Home
Hey Ibtihel as I told you and I guess of having a comparison esaay, I made some recearshes and here is an essay that compare some particular terms in American and Britain politics:
1. The American system is federal: i.e., there are two levels of government, neither of which can change the powers of the other nor make laws within certain fields assigned to the other. The British system is 'unitary': the British parliament can make laws on any matter; local government has whatever powers the national government delegates to it.
2. The British, is a system of responsible government. The Government (the Prime Minister and cabinet) is 'responsible' to parliament. This means that at any time, simply by vote of no confidence, carried on whatever grounds, the parliament can remove the Government from office or force it to call an election. In the American system the head of the executive Government, the President, cannot be removed by the Congress (except by impeachment, which requires a kind of trial).
3. As in the British system, a general election can be called at any time (by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister). There is a maximum term by which an election must be called, but an election can be held short of term. This makes the parliament responsible to the electorate -- for example, if Government policy that has general community support is blocked by the opposition or minor parties, the Government can appeal to the electorate. In the American system the terms of office of the House of Representatives, Senate, and President are all 'fixed', so that an early election cannot be held. If a President dies or resigns, the Vice-President serves out the remaining part of his term. There are no circumstances in which the American President can dissolve Congress and call an early election.
4. The U.S. constitution has separation of powers, i.e., the members of the Executive do not have seats in Congress or participate in its sessions, and they are not removable by Congress and cannot dissolve Congress. The Judiciary is also separate from both Executive and Congress (though judges are appointed by the Senate on the nomination of the President, and can in exceptional cases be removed). The British system has an independent judiciary, but government and parliament are not separated. Ministers are members of parliament, the Government can be removed by parliament, and the Prime Minister can dissolve parliament.
5. Like the Americans have a written constitution, whereas the British constitution is unwritten. Actually this is not accurate. Parts of the British constitution are 'written', not only in text books but also in the statute book, e.g., the Parliament Act of 1911, (and also of the U.S. constitution) consist in conventions (some of which are written down, though not in the statute book). The statutory parts of the constitution are enforced by the law courts, but conventions are not. Conventions are enforced by conscience and public opinion. U.S. constitutional statutes are entrenched, i.e. they cannot be changed by the ordinary law-making process whereas the British constitution can be amended by simple act of parliament.
1. The American system is federal: i.e., there are two levels of government, neither of which can change the powers of the other nor make laws within certain fields assigned to the other. The British system is 'unitary': the British parliament can make laws on any matter; local government has whatever powers the national government delegates to it.
2. The British, is a system of responsible government. The Government (the Prime Minister and cabinet) is 'responsible' to parliament. This means that at any time, simply by vote of no confidence, carried on whatever grounds, the parliament can remove the Government from office or force it to call an election. In the American system the head of the executive Government, the President, cannot be removed by the Congress (except by impeachment, which requires a kind of trial).
3. As in the British system, a general election can be called at any time (by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister). There is a maximum term by which an election must be called, but an election can be held short of term. This makes the parliament responsible to the electorate -- for example, if Government policy that has general community support is blocked by the opposition or minor parties, the Government can appeal to the electorate. In the American system the terms of office of the House of Representatives, Senate, and President are all 'fixed', so that an early election cannot be held. If a President dies or resigns, the Vice-President serves out the remaining part of his term. There are no circumstances in which the American President can dissolve Congress and call an early election.
4. The U.S. constitution has separation of powers, i.e., the members of the Executive do not have seats in Congress or participate in its sessions, and they are not removable by Congress and cannot dissolve Congress. The Judiciary is also separate from both Executive and Congress (though judges are appointed by the Senate on the nomination of the President, and can in exceptional cases be removed). The British system has an independent judiciary, but government and parliament are not separated. Ministers are members of parliament, the Government can be removed by parliament, and the Prime Minister can dissolve parliament.
5. Like the Americans have a written constitution, whereas the British constitution is unwritten. Actually this is not accurate. Parts of the British constitution are 'written', not only in text books but also in the statute book, e.g., the Parliament Act of 1911, (and also of the U.S. constitution) consist in conventions (some of which are written down, though not in the statute book). The statutory parts of the constitution are enforced by the law courts, but conventions are not. Conventions are enforced by conscience and public opinion. U.S. constitutional statutes are entrenched, i.e. they cannot be changed by the ordinary law-making process whereas the British constitution can be amended by simple act of parliament.