Democracy Case Studies:

Great Britain
France
Germany
Great Britain: political tradition is an outgrowth of centuries of history,
experiment, and legal precedent.

Two seminal concepts:

1. Parliamentary Sovereignty: the right to make or
unmake any law.

2. Rule of Law: no person is punishable except for a

distinct breach of law established (i.e. no arbitrary arrests or
detainment.)
But, no single document called the constitution.
 4 Characteristics of British Government:

1. Centralized or Unitary System:

London has complete authority over local governments. No

individual state powers.

2. Fusion of powers: British prime minister and cabinet maintain their

legislative positions while holding executive offices. (Prohibited in U.S.)
1. Collective Ministerial Responsibility:

• Two Party System: Two major parties:

Labour and Conservative
Used to present distinct policy alternatives.
Far more party discipline than in the U.S.
Current Party Distribution in British House of Commons:
Party Seats
Labor 351
Conservative 192
Liberal Democrat 63
Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru 9
Democratic Unionist 9
Sinn Fein 5
Other 17
Legislature: Bicameral (two houses)
Upper House = House of Lords
618 seats
~500 Life Peers
92 Hereditary Peers
26 Members of Clergy

Technically also highest court of appeals.

Lower House (most power) = House of Commons.
646 members
Elected by plurality vote in single member districts
Five year terms

Power to approve or reject legislation.

Majority Party has almost absolute power

Prime Minister and Cabinet (= Government)

Legislation

Parliament
Majority Party (Currently Labour)
Executive:
Chief of State = Queen Elizabeth II
Mostly ceremonial power.

Head of Government = Prime Minister

Gordon Brown
(since June, 2007) Labour Party
(moderate liberal)
Chief Executive
Leader of majority party Principle
advisor to the Crown.
Virtual dictator?
France:
Several constitutions since Revolution.
Current constitution = 5th Republic ( since 1959).
Mixed system:
1. presidential,
2. plebiscitarian,
3. parliamentary
4. and republican features
1. Presidential: Strong Presidency

Charles de Gaulle
2. Plebiscitarian:
Direct vote by the people on particular issues or
policies.
A charismatic president could use to get around
parliament and establish a personalistic rule.
3. Republican:
National Assembly.
Directly elected representatives.

4. Quasi-Parliamentary:
Leader of majority party in National Assembly
becomes Prime Minister and chooses cabinet
(like in Britain).
Parliamentary Systems: issue of instability?

Presidential Systems: stable but inflexible?

French system aims for best of both worlds:
Presidential and Parliamentary.
Fusion and separation of powers.

Prime Minister and cabinet linked to National

Assembly and party politics.
President elected separately for 5 year term (no
term limits). Independent from National
Assembly.
Chief of State = President Nicolas Sarkozy (since 2007)
Union for Popular Movement (conservative)

President’s responsibility: ORDER

Appoints Prime Minister
Can dissolve parliament.
Has absolute power of State of Emergency.
Power of referendum/plebiscite.
Head of Government = Prime Minister Francois Fillon
(since 2007)
Union for Popular Movement (conservative).

Initiates policy (where President doesn’t)

Coordinates work of Cabinet
Liaison between Executive and
Legislative branches
Mediates between parties of coalition
Little job security,
but can be granted powers of
decree by president
Fillon to Sarkozy: Did you hear my
speech to Parliament?

Sarkozy to Fillon: No, I was out jogging.

Legislature:
Extremely powerful before 1958. Now can’t meet for more
than 6 months.
Bicameral.
Upper House = Senate
Indirectly elected
331 Seats, 6 year terms.
Lower House = National Assembly
Popularly elected
577 members, 6 year terms

For the most part, houses share power.

Germany:
German system is very decentralized.
16 Lander (like states).
Each land responsible for own policy.
Run own police and educational systems.
= A lot of power.
Central Government: foreign policy, citizenship,
currency, transportation and telecommunication policies.
Lander and Central Govt. share power when it comes to civil
and criminal law and economic policy.
Charter = Basic Law
Written in 1949, became official constitution upon
reunification in 1990.
Drafted by West Germans under supervision of U.S.,
Great Britain and France.
Borrowed federalism from the U.S.
Adapted parliamentary system from Britain.
Took French electoral system of proportional
representation (France no longer uses).
First 19 articles deal with inalienable rights of citizens:
Equality before the law,
Freedom of speech, religion, assembly and the press,
Freedom from discrimination based on race, sex or
political convictions,
Right to refuse military service as a matter of
conscience.
Article 18: No rights can be used to “attack the
democratic order”
Dual Executive: Neither popularly elected.
Chief of State = President (figurehead)
Indirectly elected (by something like an electoral
college).
5 year term (2 terms allowed).
Ceremonial, diplomatic duties.

Horst Koehler, since 2004

Christian Democrat (conservative).
Head of Government = Chancellor.
Usually the leader of the majority party or
coalition in the Bundestag (lower house of Parliament).
4 year term (no limits).
Appoints cabinet.
Proposes legislation.
May be ousted with a vote of
no confidence.

Angela Merkel, since 2005.

Christian Democrat (conservative).
Legislature:
Germany has no long-standing parliamentary tradition.
Bicameral
Upper House = Bundesrat (Federal Council)
69 appointed members
represent land governments.
Lower House (most power) = Bundestag (Federal
Assembly).
Popularly elected.
613 members, 4 year terms.
Provide a check on power of Chancellor.
Can enact legislation.
Great Britain:
Centralized or decentralized? Centralized

France:
Centralized or decentralized? Centralized

Germany:
Centralized or decentralized? De-centralized
/Federalist
Which countries have dual executives?
France and Germany, both president and P.M./Chancellor.

How do Prime Ministers/Chancellors gain office?

Parliamentary Elections  Majority Party leader  P.M.

Name the Prime Ministers/Chancellors of each Country:

Great Britain: Gordon Brown
France: Francois Fillon

Germany Angela Merkel

Which of the three is subordinate to a President?
Name the upper and lower houses of each country:
Great Britain: House of Lords, House of Commons
France: Senate, National Assembly
Germany: Bundesrat, Bundestag