The Westminster model

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  • Created by: Annagc
  • Created on: 15-03-21 15:56
Arend Lijphart (1999) - What is democracy?
Government by and for the people
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What is the difference between Westminster and consensus democracies?
W. concentrates power but C. shares power
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According to Lijphart (1999, p7) why do most democracies have consensus traits
They are considered more democratic than majoritarian democracies
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Lijphart framework's two dimensions
Executive parties, how government is formed etc and a federal unitary dimension e.g. state structures, constitutional design
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Features of executive parties in Westminster
Concentration of power, executive dominance of legislatures, two party system, majority electoral systems , pluralist interest groups with competition among groups
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Features of executive parties in consensus democracy
Power sharing, executive legislative balance of power, multi party systems, proportional electoral systems, corporatist interest groups acmes at compromise
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Features of the federal-unitary dimensions in Westminster
Centralised gov., concentration of legislative power in a bicameral legislature, flexible constitutions, legislature has final word on constitutionality of own legislature
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Features of federal-unitary dimension in consensus democracy
Decentralised government, legislative power divided between 2 equal houses, rigid constitutions, laws subject to judicial review
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Features of the UK constitution
Un-codified, no written rules defined legally, many practices based on convention
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Who has supreme legislative authority in the UK?
Westminster
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What was the Westminster model pre 1990s?
Fusion of powers, two party system, single party governments, parliament limited in scrutinising gov. asymmetric bicameralism (HoL much weaker), state structures highly centralised (King 2015)
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Challenges to the Westminster model
European communities act 1972 (eu law supremacy), rise of third parties 1974 onwards, devolution, 2010 coalition, minority gov. 2017, reform f both houses 1999 and 2010 (strengthened parliament's role), human rights act (1998), creation of UK Supreme Cour
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The Westminster model outside the UK
British empire let to export of WMM, in early 20s British empire was 1/4 of global population, adoption and retention of WMM associated with failure to embed democracy after independence was achieved
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is the difference between Westminster and consensus democracies?

Back

W. concentrates power but C. shares power

Card 3

Front

According to Lijphart (1999, p7) why do most democracies have consensus traits

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Lijphart framework's two dimensions

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Features of executive parties in Westminster

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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