Scan the text and quest for definitions in the Internet to determine whether these statements are true (T) or false (F), and if they are false say why.
1. The British political system evolved over centuries, earning the nickname – “The Mother of Parliaments”.
2. The British political system is based on federalism, equally distributing power between Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
3. Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not independent countries but are four somewhat autonomous regions which are part of the country known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or just United Kingdom for short.
4. The UK has a written constitution which formed the glue between the three branches of power – the legislative, the judicial and the executive.
5. Hereditary and primogeniture principles mean that the oldest female child of a monarch is the next in line to the throne.
6. Magna Carta was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges.
7. One of the disadvantages of a bicameral parliament is that with two legislative bodies, there is enhanced oversight of the executive branch.
8. A bicameral parliament has the capacity to formally represent diverse constituencies (regional, class, ethnic, etc.)
9. The British Prime Minister does not need to be an MP.
10. A referendum - a vote in which everyone of voting age can take part - was held on Thursday 23 June, 2016, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union.
11. The British Empire is the most extensive empire in world history and for a time was the foremost global power.
12. The British economy took a while to get going again after the financial crisis.
13. The UK is one of the world's leading global financial services centers and the most internationally focused marketplaces in the world.
1.4.3 Develop the following ideas. Make use of the active vocabulary and helpful phrases given in brackets:
1. The British have no written constitution.
(fundamental continuity, a revolution experienced by other countries, invaded or occupied, almost uniquely, gradual and pragmatic, on consensus)
2. The British way to full democracy is paved with severities and a lot of political effort.
(political history, a struggle, to shift political power, accountability, national parliament, representative, accountable, milestones)
3. The British Parliament is a model in very many other parliamentary systems.
(a two-chamber model, House of Commons, House of Lords, legislature, parliamentary system,)
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4. The UK’s membership in the EU.
(important characteristic, the European Union, limited in some respects, policy or decision-making, a matter for, to operate through a European Commission, member governments, member states, part of a single market, free movement, to maintain one’s own economy, Referendum, dubbed Brexit)
5. The British Queen reigns but she does not rule.
(constitutional monarchy, a head of state, essentially ceremonial, practical power, to form a government, to follow the convention, with the most seats, on the hereditary and primogeniture principles, the next in line to the throne, the monarch's spouse, the Head of the Church of England, to be abolished)
6. The British system of checks and balances.
(the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, separation of powers, not to be the case, members of the legislature, senior judges, the upper house, a formal head, a senior minister, pragmatic and flexible, political system)
7. The current values of the UK’s economic variables.
(to be Europe’s second largest, to be number 5 by GDP, to be fueled by the strength of, major economic “command centers”, the world’s eleventh biggest manufacturing nation, of vital importance, mechanized and intensive, the primary sector, to be highly subsidized)
8. The glorious past of the British Empire versus the current struggle for the economic recovery from the crisis and impacts of Brexit.
(heyday, most influential economy, the birthplace, Industrial Revolution, ushered in, in mankind’s history, to be at the forefront, technological advances, an advantage over, to catch up technologically wise, to be affected by, the breaking up of the British Empire, to reclaim one’s former position, to face a struggle, to recover from the financial crisis, to cut down on public expenditures, to raise taxes to get back to a stabilized economy, the pro-Brexit vote, to create uncertainty)
1.4.4 Comment on the following topics thinking like sociologists:
1. Magna Carta, also called the Great Charter of Liberties of England, was originally issued in Latin in the year 1215. Comment on the social aspect of this event.
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2. According to the author of the text, being a monarchy, the UK has gone a long and troubled way to full democracy. There is a controversy between the concepts of ‘monarchy’ and ‘democracy’, isn’t there?
3. A bicameral parliament has the capacity to formally represent diverse constituencies (regional, class, ethnic, etc.). How does it contribute to the democratic progress of society?
4. The British political system is pragmatic and flexible. How can you prove it?
5. Is there any evidence in the text to state that the UK is a post-industrial society?
6. How do you think Brexit will decide the UK’s future outside the EU?
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