Comparative approaches: structural, rational, cultural: Practice Questions

• a.

  The US system is built on a formal separation of powers and a system of checks and balances, whereas the UK system is based on a fusion of powers.

• b.

  US Presidents often lack the personal charisma required to persuade members of the opposition party to support their legislative agenda.

• c.

  The UK Prime Minister is culturally expected to be the 'primus inter pares' within the cabinet, ensuring unanimous support for all bills.

• d.

  The US Constitution is uncodified, which creates uncertainty and frequent legal challenges to executive actions in Congress.

• a.

  The UK Prime Minister is a member of the House of Lords and can therefore directly command the upper chamber's votes.

• b.

  The cultural tradition of 'collective responsibility' in the US Cabinet ensures that all executive departments must agree before a bill is proposed.

• c.

  Individual members of Congress prioritize the interests of their specific districts and donors over party loyalty due to the separation of powers.

• d.

  US Presidents lack the formal power to veto legislation, whereas the UK Prime Minister can personally block any bill at the committee stage.

• a.

  The UK Bill of Rights is a entrenched document that requires a two-thirds majority in both houses to amend, unlike the US Bill of Rights.

• b.

  The US Supreme Court has the power of 'judicial veto' to strike down legislation as unconstitutional, whereas the UK Supreme Court can only issue 'declarations of incompatibility' under the Human Rights Act 1998.

• c.

  Civil rights in the USA are protected solely through common law and conventions, while in the UK they are protected through a codified constitution.

• d.

  US citizens must rely on the executive branch to enforce rights, whereas UK citizens rely exclusively on the House of Lords.

• a.

  Both systems maintain a hierarchy of courts where a single Supreme Court acts as the final court of appeal for points of law.

• b.

  In both countries, the head of the judiciary is also a member of the executive Cabinet and the legislative upper house.

• c.

  Both systems require judges to be confirmed by a two-thirds majority vote in the upper house of the legislature.

• d.

  Both Supreme Courts have the power to initiate their own legislation if the government fails to act on social issues.

• a.

  Third parties are constitutionally banned in the US, whereas they are given guaranteed seats in the UK House of Lords.

• b.

  The US Electoral College system makes it easier for third-party candidates to win the Presidency than for the Liberal Democrats to win a UK election.

• c.

  The UK uses Proportional Representation for the House of Commons, allowing third parties more seats than the US Third Parties receive in Congress.

• d.

  Both systems utilize First-Past-The-Post for national legislative elections, which generally discriminates against third parties with geographically dispersed support.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.