Unit 3. The United Kingdom of Great Britain

 

3.1. BEFORE READING

1. What do you know about the European monarchies?
2. Name some of the British Monarchs. What did they become famous for?

 

SCANNING

 

British Monarchy

1. The United Kingdom is one of six constitutional monarchies within theEuropean Community and this institution dates back in Britain to the Saxon kingEgbert (802-839). By statute and convention no monarch may be of Roman Catholic faith, nor marry some- one of that faith; and the title to the throne passes to the male line of the family in order of descent and, if there are no sons, to the daughters in order of descent.

2. The kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, comprising England, Scotland, and Wales; and Northern Ireland, an integral component of the kingdom, occupying part of the island of Ireland.

3. The monarchy in the United Kingdom has evolved over the centuries from absolute personal authority to the present constitutional form by which the Queen reigns but does not rule. Her Majesty's government governs in the name of theQueen who must act on the advice of the ministers. The Queen summons and dissolves Parliament; she usually opens new sessions of Parliament with a speechfrom the throne in which the major government policies are outlined. These acts form part of the Royal Prerogative, defined as discretionary or arbitraryauthority of legislative, executive and judicial character.

4. The Monarch must give the Royal Assent before a Bill which has passed all its stages in both Houses of Parliament can become a legal enactment (Act of Parliament). The Monarch's consent and approval is required before a Cabinet can be formed or minister take up office. As Head of State the Monarch has the power tosign international agreements, to cede or receive territory, and to declare war ormake peace. The Monarch confers honours and makes appointments to all important offices of state, including judges, officers in the armed services, diplomats and theleading positions in the Established Church. As the 'fountain of justice', it is only the Monarch who is able to remit all or part of the penalties imposed upon persons convicted of crimes through the exercise of the prerogative of mercy on the advice ofthe appropriate minister.

 

LEXIS

the European Community - Европейское сообщество (сокращенное название Европейского экономического сообщества; вошло в обиход с преобразованием ЕЭС в Европейский Союз начиная с 1992 года)

date back to - вести начало (от какого-л. времени или события), восходить (к чему-л.)

by statute and convention – согласно законам и традициям

faith - религиозная вера

the title to – право на (что-либо)

descent - передача по наследству, наследование

evolve - развиваться

reign – царствовать; иметь власть, влияние

rule - править; господствовать

in the name of - от имени; именем

summon – созывать, собирать

dissolve - прекращать деятельность, распускать

the Royal Prerogative - королевская прерогатива

discretionary authority - дискреционная власть, дискреционное полномочие, дискреционное правомочие

arbitrary authority – дискреционное полномочие

the Royal Assent - королевская санкция, санкция монарха (одобрение монархом законопроекта [bill], принятого обеими палатами парламента, после чего законопроект становится законом [ act of Parliament ])

bill - законопроект

legal enactment - закон, указ, законодательный акт

consent – согласие; позволение, разрешение

approval - одобрение; утверждение; санкция

take up office - вступать в должность

sign - подписывать(ся), ставить подпись

cede - оставлять, сдавать

confer honours - жаловать, даровать награды, почести

appointment – назначение (на должность, место)

office of state - государственное ведомство, учреждение

the Established Church - государственная церковь (официально признана государством и частично финансируется им)

remit - отменять, снимать (наказание и т. п.)

impose (upon) – устанавливать, налагать

convict of - осуждать, признавать виновным (в чем-л.); выносить приговор

the prerogative of mercy - прерогатива, исключительное право помилования, прощения

 

FORMATION

• constitution, constitutional, unconstitutional, non-constitutional, constitutionalism, constitutionalist, constitutionality, constitutionalization, constitutionally;
• evolve, evolution, evolutional, evolutionism, evolutionist, evolutionary, evolutive;
• king, kingcraft, kingdom, kinglike, kingly, kingmaker;
• monarch, monarchy, monarchist, monarchist, monarchic, monarchical.

 

QUESTIONS

1. How many European states are constitutional monarchies?
2. How old is the British monarchy?
3. Which parts does the United Kingdom comprise?
4. Which requirements are the British monarchs to meet by statute and convention?
5. What are the powers and functions of the Monarch today?
6. Who governs in the name of the Sovereign?

 

AGREE OR DISAGREE

1. The British monarchy dates back to the Saxon king Ethelbald.

2. The title to the throne passes to the female line of the family in order of descent.

3. The monarchy in the United Kingdom has evolved over the centuries to the present absolute personal authority.

4. In fact the queen reigns but does not rule.

5. The Monarch makes appointments to all important offices of state, excluding judges and leading positions in the Established Church.

 

3.7. SAY WHAT YOU KNOW about any of the 56 monarchs of England, from Alfred the Great, in the ninth century, to Elizabeth II today.

 

DEBATES

The years since 1978 have seen the position of the monarchy disturbed by both personal and institutional developments. What do you think about the future of the monarchy in Great Britain?

 

SCANNING

 

British Parliament

1. Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy with an unwritten constitution consisting of historic documents such as the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill of Rights (1689); statutes; judicial precedents (common law); and custom. Theconstitution is flexible and may be changed by an act of Parliament.

2. In principle, the “Crown in Parliament” is supreme. This means that legislation passed by Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons (elected directly by the people) and the House of Lords (made up of hereditary peers and appointive members - archbishops, senior bishops, law lords, and life peers) becomeslaw upon royal assent. The power of the Crown to veto legislation has not been exercised in over 280 years.

3. The House of Commons is a popular assembly elected by almost universaladult suffrage. The Members of Parliament (MPs) - represent 660 geographical areas(constituencies) into which the country is divided for electoral purposes (528 for England, 41 for Wales, more than 70 for Scotland and about 20 for Northern Ireland). If an MP dies, resigns or is made a peer, a by-election is held in that constituency to elect a new MP. Leaders of the Government and Opposition sit on the front benches of the Commons, with their supporters (back-benchers) behind them. The House ispresided over by the Speaker.

4. The House of Lords is probably the only upper House in the democratic world whose members (691 in 2003) are not elected. It is made up of the LordsSpiritual and the Lords Temporal; the former consist of the representatives of theChurch of England (the Archbishops of York and Canterbury and 25 bishops); the latter comprise all hereditary and life peers (life peers, named by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, do not pass on their title when they die (in 2003 there were 561 life peers). Its main legislative function is to examine and revise bills from the Commons but it can only de- lay a Bill from becoming law for a maximum of 12 months. The Lords cannot normally prevent proposed legislation from becoming law if the Commons insists on it. The House also acts in a legal capacity as the final courtof appeal.

5. The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain presides over the House of Lordsboth in its legislative capacity and as a final court of appeal; he is a member of the Cabinet and also has departmental responsibilities in connection with the appointment of certain judges. He advises on, and frequently initiates, law reform programmes with the aid of the Law Commissions, the Law Reform Committee and committees (for a specific purpose).

LEXIS

unwritten constitution - неписаный закон

Magna Carta – Великая хартия вольностей (1215)

Petition of Right – Петиция о праве (была представлена палатой общин [ House of Commons ] королю Карлу I [Charles I] и утверждена им в 1628; требовала значительного ограничения королевской власти; закрепляла роль и права парламента и судов; программный документ буржуазии в канун Английской буржуазной революции 17 в.; ограждала собственность буржуазии от посягательств абсолютизма. Наряду с др. актами составляет статутарную основу английской конституционной практики)

Bill of Rights - билль о правах (совокупность конституционных норм, гарантирующих права граждан в их взаимоотношениях с органами государственной власти)

statute - закон, законодательный акт парламента; статут

judicial precedent - судебный прецедент

common law - 1) общее право; 2) неписаный закон

custom - обычай, традиция

act of Parliament - акт парламента, парламентский закон

Supreme - верховный; высший, главный legislation - закон; законопроект

House of Commons - палата общин

House of Lords - палата лордов

elect - избирать (голосованием)

hereditary peer - наследственный пэр

appointive - замещаемый по назначению, зависимый от назначения

life peer - пожизненный пэр

royal assent - королевская санкция, санкция монарха (одобрение монархом законопроекта [bill], принятого обеими палатами парламента, после чего законопроект становится законом [act of Parliament])

veto - налагать вето (на что-л.); запрещать

Member of Parliament - член парламента; член палаты общин

elections - выборы, избирательная компания

popular assembly – народное собрание

universal adult suffrage - всеобщее избирательное право

constituency - избирательный округ

hold by-election - проводить дополнительные выборы

front bench - министерская скамья в английском парламенте или скамья, занимаемая лидерами оппозиции в парламенте

back-bencher - рядовой член парламента, "заднескамеечник"

preside over - председательствовать

Speaker - спикер (старшее должностное лицо в палате общин [House of Commons]; председательствует на её заседаниях, следит за соблюдением правил парламентской процедуры и порядком дебатов; избирается из числа членов палаты; не принимает участия в дебатах и голосовании, за исключением тех случаев, когда голоса делятся поровну; тогда его голос является решающим; на заседаниях носит мантию [gown] и парик [full-bottomed wig]. Пост существует с 1377)

upper House - верхняя палата

Lords Spiritual - "духовные лорды" (епископы - члены палаты лордов)

Lords Temporal - "мирские лорды" (светские члены палаты лордов)

pass on - передавать, оставлять (по наследству и т. п.)

bill - законопроект, билль

examine – рассматривать; изучать

revise - видоизменять, изменять, модифицировать, перерабатывать, пересматривать

delay - задерживать, замедлять; препятствовать

prevent from doing smth. - мешать, не допускать

proposed legislation - предложенный законопроект

insist on - настаивать на

capacity - роль, положение, должность, "качество"

final court of appeal - апелляционный суд последней инстанции

Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain - лорд-канцлер (глава судебного ведомства и верховный судья Англии, председатель палаты лордов и одного из отделений Верховного суда)

initiate - начать, приступать, положить начало

 

FORMATION

• history, prehistory, historic, prehistoric, historical, historically, historian, historiography, historiographer, historicity;
• parliament, parliamentary, unparliamentary, parliamentarian, parliamentarism;
• represent, representing, represented, representable, representative, representation, representational, unrepresentative, misrepresent, Misrepresentation Act 1967.

 

QUESTIONS

1. What is the official name of Great Britain?
2. What is the composition of the United Kingdom?
3. Who heads a committee of ministers called the cabinet?
4. How are cabinet members selected?
5. What does the British Parliament consist of?
6. What types of lords are in the upper chamber?
7. How are members of the House of Commons elected?
8. Who is not eligible for election to the Commons?
9. How long is the life of a Parliament?
10. How many major parties are in GB? What are they?

 

AGREE OR DISAGREE

1. The Monarchy is the most ancient religious institution in the UK.
2. Only members of the Royal family have the right to succeed to the throne.
3. Part of the Queen's Royal prerogative is the power to prorogue Parliament.
4. The Queen has the residue of discretionary authority which affects the legislative, executive and judicial branches of power.
5. A Bill can become an Act of Parliament without the Monarch giving the Royal assent.
6. A Cabinet cannot be formed and a Minister cannot take up office without the Monarch's consent and approval.
7. The Monarch does not have the power to cede territory or to declare war.
8. The Monarch confers honours, makes appointments and is able to remit penalties by exercising the prerogative of mercy.
9. The Monarch does not need the consent of Parliament to exercise residual authority.

 

SCANNING

 

The Election Procedure

1. For electoral purposes Britain is divided into constituencies, each of which return s one MP to the House of Commons. All British citizens together with citizensof other Commonwealth countries and citizens of the Irish Republic resident in Britain may vote. Voting is by secret ballot. The elector selects just one candidate on the ballot paper and marks an "X" by the candidate's name. Voting in elections isvoluntary. On average about 75 per cent of the electorate votes.

2. There are two types of parliamentary election. A general election is when there is voting in all 660 constituencies on one day. It may be held after Parliament has been " dissolved ", either by a royal proclamation or because the maximum term between elections - five years - has expired. The decision on when to hold a general election is made by the Prime Minister.

3. A by-election is held when a Member of Parliament dies, retires or resigns between general elections. Voting then only occurs in the constituency without a member.

4. The voting age for British subjects was lowered to 18 in 1969. Those not eligible for election to the Commons include members of the House of Lords, selectedclergy, government contractors, sheriffs, and certain designated election officials. Total membership of the Commons now is about 660. Forty members are required for a quorum. By law, the life of a Parliament is five years unless dissolved earlier or extended by special statute in times of war or national emergency. Parliament is dissolved by the sovereign at the end of its five-year term or on advice of the prime minister. All members of the House of Commons are then subject to the general election.

5. Approximately three weeks before the day of the general election, people ineach area receive brochures from each political party, giving details of their policies. People also receive an official polling card to stop people voting more than once. On election day, the voter goes to the polling station and tells the clerk his name and address. This is checked against the electoral register, and the voter is given a ballotpaper containing a list of all the candidates in that area. The voter marks the paper inprivate. The paper then goes into a sealed ballot box.

6. When the polling station is closed, all the boxes are taken to one central point usually a town hall - and opened. This happens in all the 651 constituencies. After all the votes have been counted in each constituency, the Returning Officer announces the result.

7. The British electoral system is based on the relative majority method - sometimes called the "first past the post" principle - which means the candidate with more votes than any other is elected. There are very few parliamentary democracies with this method of choosing a winner. The 'first past the post' system benefits the leading parties and discriminates against the smaller parties.

 

8. Under the present system, the leader of the winning party becomes Prime Minister and chooses a team of ministers to make up the Government. The second largest party in the House of Commons, the Official Opposition, will develop its own policies. It is the aim of every opposition party to gain power at the next election, and it therefore has to make sure that is properly prepared to govern the country. The main opposition party is led by the Leader of the Opposition.

 

LEXIS

return - избирать (в законодательный орган)

resident - проживающий; постоянно живущий

vote – голосовать

secret ballot - тайное голосование

elector – избиратель

ballot paper - избирательный бюллетень

on average - в среднем

parliamentary election - выборы в парламент, парламентские выборы

general election - всеобщие выборы

dissolve - прекращать деятельность, распускать

royal proclamation - королевская декларация (официальное сообщение по общенациональному вопросу; напр., о созыве или роспуске парламента, об объявлении войны, о заключении мира и т.п.)

expire - закончиться, истечь

by-election - дополнительные выборы

retire - уходить в отставку, выходить на заслуженный отдых, на пенсию

resign - уходить в отставку, подавать в отставку; оставлять пост

eligible - имеющий право, могущий быть избранным

designated – назначенный

membership - количество членов (какой-либо организации)

require – нуждаться (в чем-л.); требовать (чего-л.)

quorum - кворум, правомочный состав

national emergency - чрезвычайное положение в стране

be subject to – подлежать

approximately - около, почти, приближенно, приблизительно

brochure - брошюра, буклет, проспект

policy - линия поведения, курс, стратегия, политика

polling station – избирательный участок

electoral register - списки избирателей

ballot paper - избирательный бюллетень

in private - наедине; конфиденциально

sealed - запечатанный, за печатью

ballot box - избирательная урна

town hall - здание муниципалитета

Returning Officer - должностное лицо, контролирующее проведение парламентских выборов

announce – объявлять

relative majority - относительное большинство

parliamentary democracy - парламентская демократия

benefit - помогать, приносить пользу

Leader of the Opposition - лидер Оппозиции

 

3.16. FORMATION

• average, averaged, averaging, averages;
• elect, electable, elected, electee, elector, election, electoral, electorate;
• extend, extended, extending, extendable, extendible, extendability;
• reside, residence, residency, resident, residential, residentiary.

QUESTIONS

1. What party is the Official Opposition?
2. When do people in the area receive political brochures before the general election?
3. How do they stop people voting more than once?
4. What is ballot box used for?
5. When is a by-election held?
6. Who chooses the Cabinet of Ministers?
7. Who are called “frontbenchers” and “backbenchers”? Why are they so called?

 

3.18. AGREE OR DISAGREE

1. For electoral purposes Britain is divided into constituencies, each of which returns two MPs to the House of Commons
2. All British citizens together with citizens of other Commonwealth countries, except for citizens of the Irish Republic in Britain may vote.
3. Voting is by secret ballot.
4. The decision on when to hold a general election is made by the Queen.
5. When a by-election is held, voting occurs in all the constituencies.
6. The voting age for British subjects was lowered to 18 in 1969.
7. Those not eligible for election to the Commons include members of the House of Lords, selected clergy, government contractors, sheriffs, and certain designated election officials.
8. Total membership of the Commons now is about 960.
9. Parliament is dissolved by the sovereign at the end of its five-year term or on advice of the prime minister.
10. When the polling station is closed, all the ballot boxes are opened immediately.

 

3.19. SAY WHAT YOU KNOW about democracy:

1. Does the democracy depend on the number of political parties? Give arguments?
2. One of the main features of democracy is free and fair elections. Are the elections in Russia free and fair? Give your arguments.
3. Why the participation of the citizens in voting is so important?

 

SCANNING

 

Executive

1. The British monarch is a head of state. Executive power, however, iswielded by a prime minister, who is head of government, and a committee of ministerscalled the cabinet. The prime minister is usually the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons. By custom, cabinet ministers are selected from among members of the two houses of Parliament. Cabinet ministers are also among the members of the Privy Council, the traditional, but now largely ceremonial, advisory body to the Crown.

2. The government consists of the ministers appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, who is appointed directly by the Crown and is the leader of the political party which for the time being has a majority of seats in the House of Commons. The office of Prime Minister is the subject of a number of constitutional conventions, not statute, and dates back to when George I left the running of the country's affairs to his ministers.

3. The Prime Minister is the head of the government and presides over meetings of the cabinet; by convention he is always a Member of the House of Commons. He consults and advises the Monarch on government business, supervises and to some extent coordinates the work of the various ministries and departments and is the principal spokesman for the government in the House of Commons. He also makes recommendations to the Monarch on many important public appointments, including the Lord Chief Justice, Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, and Lords Justice ofAppeal.

4. The central government departments give effect to government policies and have powers and duties conferred on them by legislation, and, sometimes, under the Royal prerogative. Each is headed by a minister who is in most cases a member ofeither the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are over 100 ministers ofthe Crown at the present time, they include departmental ministers; non-departmentalministers; ministers of state; and junior ministers in all ministries and departments.

5. A number of ministers are invited by the Prime Minister to attend regular meetings to discuss policy and this group of ministers is known as the cabinet. It is a political convention for the Cabinet to act as a single man, which means that a minister who cannot accept a Cabinet decision must resign.

6. The cabinet is the nucleus of government. The number of members of the British cabinet varies. The size of the cabinet is today about 23 and its principal function, much of the work being carried out in Committee, is to determine, control and integrate the policies of the government for submission to Parliament.

7. The cabinet meets at 10 Downing Street in London, in the house that the British statesman Robert Walpole presented to the nation. This house is the official residence of the prime ministers of Great Britain. The cabinet meets in private and its deliberations are secret; no vote is taken, and, by the principle of "cabinet unanimity ", collective responsibility is assumed for all decisions taken.

8. The main opposition party forms a Shadow Cabinet, which is more or less as the Government would be if the party were in power, and the relevant members act as opposition spokesmen on major issues.

 

3.21. LEXIS

wield - владеть, обладать (властью, авторитетом и т. д.)

majority party – партия большинства

cabinet minister - член совета министров

office - пост, должность, служба

by convention – по (согласно) традиции

government business - государственные заказы

supervise - смотреть, наблюдать (за чем-л.); надзирать;

department - ведомство, департамент, министерство

spokesman - представитель, делегат

public appointment - назначаемая публичная должность

the Lord Chief Justice - лорд - главный судья

Lord of Appeal in Ordinary - назначаемый член палаты лордов по рассмотрению апелляций; лорд-судья по апелляциям (член палаты лордов [House of Lords]; получает жалованье за рассмотрение апелляционных жалоб, когда палата заседает как апелляционный суд; является членом судебного комитета Тайного совета [Privy Council])

Lord Justice of Appeal - судья апелляционного суда

central government - центральное правительство

ministry/department - ведомство, департамент, министерство

give effect to - осуществлять, приводить в исполнение, проводить в жизнь

confer - жаловать, даровать; давать

Royal prerogative - королевская прерогатива

minister of the Crown - министр короны (министр член кабинета)

departmental minister - министр, возглавляющий министерство

non-departmental minister - министр, не возглавляющий министерство

minister of state - государственный министр (первый заместитель министра соответствующего министерства в Великобритании); министр, возглавляющий некоторые ведомства, но не входящий в состав кабинета

junior minister - младший министр, парламентский заместитель министра

nucleus - ядро; центр

vary - изменять(ся), менять(ся)

integrate - придавать законченный вид

submission - представление, подача

statesman - государственный деятель; политик, политический деятель

in private - наедине; конфиденциально

deliberation - рассмотрение, обсуждение, дискуссия

unanimity - единодушие

collective responsibility - коллективная ответственность (принцип управления, при котором каждый член органа, принимающего решения, сохраняет свое членство только при условии принятия на себя полной ответственности за все решения данного органа; часто на данном принципе основана деятельность кабинета министров)

Shadow cabinet - "теневой кабинет" (парламентский комитет главной оппозиционной партии [Opposition]. Состоит из ведущих деятелей парламентской фракци