and represent the country. Another fact is that some rolls in the house of lords is taken by religious leaders, or bishops, and that some are born into their rolls in the government. This doesn't change the ultimate fact that the democratic government that Britain has established is first and for-most a democracy, the rest is more of a preservation of tradition than anything else.
Francisko Kim
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In Britain, there are three roles in the British Parliament. The three roles are The House of Commons, House of Lords, and The Government. Each play a different role. The House of Commons, known as the lower house of parliament, consists of 646 members, democratically elected. The House of Lords is known as the upper house of Parliament. This house consists of 733 members. The 26 seats held by the bishops are both a corruption of democracy and an expression of British culture. The Bishops hold no role in the government, but is traditional for them to attend. The Queen is also another example of someone who has an traditional role. In choosing the Prime Ministers, the people have no say. This goes to show that its hard to believe Britain is a democracy when its people can not choose.
ReplyDeleteCorinne Mueller
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I believe that Britain's government is a true democracy. The roll of parliament occurs just like any other democracy because members are voted on by the citizens as well as the president chooses his cabinet. The house of commons and the house of lords play a big role in Britain's government. The house of commons consists of six hundred forty six members that are elected into office by the people. Their jobs is to create bills and policies for Britain which are sent to the house of lords. The house of Lords consist of six hundred fifty six members which are appointed in three different ways, Life peers are men and women who are appointed into office for their expertise in their fields of experience. twenty six members of the house of lords are bishops of the church of England and others are elected hereditary members which are appointed and given a seat based on their ancestors in British politics. The role of the house of lords is to revise and review the policies and bills that the house of commons pas to them. although the house of lords are not allowed to veto bills but they have the privilege to delay it.
ReplyDeleteTo the extent of Citizen participation in appointment and election procedures reflects a democratic government because it all depends on the people on whose hands their government and trust lies in.
i believe the twenty six seats held by the bishops is a expression of Britain's culture and political tradition and not corruptions because Britain is a democracy and not a theocracy. Religious views have no say in parliament.
Samantha Wong
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4/11/10
The House of Commons is elected house of the UK parliament, which is in charge of making laws. The House of Commons has an elected 646 members of parliament. The House of Commons creates the laws, and the house of lords has to approve and make the law. It is the House of Lords job to keep delaying laws that they do not agree with, but the law eventually does have to get passed. The House of Lords can only delay a law. The House of Lords are not elected they are chosen. There are 750 members in the House of Lords. There are four types of lords, Life peers, law lords, bishops and hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed based on experience usually scientists and are never political members. The law peers are legal experts who are appointed to refine policy. Bishops are members of the Church of England, and there are 26 seats for Bishops. Finally the hereditary peers are people who inherit their seat from being in a political family. The Prime Minister selects the people who are chosen to be in the cabinet of the British government. The British government can be viewed as a democratic government. People are including in debates and voting for members. But members who are selected based on experience and members who inherit their seat from a political family weren’t elected they were chosen automatically, not by the people. The 26 seats held by the bishops are not a corruption of democracy. They are a part of British culture and tradition because their opinion in parliament has nothing to do with religion.
ReplyDeleteCory Moser
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The lower house of parliament of the United Kingdom is the house of commons. The upper house is the house of lords. The house of commons is democratically elected body which consists of 646 members who are also known as the “Members of parliament”. All members of the house of commons are elected through “first past-the post” system. All seats are held for the members until the parliament is dissolved. The house of commons was far less powerful then the house of lords. Today things are slightly different because legislative powers exceed those of the lords. Since the parliament act in 1911the Lords power to reject legislative bills was reduced to a delaying power. Witch means the lords cannot reject legislative laws they can only delay them, witch leaves them with less power. The British government is led by as prime minister. The prime minister is appointed by Queen as a member of parliament. The British government has been a members of the house of commons since the early 20th century, earlier Prime Minsters usually came from the house of lords. To what extent do appointment and election procedures reflect democratic government? The appointment and election procedures reflect democratic government because it gives the people no say in who is in the house of lords. There is aloud to be up to twelve lords that are able to sit in the house of lords. Are the 26 seats held by the Bishops a corruption of democracy or an expression of British culture and political tradition? The 26 seats held by the bishops is not a corruption of democracy it is tradition. Great Britain has the most traditional political system in the world. Therefore their system should not be changed.
ReplyDeleteSamantha Villa
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It has been debated, several times, whether Britain is a true democracy or not. The upper house of parliament is the house of lords. The House of Lords has four different types of representatives in it. They have; Life Peers, Archbishops, Bishops, and Hereditary Members. Life Peers, as the name suggest works there until their death and are chosen by the Prime Minister. Bishops and Archbishops have their own seats because the Church of England is the “Church of the State.” Hereditary Members have their seat passed down to them by their parents and grandparents. This is very debatable because people feel that Britain is not a true democracy because they are appointed into there seats and not voted in. however Britain has a very prestigious tradition in parliament. The lower house is the house of commons. The house of commons is democratically elected body which consists of 646 members who are also known as the “Members of parliament”. All members of the house of commons are elected. The appointment system of Brittan’s government does not mean that it is not a democracy because it is tradition and Britain’s parliament takes pride in its traditional beleifs.
ReplyDeleteRyan McLean
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The House of Commons- The House of Commons consists of 646 people, who represent different constituencies. These people are elected officials from all different political parties. They hold more power than the House of Lords. The leader of the majority party becomes the Prime Minister. They can make and pass laws, without consent from the House of Lords.
ReplyDeleteThe House of Lords- The House of Lords consists of 733 peers, who are appointed. Some lords are appointed because of their family’s status, some for their expertise in a certain field, and many more reasons. The House of Lords debates bills in question, and sometimes has the power to stop a bill from being passed or can modify it. There are law lords in the House of Lords who have some say in judicial aspects.
The Government- It is a bicameral government. There is a Queen but she doesn’t hold really any power at all. She is more like the figure head that is used fro ceremonial services, such as inducting the Prime Minister. The government is said to be a democratic one because the main source of power is elected, the House of Commons. Although, there are people in the government who are appointed, and there are also bishops in the government. There is also a controversy because there is a little bit of religion in this government. There are 2 archbishops and 24 bishops in the House of Lords, which could be considered not separating church and state.
A) There are some elected officials in the British government and then there are some who are appointed. The fact that the people do get a chance to vote shows that Britain’s government is somewhat democratic, but then again the majority of people aren’t elected. The members of the House of Lords are appointed and the members of the House of Commons are elected. There are more people in the House of Lords, but then again the House of Commons has more power. In fact, the House of Commons can overrule things that the House of Lords cannot, for example the House of Lords cannot stop a bill from being passed that the House of Commons wants passed. The Prime Minister is from the majority party of the House of Commons, so he was chosen by the people. The lords are appointed by elected officials. If the house with the most say was appointed and not elected than Britain wouldn’t have been very democratic, but since that’s not the case the fact that some people are appointed doesn’t make Britain not democratic.
C) The 26 seats that are held by Bishops do not really corrupt Britain’s democracy. The bishops are part of the House of Lords, who don’t really have a big impact on the government. They are there for advisement on topics of their expertise. The Bishops do not actually impose their religion on the democracy of Britain’s government. They do not make laws or not pass laws for religious reasons, and even if they wanted to they don’t have that kind of power. They are just there as an expression of British culture and political tradition, sort of like the Queen.
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ReplyDeleteBritain is run by three main branches of government, each working concurrently to constitute the practice of the democratic system. The House of Commons is the lower house of parliament, made up of 646 Member's of Parliament, or "MP's". The MP's are voted in democratically by the people, and each are in charge of a constituency. The House of Commons helps to create and alter laws as well as to oversee the governments actions. The upper house of Parliament is known as the House of Lords. It is made up of 750 Lords and bishops, otherwise known as "peers". The House of Lords have notably less say on the altering and creation of laws and up until recently were mainly comprised of hereditary peers, or people born into their position of a Lord. The third branch of parliament is the government, which is made up of the Prime Minister and the members of his political party, or "Cabinet". The officials in the House of Commons who help the Prime Minister are known as Government Minister's and are elected by the Prime Minister. Lately, there has been a controversy in England about whether or not Britain is adhering to the core values of the democratic system. An instance in which this is notably present is the way peers are inducted into the House of Lords. Whereas the few members that are elected into the upper house can viewed by the people as receiving their title based on genuine democratic principle, the majority of the members who are appointed rather than voted in by other government officials or through heritability are argued to be chosen based on less than fair terms. In my opinion all members of the House of Lords should have had to have gained favor with the people to retain their position. By the Prime Minister or his Cabinet choosing new Lords the system of checks and balances is thrown out of whack and demonstrates a more skewed view of democracy. Another example of argued controversy in British parliament is the twenty six seats given to Britain's Bishops. In my opinion, I do not believe the Church of the State should have that much power in England's government. The Church is no longer a main source of power in England and by allowing members from the Church into British parliament, we are once again appointing people who may or not be qualified to hold those positions of power. In my mind these many unfair practices that England follows do not make Britain a true democracy. Until the people have more of a voice on who their leaders are, Britain to me can not be seen as wholly democratic.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Cipollone
Block C
The House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the Government all play a different role in Britain:
ReplyDeleteThe House of Lords consists of 733 appointed peers. Some lords are appointed because of their family relatives or for experience in their field. Only a little over ninety members of the House of Lords are hereditary peers because most of them are being taken out and loosing their seat. Hereditary peers are not allowed to sit in the House of Lords, but they are still considered Lords. There are also twenty-six archbishops and bishops who can speak and vote in the Lords. The House of Lords makes the decision about vetoing or passing a bill.
The House of Commons consists of 646 people that represent different constituencies, or votes. These people are elected officials from all different political parties. The House of Commons have more power than the House of Lords. The leader of the majority party is the Prime Minister. The majority party, which is part of the House of Commons, can make and pass laws without from the House of Lords looking over it.
The government is bicameral. There is a Queen but she doesn’t hold any power, just looked to as a figure that does important service such as appointing the Prime Minister. The government is democratic along with bicameral because the main source of power is elected, such as the House of Commons. There is not set religion for the government because there is not much worship.
A) There are some elected officials in the British government and then there are some who are appointed. Besides officials in Britain’s government, people getting a change to vote shows that it is democratic. The members of the House of Lords are appointed and the members of the House of Commons are elected. Although the House of Lords is consisted of more people, the House of Commons withhold more power. The Prime Minister is leader of the majority party of the House of Commons, so the people chose him. Elected officials appoint the Lords. This makes the government democratic, but just because some people are appointed doesn’t mean Britain is not democratic.
C) The 26 seats held by Bishops do not corrupt Britain’s democracy. The Bishops are part of the House of Lords, but do not serve any higher role than any other position in the party. They are included for their experience in their field of knowledge. The Bishops are just mostly seen as an expression of British culture and political tradition, as the Queen is.
Jackie King
ReplyDeleteThe House of Commons is the elected house of the US parliament which holds the responsibility for making laws and revising the work of the Government. The House of Lords makes the laws, is responsible to investigate policy issues and a forum of independent expertise. In the House of Lords there are 750 peers or MPs that participate in debates and elections. Only 600 are appointed to the House of Lords for life. Most of the MPs inherit their title through family. Only 92 hereditary MPs still remain in the House of Lords and able to keep their seats. Up to 12 law lords can sit in the House of Lords acting as judges on cases in the UK court. The Prime Minister is from the majority party of the House of Commons, therefore he was chosen by the people. Lords are appointed by elected officials. Although there are more people in the House of Lords, the House of Commons has more power.
The 26 seats that are held by Bishops are basically used for traditions. The bishops do not directly affect the government although they are part of the House of Lords. They are used for their expertise and advise. Religion of the bishops doesn’t affect the democracy of Britain's government. The Bishops do not have the power to make or pass laws for religious reasons. The Bishops are used to express Britain's governments tradition.
The British Parliament is seen as the oldest and finest government systems. The House of Commons and the House of Lords make up a very good team. Its role is to write, revise and, if necessary, delay laws proposed by MPs. The House of Commons role is to serve any improvement to the bill, if necessary. Parliament examines and challenges the work of government. Parliament is responsible for approving new laws. Both Houses hold debates in which Members discuss government policy, proposed legislation and current issues. When a new Speaker of the House of Commons is elected, the successful candidate is physically dragged to the Chair by other MPs. The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords Chamber. The Woolsack is a large, wool-stuffed cushion or seat covered with red cloth. The Lord Speaker presides over debates in the House of Lords, but does not control them like the Speaker in the Commons, as Members of the Lords regulate their own discussions. If a Deputy Speaker presides in the absence of the Lord Speaker, then that individual uses the Woolsack. When the House of Lords is sitting, the Mace is placed on the rear of the Woolsack, behind the Lord Speaker. In front of the Woolsack in the House of Lords Chamber is a larger cushion known as the Judges' Woolsack. During the State Opening of Parliament, the Judges' Woolsack is occupied by senior judges. This is a reminder of mediaeval Parliaments, when judges attended to offer legal advice.
ReplyDeleteBetween the House of Commons and the House of Lords, shows that checks and balances play out. The British government is similar to America’s democracy. The people have the choice to voice but the Queen really doesn’t take any part in this. Her position in hereditary and she is more of a social and political symbol. She is there to keep with the British traditions.
Susan Yacca
C Block
The British parliament consists of many auspices. Such as the Queen, the Prime Minister, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Britain’s Parliament has 646 members are elected by the people of Britain which is a democracy. Parliament has the power to pick the Prime Minister. The seat of the Prime Minister is held by the leader of the party that holds the majority of the seats in parliament. The Prime Minister appoints his/her cabinet and they are basically the government. The Queen in Britain is currently Queen Elizabeth. She sits at the throne of parliament and delivers a speech when they meet (which is held at Westminster also known as Downing st.). The Queens Job is to introduce the bills to be debated by the parliament. Also the Queen summons leader of the majority party in Parliament to the palace and invites him to be the Prime Minister. Both the House of Lords and the House of Commons have the responsibility of making new laws and appealing old laws. However, there are many differences in both Houses. The House of Lords, which are also called, lords or peers and consist of 750 Lords. There four types of members of the House of Lords the Life peers, Law Lords, Bishops and Hereditary Peers. Along with these positions there are also many responsibilities. Such as revising and perfecting laws written by the House of Commons, checking the work of government by asking questions and debating decisions as well as providing a group of experts to discuss issues in the chamber and in committees set up to look at specific subjects. The House of Commons is made up of 646 electives of parliament which each representing the UK. Responsibilities of this group are basically being the speaker for and on behalf of members of the public. More responsibilities of this group is having the final say in passing laws which can not be stopped but can be delayed by the House of Lords.
ReplyDeleteC) The 26 seats held by the bishops are not a corruption of democracy. Instead they are apart of British tradition and morality. The reason being is that parliaments opinion is not based on religion but based upon what the people believe is best. The British government is a democracy and not a theocracy.
Ashley jones
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Britain has one of the oldest and the finest parliamentary traditions in the world. The british parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Both are two different groups and play two different roles in british government. The House of Commons make legislation. The House of Commons also represent people's interests via the constituency system. The House of Lords on the other hand, has a totally different role in government. The House of Lords examines the bills made by the House of Commons and usually suggests ways in which improvements could be made. In order to do that, the Lords need to have an expertise and knowledge, which elections do not guarantee. The british government system is a parliament democracy system. The government is bicameral. The British Government has a Queen but she doesn’t hold any power, just looked to as a figure that does important services. The Queen appoints the Prime Minister as well. The government is democratic also because the main source of power is elected. There is also no set religion in the British Government.
ReplyDeleteA) To what extent do appointment and election procedures relfect democratic government?
Appointment and election procedures both reflect democratic government. There are appointed officials and elected officials in the british government. The members of the House of Lords are appointed and the members of the House of Commons are elected. The house of commons have a good amount of power and the House of Lords have more people involved in it. The Prime Minister is leader of the House of Commons. Elected officials appoint the Lords. The government is democratic because people are appointed and elected.
C) Are the 26 seats held by the Bishops a corruption of democracy or an expression of British culture and political tradition?
The 26 seats that are held by the Bishops is an expression of British culture because it is based on religion. The 26 seats have been going on for a long time and it is a political tradition. It is an example of British culture/religion and political tradition. It is in no way a corruption of democracy.
The House of Commons is the elected part of Parliament. The House of Commons consists of 646 people, each representing a constituency. Members make and pass laws and hold more power than the House of Lords.
ReplyDeleteThe House of Lords is the appointed part of Parliament. The House of Lords consists of 733 peers who are appointed either by family status or expertise in a certain field. Peers debate potential laws, but they do not have the power to stop a law from being passed. The can only modify and delay the process.
The government is a bicameral government. There is a queen, but mostly for traditional purposes. The government is viewed as democratic because the House of Commons are elected and there is a system of checks and balances. On the other hand, many people do not view Britain as a true government because the House of Lords are appointed and bishops hold 26 of the peer seats.
B) Many people feel that the appointment of the Lords by the Government ensures that politics are influenced by individuals skilled in their fields rather than politicians who are likeable and popular figures. With this in mind, I believe that British legislature is more likely to make informed legislation. People tend to make decisions based on their opinions and their own benefit, and not always for the benefit of the whole country. With appointment, people are chosen on their level of expertise in certain fields which help in the making of specific laws concerning specific issues. For example, personally, I would want someone experienced and skillful in medicine and biology to write a law concerning health issues rather than a person who is only likeable and shows little passion for that issue. With highly ranked individuals in government, I believe legislature will be more effective and productive.
C) The 26 seats held by the Bishops are an expression of British culture and not a corruption of democracy. These bishops have little power and are merely in parliament for traditional political purposes. Britain is not a theocracy nor are these bishops attempting to create a theocracy. Their opinion in Parliament does not necessarily have to do with religion, but more with morality and humanity.
Angela Tsetsakos
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The House of Commons, House of Lords, Prime Minister, and The Queen comprise of the British government. As we have studied earlier, the prime minister, who realistically holds the most power, appoints his cabinet. The House of Commons consists of 646 elected officials. Like in America, the losing party has still has a say in government. Just like how we can have both democrats and republicans in our Congress, the losing party is known as the opposition party, and plays a role in Parliament. The House of Lords is made up of 750 people, mainly professionals and experts in various areas to help examine laws with detail. However, to become a member, you are selected, not voted upon. For example, the Church of England has 26 bishops in the House of Lords, and there are 92 inherited seats in the branch. These seats are there for tradition, and show how undemocratic the government can be. Although the Church and the royal family play only a small role in the government, the customs of the United Kingdom has a strong influence in its politics, the same political system, in which a monarchy is placed at the head of the command.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, although not a democracy, the British government doesn’t seem tyrannical at all. Although the members of the House of Lords aren’t directly elected, they were all chosen for a reason, and I believe they would always show patriotism to their policy. I’m sure only the finest experts in a field will be chosen as a Lord, and it is no coincidences that they are to be elected. They should be more than qualified to have a positive influence on British politics, and serve to benefit the people. In America, politicians need to be good salesmen, selling their reputation to the voters. In the United Kingdom, the Lords are hand picked, based on their past experiences.
Oscar Lee
House of Commons is the lower house of parliament in Britains government. It has a body consisting of 646 members of parliament. These 646 member may have their seat up to 5 years after the previous election. The house of commons has the power to pass and deny laws but they also need the consent from the house of lords. Both parties must agree to pass the law in order for it to be passed. If one party does not agree they must alter the law in a way that they both agree on its terms. Only then a law can be passed.
ReplyDeleteHouse of Lords is the upper house in the United Kingdoms government. It has a body containing 733 members. The way to be in the house of lords is hereditary. You must be a descent of one of the members in order to be inducted into the house of the lords.
The Queen does not have any real political power. Her only responsibilities are to introduce debates in parliament. She has no role in legislation at all. Even thought she has no real political power she does have political influence and is an iconic figure in the United Kingdom.
Appointment and election procedures shoes a great democratic use in their government. Election is a sign of democracy because the citizens are the ones choosing the person to run the political position they want. Its their choice to have who they want in office not anybody else’s. Th 26 seats held by the bishops could be seen as a theocracy but it is not because the United Kingdom is a democracy therefore their can be no theocracy in a democratic government.
Brian Lopez
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ReplyDeleteThe British form of government is a parliamentary democracy. Opposed to america, Britain has its representatives in the house of commons, and the house of lords appointed. While american congress members are elected into power.
ReplyDeleteThe House of commons has 646 members of parliament. The house of commons has the power to pass and deny laws, although the house of lords needs to okay every decision they make. The main party, and the opposition party need to agree to come to a decision. A law must be ratified until both parties agree on the law. The house of lords has about 750 peers, or MPs. Out of the 750, 600 are appointed for life. 92 of the peers were born into the position. Most of the original hereditary peers were removed, due to reforms in 1999 leaving the 92 hereditary peers. 26 bishops are part of the house of lords, and some debate that this makes Britain less of a democracy than other countries.
I believe that the 26 bishops with parliamentary seats in the house of lords does not make Britain undemocratic. A large percentage of Britain is Christian, so they see this as a part of british culture. Not to mention the bishops aren't to speak on behalf of the church, but themselves. Some say that this is a theocratic element in the British government. Theocracy is when religion controls a country, not has a small say in law making.
The British Parliament is made up of the Queen and two chambers. The Queen doesn’t have much power and the two chambers are the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The British Parliaments role in Britain is to provide taxes, pass laws, and control the actions of the government. The House of Commons has 646 members of Parliament. All of them are elected. A general vote is held every four years. The House of Lords are chosen not elected. Along with the House of Lords they too make laws that get debated and fixed all the way to the end. A law may be forgotten about if kept being passed between the House f Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Lords can delay a law being passed but the House of common’s have the final say. There are about 750 Lords also known as peers. There are four different types of Lords. There are Life Peers, Law Lords, Bishops and Hereditary Peers. Based upon experience and expertise Life Peers are appointed. Law Peers are legal experts which, are appointed to refine policy. The Bishops are members of the Church of England. There are 26 seats available for the Bishops. People who inherit their seats from being in a political family are called Hereditary Peers. The government is the cabinet chosen by the Prime Minister, which consists of both men and women. The appointment and election procedures do show a democratic government. The people are involved in debates and appointments. When all the decisions for the country are made by one person or the military it is not like a democracy. The Members of Parliament are voted for by the people. The people have the last say. The Bishops are an expression of British culture and tradition. Britain is a democracy and not a theocracy. Religious views have no say in Parliament. Their system should not be changed.
ReplyDeleteAn ongoing debate on whether the classification of Britain as a democracy is legitimate. In one aspect, British citizens vote on elected officials. And though there is a monarch, the Queen does not act as an actual head of government rather than an ambassador to the people for Britain. However, unlike a normal democracy, Britain is able to pass laws without any say from the people. The government is broken into sections: the House of Commons, House of Lords and Parliament. Each section has a specific role which includes making laws, enforcing laws and getting rid of laws that don’t work. Positions are not chosen by the people but by Majority Parties. They attend debates and then discuss important issues. The queen then invites the leader of the party and appoints them Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s role is to lead other Majority parties and Parliament. This is also the case for the House of Lords and House of Commons. The House of Lords is made up of four different groups of people: Life Peers Archbishops, Bishops ad hereditary members. Life peers are appointed by the Prime Minister and work until death. Bishops and Archbishops are connected to the Church of England, which is an ongoing conflict on whether this is a corruption of government or not. Hereditary members inherit their seats from members of families. The people have no control over the officials are appointed to these positions which makes it difficult to classify Britain as a democracy.
ReplyDeleteAsha Gibbs F-block
The British Parliament includes the Queen, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Queen has no direct say in the government. She is more of just an idea that is upheld from past generations in Britain. The two chambers of the British Parliament make up the government. They provide taxes, pass laws, and provide a voice for the people. The House of Commons has an elected 646 members. These members are elected by the people and are in Parliament to represent their constituencies. They are voted in every four years. The House of Commons create laws that will be debated among the members of the House of Lords, who will then decide if the laws are appropriate for the citizens of Britain. However, the House of Commons have the final say. The House of Lords can only delay a law they cannot veto a law. Th House of Lords are non elected legal experts,experienced politicians, and bishops.They are also known as Peers, there are about 750 of them. There are four different types of Peers: Life Peers, Law Lords, Bishops and Hereditary Peers. Life Peers are appointed based upon experience and expertise such as lawyers, doctors, etc. Law Peers are legal experts which are appointed to refine policy. Bishops are members of the Church of England. There are 26 Bishops in the House of Lords. Hereditary Peers are people who inherit their seat from being in a political family. The government is also known as the cabinet,which assist the Prime Minister in his decisions. The british government resembles a democratic government due to the appointment and election procedures. The citizens are involved in the debates and appointments in Parliament. The citizens trust the members of the House of Commons to bring up the problems in their own constituencies and vote for laws that will help their constituency. The seats of Bishops might have some controversy due to the fact that Britain isn't a theocracy. However, the bishops are just apart of the House of Lords as a symbol of morality and to uphold what is considered moral in the eyes of many British whether they are apart of the Church of England or not. The British government is a democracy, not a theocracy.
ReplyDeleteDarlene Akanmu-C Block
There has been an ongoing dispute to weather Britain is a true Democracy or not. Britain government has three different sections. “The house of Commons” who are the lower house of Parliament in the United Kingdom. “The House of Lords” is also a part of British government. “The House of Lords” are the upper house of Parliament who are nonelected in the United Kingdom made up of peers, some hereditary peers bishops, and archbishops. Unfortunately in Britain citizens do not get to elect their politicians. Life peers work until death, and are appointed by the Prime Minister. Bishops and Archbishops have their own seats by the Church of England. Hereditary members have their seats passed down by their family, such as the Queen, etc… Although some politicians have their seats handed down to them they have little and their seats do not promise them “Special Treatment”. A con to this government is also that laws can be passed without the citizens voting. I would say that Britain is not a true democracy. In some ways it can seem to be a democracy but more over from my point of view government makes decisions based upon what they think is good for their country. In addition I think that the 26 seats held by the Bishops are not a form of corruption but an expression of British Culture. The Bishop does not have that much say in government. Therefore, corruption would not be the correct definition in fact it is a political tradition.
ReplyDeleteKaterina Mitilineos
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