• treaty making power - shared with senate

⁃ president -> has to ask congress to declare war (can’t declare war
himself)
⁃ president can sign any treaty
⁃ but : have to be sent for gratification to senate
⁃ gratification -> 2/3 majority

shared parts between president and congress

• appointments - shared with senate

⁃ can appoint/nominate senior members to be heads of
departments/presidential agencies/ambassadors/federal court judges
⁃ confirmed by senate

• agencies
⁃ not departments
⁃ for example: FBI CIA NASA EPA

⁃ two types:
• presidential
⁃ president has to the right to hire and fire the head of agency at will
(individuals)
⁃ has to be approved by senate

• quasi presidential agency

⁃ president only has the right to nominate head
⁃ head appointed for a fixed time
⁃ president doesn’t have the right to fire individual

• ambassadors
⁃ head of the missions appointed by USA abroad
⁃ president has the right to nominate
⁃ senate has to approve
⁃ president has the right to fire
⁃ represents the president abroad
⁃ at the end of presidential elections -> each ambassador hands in
resignation to president formally
⁃ political appointees (not diplomats)
⁃ can be anyone
⁃ friend/family member of president, business(wo)men
⁃ might be better than a professional because has a shortcut to president

• federal judges
⁃ for life
⁃ appointed by president
⁃ federal court
⁃ independent from political ups and downs

• white house staff

⁃ originally very few
⁃ has grown in number and in function
⁃ wars, cold war, revolution of technology -> necessity of president for
people to be working for him
⁃ white house badge -> lunch in white house cafeteria -> indicates you’re
a very important person
⁃ 1200 people
⁃ president does not need the approval of senate
 ⁃ chief of staff : head of white house staff
• different offices
• national security council
⁃ 1947 National Security Act
⁃ responsible for coordinating the activity of individual departments
dealing with national security issues of USA
⁃ non-members can be invited to discussions

• O Managements Budget
⁃ very important
⁃ 4.5 trillion dollars per year
⁃ makes the budget recommendation
⁃ suggest what the president should spend money on
⁃ passes budget bill every year
⁃ president is allowed to spend only the amount the OMB approves
⁃ every single item must be approved by OMB

• chair of the joint chiefs of staff

⁃ military position
⁃ integrated military service
⁃ 6 military services in USA
⁃ army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, space force
⁃ on a rotational basis (usually 4 years)
⁃ nominated by president, confirmed by senate

⁃ federal level
⁃ state level
⁃ local level

• Legislative
⁃ dual court system
⁃ federal supreme court
⁃ provides that congress should establish inferior courts
⁃ constitutional court
⁃ federal system - state court systems
• 3 tier/level system
⁃ district courts
⁃ courts of appeal
⁃ supreme court

⁃ criminal cases : crimes like break in, murder, robbery, etc.

⁃ civil cases : no crime has been committed, two parties can’t decide on
something -> eg. divorce; between an individual and a company

• specialised courts
⁃ claims court
⁃ ^settle issue between federal employee and government

⁃ customs court
⁃ ^goods cross boarder (import export)

⁃ bankruptcy court
⁃ ^more liberal than European
⁃ ^easier to go bankrupt
⁃ ^how to settle

⁃ military tribunals
⁃ ^military members not tried by regular court
 • prosecution
⁃ when both federal and civil/state is involved in a case
⁃ which type of court takes the case first
⁃ dual sovereignty
⁃ ^after expiration of federal sentence individual can be tried in state
course as well (can add additional years)

• double jeopardy
⁃ no one can be tried for same offence twice in the state course

• jury
⁃ 3 tiers:
• district courts (94)
⁃ juries only in district courts
⁃ lowest ranking court
⁃ bench trial -> no jury just judge
⁃ jury members decide whether someone’s guilty or not
⁃ majority decides

• courts of appeal (13)

⁃ no juries
⁃ usually 3 judges
⁃ no oral arguments, presentations
⁃ only written statements
⁃ decide in favour of or against appeal
⁃ doesn’t deal with criminal cases
⁃ stare decision : the decision stands
⁃ deals different interpretation of constitution

• supreme court (1)

⁃ 9 judges
⁃ rule of four: at least 4 of the judges has to agree that the case is
worth being discussed
⁃ only deals with a few cases
⁃ if they make a decision -> law of the country, no one can challenge it

• justice of piece
⁃ not necessarily trained
⁃ senior citizen
⁃ petty crimes
⁃ parties decide the issue before

• jury members
⁃ can be anyone
⁃ everyone has to be a jury member if they get called up
⁃ due process of law
⁃ speedy and public trial by jury
⁃ everyone is innocent until found guilty
⁃ prosecution has to prove you’re guilty -> you don’t have to talk, no
one can be forced to testify against themselves

⁃ women tend to vote democratic

⁃ kamala harris woman of color
⁃ balancing ticket geograpchically, racially
white house
⁃ several candidates

• primary elections
⁃ organize parties separately from each other
⁃ republicans and democratics organize primaries
⁃ 50 primaries in the individual states (50 r, 50 d)
⁃ last : January 2020
⁃ individual candidates collect delegates
• open and closed primaries
⁃ closed : only registered party members can participate
⁃ party members decide who should be running
⁃ about the whole country

⁃ open: any voter can take part in either d or r primary

⁃ can’t take part in both
⁃ independents (not registered d or r)
⁃ can take part in open but not closed

⁃ delegates : elected during the primaries

⁃ distributed proportionately (a: 50 percent -> 50% of candidates (?))

• national convention
⁃ party’s candidate for president office -> person who receives the most
candidential votes
⁃ candidates : important to be popular in delegate rich states
⁃ individual candidates: primaries delegates -> gather in national
convention -> elect the presidential candidate

⁃ unity and exclusiveness of party

⁃ demonstrating that the party is for everyone
⁃ acceptance speech

• presidential campaign
⁃ labour day : september 1st sunday -> presidential campaign starts
⁃ every leap year
⁃ last until presidential elections

• presidential election
⁃ first tuesday after first monday in november
⁃ president not elected directly by people
⁃ some states : weeks earlier
⁃ because early voting systems, mail in systems
⁃ some states : every eligible voter receives package -> can vote with
mail in
⁃ some states you have to request voting by mailing
⁃ some states you have to justify why you’re voting by mail
⁃ some states allow votes to be collected by family members and dropped
at ballot boxes -> lot of frauds
⁃ mailing system controversial
⁃ people can die after receiving package but before November (votes)
⁃ organised not nationally but individually by each of the states
⁃ different methods for vote counting (eg electronical)

• electoral college
⁃ number of electors equal the number of senators and representatives
from each state (California 55, Idaho 3)
⁃ winner-take-all system : if you receive at least one more vote than the
next in line you get all of the electoral college votes from the state
 ⁃ big states decide
⁃ (Texas) Florida (California) Virginia Pennsylvania Ohio Wisconsin
Minnesota
⁃ California : democratic strong point/pole (?) -> candidates don’t go
⁃ Texas : republican
⁃ east coast solidly democratic
⁃ decided in swing/battleground states : change from time to time
⁃ Virginia Pennsylvania Ohio Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota
⁃ Ohio -> winning vote
⁃ recently Arizona
⁃ population issues can decide the profile of the state
⁃ electors : as many as senators and congressmen put together
⁃ senators : 100
⁃ representatives : 435
⁃ so electors : 538
⁃ to become president have to have at least 270 votes/electoral college
numbers
⁃ 4th of march 2023
⁃ 1930s time reduced
⁃ 12th of January at noon new president takes the oath of office
⁃ time between November and January ame duck period: cant do anything yet

⁃ shortest serving president : 1841 Harrison

⁃ tradition: ongoing president leaves behind a short message to incoming
president

• presidents duties
⁃ head of the executive
⁃ commander in chief of the armed forces (head of military)
⁃ chief diplomat : represents us abroad on highest level
⁃ chief legislator
• chief of executive branch:
⁃ originally 4 departments (ministries)
⁃
⁃ heads of departments : secretaries
⁃
⁃ state department, department of war (defence), department of
treasuries(finances), department of justice
⁃ now : more than 20
⁃ department of homeland security (latest department)
⁃ important because the timeline of departments defines where you are
in ??
⁃ vice president takes over if pres incapacitated
⁃ speaker of house comes next
⁃ head of the senate
⁃ secretary of state
⁃ treasury
⁃ defence
⁃ state of the union speech (sotu)

⁃ military
⁃ us president commander in chief
⁃ civilian person
⁃ no active soldier (?) can be president
⁃ civilian control over the military
⁃ because of potential military takeover
⁃ two top people : president, secretary of defence must be civilians
⁃ president can’t do anything he wants to
⁃ can’t declare war
 ⁃ Britain 1820 Mexico 1846 Spain 1898 ww1 1917 ww2 1941
⁃ until 1973 had the right to send troupes abroad
⁃ us never declared war on Vietnam
⁃ 1973 : War Powers Act
⁃ since 1973 president hasn’t been able to send troupes without congress
agreement in 60 days
⁃ president : 30 days truce
⁃ 90 days to deploy troupes
⁃ congress -> authorise
⁃ one of the most important limitations on power of president
⁃ can make peace
⁃ any treaty can be signed by president
⁃ but senate gratifies it
⁃ executive agreements
⁃ binding for the usa
⁃ binding during the term of the president
⁃ next president can ignore it
⁃ only congress can modify the treaty
⁃ can be modified only on the same level

supreme court
⁃ 9 judges
⁃ 1 chief justice
⁃ 8 associate judges
⁃ 1930’s - all white males
⁃ now: 4 females 5 males
⁃ 2 African Americans
⁃ 1 hispanic

⁃ doesn’t have original jurisdiction

⁃ district court -> court of appeal -> supreme court
⁃ original jurisdiction only in 2 cases:
⁃ dispute between two district states
⁃ ambassador, other officials involved in the case

⁃ rule of 4:
⁃ at least 4 of the supreme judges should agree
⁃ one of the associate judges -> writes first draft of decision of
supreme court

⁃ discussion behind closed doors

⁃ majority decision

⁃ 3 types of decision
⁃ unanimous decision : everyone agrees
⁃ dissenting : minority publicly state why they don’t agree with majority
⁃ eg. the relocation of Japanese immigrants
⁃ can be majority opinions later on
⁃ concurrent : supporting the majority
⁃ someone agrees with the decision -> but for a different reason

⁃ judges -> nominated by president, confirmed by senate

⁃ senate judiciary committee decides the confirmation
⁃ majority supports nominee-> individual confirmed in their position
⁃ Robert Bork -> disqualified
⁃ to bork -> senate decides one isn’t qualified for position, character
assassination
⁃ running on parties
 ⁃ can be recalled
⁃ judges appointed for life (good behaviour)
⁃ can retire

⁃ president sometimes disagrees with them

⁃ abortion case
⁃ Frank Roosevelt
⁃ New Deal
⁃ different reforms
⁃ supreme court invalidated some of the New Deal
⁃ wanted to change to rules of how supreme court judges are appointed
⁃ pac the court
⁃ 1 judge submitted
⁃ if he doesn’t want to retire -> president has the right to appoint
additional judges
⁃ 2020: presidential contest
⁃ Trump -> appointed 3 new judges

party system
⁃ 3 party systems

• 1st party system

⁃ originally no real political parties
⁃ George Washington -> against political parties
⁃ at least 9 states had to gratify constitution
⁃ 1st : confederation
⁃ 2nd : federal system

⁃ acceptance of constitution : separated two groups

⁃ pro-federalists : support gratification of new constitution
⁃ unofficial head: A. Hamilton
⁃ anti-federalists : don’t support gratification of new constitution,
wanted to preserve the rights of the states
⁃ unofficial head: Thomas Jefferson
⁃ anti-federalists: Democratic-Republicans
⁃ federalists:

⁃ early 1790’s -> issues -> further separation of USA

⁃ Bank of the U.S
⁃ ^finances of government
⁃ Hamilton: pro-British
⁃ president -> asked Hamilton to sum of ideas in writing
⁃ ‘loose constructionism’
⁃ have the right to establish Bank of the US if majority of congress
voted for it
⁃ Thomas Jefferson
⁃ ‘strict constructionism’

⁃ French Revolution
⁃ Americans in general supported
⁃ turning point : execution of king
⁃ they believed revolution had gone too far
⁃ rulers simply signed anything, never vetoed
⁃ French were fighting British, Prussians, Austrians
⁃ 1778: USA concluded a treaty -> promise to mutually protect each other
⁃ should USA honour this obligation or not
⁃ federalists: no -> because concluded treaty with French Monarchy with
Louis 16th
 ⁃ now -> a different France
⁃ anti-federalists: yes -> because it was signed with France -> France
still exists

⁃ 1797 John Adams : only federalist president of USA

⁃ 1800: turning point - critical elections
⁃ when power goes from one political group’s hand to another
⁃ Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Aaron Burr
⁃ Thomas Jefferson won
⁃ Aaron Burt came second
⁃ Aaron Burr -> killed Hamilton in a duel

⁃ 1790s: two new states - Tennessee and Kentucky

⁃ 1810’s federalist party disappeared
⁃ just one party : Democratic-Republicans
⁃ Era of Good Feelings

• 2nd party system

⁃ 1824: next critical election
⁃ 3 or 4 candidates from the same political party
⁃ J Quincy Adams, A Jackson, W H Crawford, H Clay
⁃ each running on their own
⁃ Jackson -> received plurality of votes
⁃ president chosen from the first 3
⁃ each state one vote
⁃ H Clay eliminated
⁃ at the time 24 states
⁃ 13 Adams
⁃ 7 Jackson
⁃ 4 Crawford

⁃ Republican Democratic party split into two

⁃ Jackson -> Democratic Party
⁃ Quincy Adams -> National Republican -> Wing Party

⁃ Jefferson-Jackson Dinner
⁃ Jackson: came from Tennessee (west)
⁃ previous presidents -> east coast

⁃ Democratic party dominated until 1860

⁃ Democrats -> southern democrats
⁃ ^northern democrats
⁃ southern democrats: slave owners

⁃ party loses again and again -> collapses

⁃ new parties
⁃ Free Soil Party
⁃ supported the expansion of USA
⁃ Liberty Party
⁃ for the abolition of slavery
⁃ know nothing party

• 3rd party system - current

⁃ 1850’s
⁃ Free Soil + Liberty -> Republican Party
⁃ GOP - Grand Old Party
⁃ Democratic + Republican Party
⁃ they dominate
⁃ Democrats and Republicans -> umbrella parties
 ⁃ cover the whole spectrum
⁃ Republicans : right
⁃ Democrats : left and center
⁃ single issues parties
⁃ pick just one issue

• party strength
⁃ 1820-1850’s : Democrats dominate
⁃ 1861-1913: Republicans dominate
⁃ since 1913 -> even numbered, cycles

federalism in the US

history
• 1790’s quasi undeclared war
⁃ France - USA
⁃ Alien 8 Sedition Acts
⁃ criticising the acts of the government
⁃ anti federalists believed federal government overstepped its authority

⁃ Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

⁃ Thomas Jefferson + James Madison
⁃ JM -> Kentucky TJ -> Virginia
⁃ the fed gov acts can be reviewed by member states
⁃ member states -> right to declare acts as invalid
⁃ majority of states rejected, sided with federal government

⁃ 1829 - fed gov introduced import duties machinery

⁃ to protect American manufacturing
⁃ cheaper homemade products
⁃ New England
⁃ Southern States benefited too -> interested in cheap good quality
machinery
⁃ John C. Calhoun - South Carolina
⁃ if one act of congress didn’t favour one of the states -> should have
the right not nullify the act
⁃ 1882 - nullification crisis ended
⁃ supremacy clause

⁃ 1887. Dved Scott V. Sanford

⁃ reinforced the supremacy of federal laws
⁃ argument: if u have a piece of property and take it from point a to
point b it belongs to you in point b as well

⁃ 13th amendment
⁃ prohibited involuntary work without a court order
⁃ 14th amendment
⁃ voting rights couldn’t be denied based on race

⁃ New Deal
⁃ cooperative federalism
⁃ created a lot of public works
⁃ tried to remove people from unemployment
⁃ airports, parks, etc. were created
⁃ financed both by federal government and member states -> cooperative
federalism
⁃ great society program
⁃ huge extension of progressive liberalism
 ⁃ liberalism originally from Britain
⁃ originally about individual rights without government
⁃ Frank Roosevelt, democrats -> progressive liberalism
⁃ positive rights
⁃ state should take an active part in creating quality in society
⁃ against the original liberal idea
⁃ modern interpretation on liberalism
⁃ centralism
⁃ backlash : 1970’s 1980’s - Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan
⁃ Devolution Revolution
⁃ devolution : decentralisation
⁃ wanted to give power back to individual states
⁃ adjusted to local needs
Britain
⁃ 1931. The Commonwealth
⁃ 56 countries
⁃ 15 of them -> British Monarch still as official head of the state
⁃ Winston Churchill -> 3 circles
⁃ 1st: Atlantic (US relationship)
⁃ sea > land
⁃ 2nd: Commonwealth
⁃ 3rd: Europe

• UK
⁃ The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
⁃ England, Scotland, Wales
⁃ Northern Ireland
⁃ Edinburgh - capital of Scotland
⁃ Cardiff - capital of Wales
⁃ Belfast - capital of Northern Ireland

• England -> core country

• Wales
⁃ was a kingdom originally
⁃ late 13th century - invaded several times by the English
⁃ Edward the 1st
⁃ regained independence later
⁃ Henry the 8th -> incorporated into England
⁃ Welsh Independence Movement -> weak
⁃ Wales is profiting from being member of the UK
⁃ UK redistributes money -> Wales, N Ireland, Scotland financially
benefit
⁃ 1967. BBC started Welsh language programmes
⁃ Cardiff -> government -> but no primary legislation

• Scotland
⁃ Scottish-English relationship : rocky
⁃ 1603. English Queen Queen Elizabeth the 1st -> no heir
⁃ next in line: son of Queen of Scotland
⁃ rival’s son inherited the throne
⁃ James the 6th in Scotland, James the 1st in England
⁃ Personal Union between Scotland and England
⁃ two or more countries linked together by same ruler
⁃ Stuart period: 17th century - ?
⁃ problem: church was Catholic
⁃ wanted to recatholize the country
⁃ 1688. Glorious Revolution
⁃ William of Orange -> king William the 3rd
 ⁃ married to Mary the 2nd
⁃ James 2nd had to flee
⁃ 1707. Act of Union was passed
⁃ between Wales and Scotland
⁃ Scotland -> retain its independence in education system, legal system,
churches

• Scotland
⁃ Scottish independence movement
⁃ peaked in 1920’s
⁃ Scottish National Party established
⁃ 1970’s - a ? was held
⁃ European Community - 1973. England joined
⁃ other countries benefited a lot
⁃ discovery of oil in North Sea
⁃ boosted the UK economy
⁃ 1990’s ? party -> promised devolution to the Scottish
⁃ Tony Blair
⁃ devolution is primary legislation
⁃ Hollywood Palace
⁃ Scottish National Assembly
⁃ 129 members
⁃ able to modify UK taxation (ip or down 3%)
⁃ energy policies
⁃ SNP - 2014. independence referendum
⁃ leader: Alex Salmond - campaigning for independence
⁃ majority wanted to stay in UK
⁃ Salmond resigned - Nicola Sturgeon replaced
⁃ outcome of referendum -> not binding

John Kingdom - Government and Politics in Britain (2014)

M Morgan - Politics and governments in the UK (2005)

exam: online, starts at 11:00, moodle?

House of Lords
⁃ secondary role in political life
⁃ one year
⁃ money bills
⁃ Salisbury 1945: the Lords can veto any bill that is
⁃ composed of life peers, no interest in politics

House of Commons
⁃ started to be representing only members of the boroughs
⁃ 10% of males over 21 were able to vote before 1832

⁃ boroughs: township, urban area

• rotten boroughs
⁃ representing very few people
⁃ because of population shift
⁃ agriculture to industrial, urbanisation
⁃ depopulated
• pocket boroughs
⁃ boroughs of one or two industrials
⁃ 10% 14-15%

• 1867 reform bill

 ⁃ voters -> household owners or paying at least 10 pounds in rent
⁃ voters -> 30-35%

• 1884
⁃ electors expended -> agricultural labourers
⁃ every property owner eligible to vote
⁃ over half of males over 21

• 1918
⁃ turning point
⁃ first time in British history -> women received the right to vote
⁃ women over 30

• 1928
⁃ no difference between males and females
⁃ women over 21 can vote

• 1989(?)
⁃ reduced voting age to 18

• 2010
⁃ Scotland -> voting age: 16

British systems : very distorting

• first by the post system
⁃ term -> horse racing
⁃ single member parliamentary
⁃ people vote directly for individual candidates
⁃ one on top becomes the representative
⁃ all the other votes are lost
⁃ only vote for individual (no party)

⁃ 650 seats in British Parliament

⁃ two chambers
⁃ house of commons : green benches
⁃ House of Lords : red benches
⁃ elections could be called anytime by the monarch or prime minister

• 2011: Fixed Parliamentary term act

⁃ elections have to be held every 5 years
⁃ 2022 old system restored but not 4 years -> 5 years
⁃ recommendation of pm -> elections can be called anytime

• vote of no/low(?) confidence

⁃ parliament defeated in vote of low confidence pm has to ask monarch to
call the elections

• by election
⁃ majority party can lose majority (someone dies, scandals, etc.)
⁃ if the opposition parties win the elections -> majority -> new national
election should be called

⁃ major bill (eg financial statement)

⁃ government loses a part of the financial statements -> early election -
> because lost the support of majority

• king or queen’s speech

⁃ opens parliament
 ⁃ government’s statement
⁃ early elections

⁃ elections must be held before middle of January

The Parliament
• Functions
⁃ legislate
⁃ pass bills

• Overside
⁃ keeps an eye on the activities of government
⁃ every cabinet member who is a member of the government must be an MP at
the same time
⁃ usually done by opposition parties
⁃ question time
⁃ every day except Fridays: cabinet members can be questioned
⁃ most of them answered written, some orally
⁃ prime minister’s: every Wednesday at noon, half an hour
⁃ opposition leader can ask 6 questions from prime minister
⁃ individuals have to submit questions 48 hours in advance
⁃ asker can ask follow up questions
⁃ now:
⁃ Rishi Sunak: first non-white pm
⁃ opposition leader: Keir Starmer

The Party System

The Whigs
⁃ represented the merchants, manufacturing interests
⁃ late 17th-early 18th century

⁃ Robert Warpole
⁃ representative
⁃ was nicknamed the prime minister
⁃ chancellor 1721-1741

⁃ Hanoverian
⁃ when he died -> question about the succession
⁃ 4 Georges in a row

⁃ 1714-1760
⁃ The Whig Supremacy
⁃ Whigs dominated political life

⁃ 1760-late 1820’s -> Torys dominating political life

⁃ W. P. H. the younger -> youngest prime minister ever

⁃ 1820’s: 1st Industrial Revolution

⁃ social profile of Britain changing -> in favour of the Whigs
⁃ Earl Grey
⁃ introduced the Reform Bill
⁃ extended the electory from 20-40% of males
⁃ the Whig party -> too much radicalism
⁃ started getting weaker and weaker
⁃ attacked by the left as well

⁃ Chartist movement - 1838

 ⁃ The Great Charter
⁃ demanded annual Parliament
⁃ the members of Parliament should be payed
⁃ universal male suffrage
⁃ abolish the proven income
⁃ redistribution of seats
⁃ equal electoral districts
⁃ big cities were underrepresented

⁃ Radicals, Peelites, Whigs -> emerged the Liberal Party

⁃ free trade

⁃ expansion of the British Empire

⁃ largest empire ever
⁃ edit India into the British Empire
⁃ colonising Africa
⁃ mostly promoted by the Torys
⁃ Liberals were not imperialists

⁃ Wh. E Gladstone
⁃ originally Tory
⁃ left -> joined Liberal Party
⁃ sitting in Parliament for more than 60 years
⁃ issues:
⁃ Imperialism
⁃ doing something with Ireland
⁃ wanted government to give a so-called Home Rule to Ireland
⁃ giving Ireland semi-independence
⁃ Ireland -> reputation not good in England
⁃ prejudice against the Irish
⁃ Home Rule -> wasn’t popular -> number of liberals voted against him

⁃ Benjamin Disraeli
⁃ great Tory of the century
⁃ originally a novelist, social reformer
⁃ writing about a country of two nations - rich and poor
⁃ first and lest Jewish prime minister of Britain

⁃ Unionist Party

⁃ Supreme Court decided -> Scotland doesn’t have the right to ?

⁃ 1905.
⁃ problem in the Liberal Party -> two main wings in the party
⁃ Classical Liberalism - H. Asquith
⁃ low taxes
⁃ liberal individualism
⁃ rejecting the role of state
⁃ supported of night-watchment state
⁃ Social Liberalism - David Lloyd George
⁃ Welsh politician
⁃ wanted to extend the role of the state
⁃ unemployment insurance
⁃ healthcare
⁃ wanted to extend the tax base
⁃ wasn’t enough to simply get money from import/export duties -> taxing
people
⁃ 1909. People’s Budget
⁃ ultimately ended in the curtailment of House of Lords
⁃ 1915-1916 December
⁃ Prime Minister: David Lloyd George
⁃ National Government
⁃ country needed a government that wasn’t based on parties
⁃ 1922: Constitutive Bank (?)
⁃ David Lloyd George had to resign
⁃ last liberal prime minister

⁃ 1981. Liberals + Social Democratic Party -> alliance

⁃ political grouping
⁃ received around quarter of votes
⁃ ultimately received only 23 seats
⁃ 1989. alliance broke
⁃ Liberal Democratic party
⁃ 3rd largest party in UK

⁃ 2011-2015: David Cameron prime minister

⁃ from 1920’s
⁃ Labour Party
⁃ workers underrepresented

⁃ Trade Union Movement

⁃ TUC - Trade Union Congress
⁃ still dominant role in politics
⁃ left-wing politics
⁃ organising workers
⁃ on paper independent
⁃ supported by certain thinker individuals
⁃ Fabian Society
⁃ left wing economist

⁃ 1906. ILP - Independent Labour Party

⁃ Clause IV.
⁃ called for socialism

⁃ 1924. R. MacDonald
⁃ came from Scotland
⁃ the conservatives didn’t have a majority
⁃ liberals were supporting the government from outside of state

⁃ 1929. the Labour Party won on its own for the first time
⁃ National Government 1931-1935
⁃ under Labour Prime Minister

⁃ 1940. Winston Churchill -> prime minister

⁃ C. Attlee -> deputy prime minister

⁃ 1945. July: Election in Britain

⁃ Labour Party won
⁃ Attlee became prime minister
⁃ started to implement the original program of Labour party
⁃ nationalise utilities, transportation
⁃ WHS
⁃ rationing food
⁃ rough time after WW II.

⁃ 1970’s: bad years for Britain

 ⁃ TUC is strong

⁃ Tony Blair
⁃ reinvented the Labour Party -> The New Labour Party

⁃ G. Brown
⁃ Labour Party lost election

⁃ Keir Starmer

federal system in the US

• southern states?
⁃ supported slavery
⁃ 1950-60’s supporting segregation
⁃ after 60’s: republicans -> southern states

⁃ red america:
⁃ voting republicans
⁃ southern, some western, Rocky Mountain states
⁃ blue america: voting democrat
^west coast, east coast
⁃ purple america:
⁃ around great lakes, Pennsylvania, Ohio
⁃ change occasionally
⁃ battleground / swing states
⁃ neither red nor blue
⁃ decide the outcome of the elections

major differences between parties

• role of the state in general (federal state)
⁃ democrats:
⁃ big state?
⁃ redistribution of wealth
⁃ progressive taxation : you earn less, tax less
⁃ reduce the gap between rich and poor
⁃ with the help of several well-fare programs
⁃ democrats -> spend quarter of gdp
⁃ 60% goes to well fare programs

• values
⁃ issues
⁃ blm, lgbtq+ movements
⁃ democrats support
⁃ ^majority of these minorities vote democratic
⁃ gender studies
⁃ should or shouldn’t be taught in school
⁃ cancel culture
⁃ cancel out certain parts of history
⁃ whether 4th of july should be celebrated (symbol of white male
supremacy)
⁃ major issue right now: abortion case
⁃ Roe case (1973)
⁃ made abortion legal in first 3 months of pregnancy
⁃ since 1973: abortion nationally legally accepted procedure
⁃ Dobbs case (2022)
 ⁃ supreme court -> decision: abortion shouldn’t be legal (nationally)
⁃ shifted the decision back to the state
⁃ abortion isn’t illegal everywhere in USA
⁃ role of the US in the world
⁃ democrats -> exceptional, better and superior to other countries
⁃ republicans: more hesitant on the issue
⁃ taxes
⁃ federal state issue
⁃ republicans -> devolution, decentralisation
⁃ democrats -> concentrated power in the hands of government
⁃ believes federal government knows better
⁃ two types of ?
⁃ democrats -> categorical grand (?)
⁃ finance specific
⁃ republicans -> block grant ?
⁃ broad category
⁃ people should decide

⁃ majority of women support democrats

⁃ majority of men vote republican

• issues that influence people’s choice:

⁃ economy
⁃ inflation
⁃ immigration
⁃ crime

the federal system

• 3 different levels of government
⁃ federal
⁃ state
⁃ local

⁃ concurrent powers

• constitution
⁃ distribution of power between federal state powers in 3 or 4 places
⁃ article 1 section 8
⁃ discusses legislative
⁃ commerce clause
⁃ federal government has the right to ? between states(?)
⁃ interstate clause
⁃ business activity pursued in more than 1 state -> comes under federal
registration
⁃ intrastate clause
⁃ business state in only one state -> business comes under state law
⁃ ^New Deal
⁃ congress has the right to pass appropriate and necessary rules
⁃ e.g. environmental protection acts, pure water act
⁃ article 4
⁃ horizontal
⁃ full faith and credit
⁃ individual states should recognise other states’ laws
⁃ even death penalty
⁃ section 2: privileges and immunities
⁃ if you want to study in another state -> equal opportunity and
privileges as people from that state
⁃ section 3: the right of federal government to admit new states
⁃ the federal government should provide for the protection of states
 ⁃ article 6
⁃ superiority clause
⁃ acts of federal government superior laws of country
⁃ clash between state and fed laws -> federal law superior
⁃ bill of rights
⁃ whether basic rights should be written in the constitution or not
⁃ last : all the rights that are not given expressly to the federal gov
belong to the states and the people l who live in the states