Загальні відомості про політичну систему, державний устрій та політичні партії Великої Британії та США. / British and American Government. 


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Загальні відомості про політичну систему, державний устрій та політичні партії Великої Британії та США. / British and American Government.



In 1776 13 British colonies in North America united to gain their independence from the UK in the Revolutionary War (1776 – 1783). In 1787 delegates from 12 of the 13 states of the new republic composed the Constitution of the USA, which has been effective since 4 March 1789 and is the oldest still in force in the world. The Constitution sets the separation of powers into legislative (the Congress), the executive (the President and the Cabinet) and the judicial branches. The ultimate power under the Constitution is not given to any branch, it belongs to “We the People” in fact and in spirit. Because the Constitution has provided a flexible framework for controlling both the people who govern and the people who are being governed, it has served the American people long and well. The Bill of Rights determines the fundamental rights of Americans: the freedom of religion, speech and the press, the right of peaceful assembly and the right to petition the government.

 

The legislative branch is represented by bicameral Congress, which consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms). Each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation. Legislation only becomes law if both houses agree. The congressional building is the Capitol. On its steps nearly all the presidents were inaugurated. The Library of Congress assembles exhibits on various topics, it also houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 

The chief of the state and the head of the government is the president. The President of the United States and the Vice President are elected directly from each state and serve four-year terms. The Cabinet is appointed by the president with the Senate approval. The White House at Pennsylvania Avenue is the home and office of every U.S. President except George Washington who laid the cornerstone in 1793.

 

The judicial branch is represented by the Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life on condition of good behavior by the president with the confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts. Each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is based on English common law.

 

The leading political parties are the Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party and the Republican Party.

 

The American Constitution divides power between the federal (national) government and the governments of the individual states. The division of power between the states and the national government is known as federalism. The national government deals with national issues such as economic and foreign policy, it has the exceptional right to coin money or declare war. Some powers belong to the states alone. Only the states can set up public school systems. Marriage and divorce laws, most criminal laws are made by state legislature; they may differ from state to state.

Монархія. / The Monarchy.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. The head of the state is the monarch, who reigns with the support of parliament. It is a tribute to the British monarchy that it still occupies an important place in the political system and social life. The power of the crown to act without consulting parliament is called “ the royal prerogative ”. The Queen appoints the Prime Minister and summons and dissolves Parliament, opens and closes sessions of Parliament, appoints judges and bishops, creates peerage and awards titles and decorations. Declaration of war, treaties with other countries and the granting of self-government are executed by the crown. The Queen is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Head of the Commonwealth. In practice, howerever, these powers are ceremonial. Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal family take an active part in different charity projects and home and international social events.

The government is made up of the Prime Minister, Secretaries of State, ministers, junior ministers and private parliamentary secretaries (over 100 people in total). The Cabinet is the group of senior ministers. The main functions of the Cabinet are the final determination of policy, supreme control of the executive power and continuous coordination of the state activities. The composition of the cabinet is left to the personal discretion of the Prime Minister. Most cabinet ministers are heads of government departments.

The legislative power is executed by the Parliament. The first parliament was summoned in 1265. Modern British Parliament consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons has 650 Members of Parliament, who are elected directly by people every 5 years. The House of Lords has over 1,000 members, who are not elected, but are members of the nobility, bishops, judges, and people chosen by the Prime Minister. They sit in the House by right of inheritance or have been given life peerages which end with the life of their possessors. All proposed bills must pass through both houses before being sent for signature by the Queen, when they become Acts of Parliament and the Law of the Land.

The Houses of Parliament, otherwise known as the Palace of Westminster, stands on the site where Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the first half of the eleventh century. In 1834 a fire broke out which destroyed much of the old palace. The magnificent Gothic Revival masterpiece we see today was built between 1840 and 1888. The two imposing towers are the clock tower, named after its thirteen ton bell called Big Ben, and Victoria tower, on the flag pole of which the National Flag flies during parliament sittings.

The Chamber of the House of Commons is at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster. The benches, as well as other furniture in the Commons’ side of the Palace, are coloured green. The members of the cabinet sit on the front benches while opposition senior members sit directly opposite. The distance between the benches marked out on the floor in red lines, is exactly two sword lengths and one foot apart. Members are not allowed to cross these lines, thus ensuring that debates are kept orderly. The Speaker of the house presides over sittings, keeping order.

 

The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster. The House of Lords decorated in scarlet and gold has all the grandeur one would expect in this chamber. This is where Her Majesty the Queen comes to open Parliament each November. The gold throne which dominates the house is where the Queen sits to deliver the traditional opening speech. The Lord Speaker sits opposite, on the famous Woolsack, this is a large scarlet cushion filled with wool, a tradition dating back to the middle ages when wool was England's largest export.



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