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Our Study of the British Case



So far: themes of economic & political development
Implications—labor’s support for welfare and
“collectivist consensus”
Now some other classic comparative politics topics
 Parliamentary
vs. presidential system
 Electoral system design

In context
 Parliamentary

Ex: Thatcher’s effort to dismantle welfare state
 Electoral

system
system
Ex: Fate of Labour and Liberal Democratic parties
Parliamentary vs. Presidential Systems

Contrast
 US
 Britain
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Parliamentary vs. Presidential Systems

Contrast US and British systems
 US presidential system
 “Checks and balances,” “Veto points”

President and Congress check each other
 British parliamentary system
 Executive and Legislative fused



Parliamentary legislative process



Prime Minister as leader of majority party in Parliament
Can strategically call elections any time within 5-year terms
Legislation more likely to be enacted
Legislation more coherent
Greater party discipline

“No confidence” votes
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Example of Policy-making in Parliamentary
System: The Thatcher Revolution”

Margaret Thatcher
 Conservative
Party
leader 1975
 Elected prime minister
1979
 Conservatives won
new election after
Labour (Callahan) lost
“no confidence vote”
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Example of Policy-making in Parliamentary
System: The Thatcher Revolution”

Reduce state role in
economy
 Informed
by ideas of
neo-liberalism
 Privatize

Sell off profitable state
industries



British Airways
British Telecomm
Public housing
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Example of Policy-making in Parliamentary
System: The Thatcher Revolution”

Privatize

Public housing
As % of total gov spending
As % of GDP
1980
7.3
2.7
1990
2.9
0.9
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Example of Policy-making in Parliamentary
System: The Thatcher Revolution”
How did she do it?
 Parliamentary institutions

 PM
and dominant Parliamentary
party—same party by design

Contributed to force and coherence
of Conservative Party’s “Thatcher
Revolution”
 Strategically
called elections
when most popular (after
successful Falklands War)

Facilitated long stay in power
(1979-1990)
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Contrast Policy-making in Presidential
System: Ronald Reagan


Pres. Reagan was similarly guided by
neo-liberal ideas and sought to reduce
role of government in economy
Reagan—a Republican—had to work with

Democrat-controlled House


Democrat-controlled Senate



8 out of 8 years in office
2 out of 8 years in office
Legislation important to Reagan had to
have bi-partisan support to pass
Pres. Reagan (1981-89) faced two-term
maximum with fixed dates for elections
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