This paper is about the British Parliament, which constitutes such a wide range of topics that some selected aspects have to be concentrated on. For that reason the political function of the British Crown will be neglected. The main aim of this essay will be to find out how the powers of Parliament and those of the Government are balanced. It is assumed that the powers of making und passing laws und the control of the executive are indicators of this problem.
First of all, the role that Parliament plays in the British Constitution will be defined. In this context it will be important to note that the British Constitution as such does not exist in writing, which raises the question as to whether this fact causes any negative consequences for the democratic process. Moreover, the structure and composition as well as the functions of the two Houses of Parliament will be dealt with. And some characteristic features of the parliamentary system in Britain will be pointed out in order to draw a comparison between the British and the German Parliament. Of course, this comparison will have to focus on the most significant aspects. In the final part the preceding considerations wi11 be summarized and a personal judgement on the two different systems in Britain and Germany will be made.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Which role does Parliament play in the British Constitution?
- The British Parliament
- The House of Lords
- The House of Commons
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to analyze the structure and function of the British Parliament, focusing on the balance of power between Parliament and the Government. It examines how the legislative and executive branches interact within the context of the unwritten British Constitution.
- The role of Parliament in the British Constitution
- The structure and function of the House of Lords and House of Commons
- The relationship between Parliament and the Government
- A comparison between the British and German parliamentary systems
- The influence of the British Crown on Parliament
Chapter Summaries
The introduction outlines the scope of the paper and emphasizes the focus on the balance of power between Parliament and the Government. It also highlights the absence of a written constitution in Britain and its implications for the democratic process.
Chapter 2 explores the role of Parliament within the British Constitution. It analyzes the three key elements of the Constitution: Statute Law, Common Law, and customs. It also discusses the unitary nature of the United Kingdom, the relationship between the Government and Parliament, and the role of political parties in the system.
Chapter 3 examines the structure and function of the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It highlights the specific roles of each House and discusses the differences between the British and German parliamentary systems.
Keywords
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper include: British Parliament, unwritten constitution, balance of power, legislative power, executive power, House of Lords, House of Commons, parliamentary system, democratic process, British Crown, German Parliament, and comparative politics.
- Citation du texte
- Dr. Jens Saathoff (Auteur), 1992, The British Parliament - How the Powers of Parliament and those of the Government are balanced, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/199938
