UK- Fact file - Abi Zusammenfassung - UK PDF

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Abi Zusammenfassung - UK...

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The United Kingdom - Fact file 1. Britain ! Great Britain: main island which is made up of three countries England, Scotland and Wales The British Isles: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and some several smaller Islands United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

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British political system !

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Britain is a constitutional monarchy ! The bill of rights and the magna charta have reduced the power of the monarch over time ! Today the British parliament has supreme authority in all political matters! The monarch is also known as the „Head of state“ and represents the Uk all over the world, fulfills ceremonial duties and has appointements with the prime minister ! - The power of the state consists of 3 main powers ! Executive: Prime Minister and Cabinet (lead government, propose new laws)! Legislature: House of Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords)! -> discuss, amend, accept/reject new laws ! Judiciary: system of courts (implement laws passed down by Parliament) !

Parliament

- consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords !

The House of Commons ! - this is where the members of Parliament also referred as (MP’s) meet to debate current issues, discuss policy and make laws !

- They get elected by the citizens of Britain ! - Each member of the parliament represent a constituency !

The House of Lords! - also referred as the upper house ! - Consists of aristocrats and archbishops (higher ranked persons)! - Members of the house of lords have limited powers to influence the political decisions made in the House of Commons !

- They can suggest amendments to legislation and can delay the passing of a new law for twelve months !

- In the past the House of Lords have more power but with the establishment of a supreme court their power was reduced !

The role of the monarchy Traditional role

Role today

Until the English civil war the monarch was allpowerful

Mainly ceremonial although the monarch has a small political role

The monarch was the political head of the country ! -> could execute anyone disagreed with his or her decisions

The monarch is the head of State and represents her country

Monarch = head of church of England ! -> additional power on citizens

Monarch = Head of church of england !

After English civil war monarchy was restored in the 1660 ! -> lost the right to control the Parliament

Officially opens Parliament each year ! Signs bills before they become law !

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Officially appoints the prime minister after a general election ! Meets with the prime minister to discuss current issues and give advice

The electoral system

- a general election is normally held in Britain every four to five years ! - The voting system is known as „first past the post“ ! - Candidate with the largest number of votes in each constituency wins the seat even though the majority of the citizens have voted for other candidates !

- it is impossible for smaller parties to win seats and gain representation in Parliament ! - British politics therefore are dominated by a few large parties !

Political parties The conservative party ! - have been in power since 2010 ! - Traditionally attracts middle- and upper class voters ! - Many conservative politicians support the Brexit !

- Are criticized for cuts in public spending, healthcare and social benefits ! - Current Prime minister Boris Johnson is a politician from the conservative party ! - Have the majority of the votes and seats in Parliament !

The Labour Party ! -

have been in power from 1997 - 2010 ! Have a close connection to trade unions ! Appeal mostly to middle class voters ! Have Campaigned against the Brexit !

The Liberal democratic Party ! - policy appeal to many liberal conservatives ! - They campaigns to change the electoral system in Britain ! - They are for the continuing membership in the EU and against the Brexit !

Scottish national Party ! - campaigns for Scottish Independence ! - Are against Brexit do not want to leave the EU ! - Wanted to have a second referendum before the UK have left the EU !

Devolution =separation of parliament’s for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ! - The Scottish parliament deals among other things as education, health, agriculture, environment and food standards, transport and tourism ! - Can pass new laws and set the level of tax to be paid in Scotland ! - The National Assembly for Wales makes decisions about education, health, economic development, and similar issues ! - The northern Ireland Assembly deals with matters such as education, health, the environment and arts !

Scottish Independence

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many Scottish people want their country to be independent from the United Kingdom ! In September 2014 the decision to hold a referendum was taken ! Until 1707 Scotland was an independent country ! > the act of Union joined Scotland and England together ! The citizens of Scotland voted to remain in the UK by a margin of 55% to 44%! After the Brexit referendum more people want to leave the UK ! > reason to stay was probably the membership in the EU ! Brexit makes Scottish Independence more complicated -> will not happen in the near future !

Brexit = withdrawal of the UK from the EU

- the exit agreement was signed on the 24th of January 2020 ! - One of the most controversial issues in Britain ! - On the one hand many people see the advantages in the EU membership (freedom of movement and trade) !

- But on the other hand many people argue that Britain has to pay too much money into EU without getting any benefits !

- Brexit referendum was held on 23 June 2016 with just 52% of voters voting for the EU !

- In 2017 the former Prime minister Theresa May invoked the article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union !

- Negotiations between the European countries were completed at the beginning of 2020 !

Uncertainties regarding Brexit

- will there be a hard Brexit in which Britain would cut all ties with the EU or a soft Brexit, which would see it remaining part of the European single market !

- How much will Britain have to pay the EU in this divorce bill?! - What will happen to approximately 2.9 millions EU citizens currently living and working in the EU? Will they be allowed to stay?!

- What will be the future status of the around 1.9 Million Britons living and working in other EU countries?!

- Many people have started to question the political system (democracy) in Britain !

Arguments for Brexit

Arguments against Brexit

Leaving EU will allow Britain to control immigration and reduce the amount of immigrants entering the country: EU citizens will no longer have an automatic right to move there

Leaving the EU will not solve immigration problems. Instead, it will bring them closer.

Britain would have more freedom to make important trade deals with countries such as India or china: doing most of its trade within Europe is limiting

Nearly half of Britain’s export go to the EU, so leaving the free trade zone would have negative effect

Britain is forced to pass a lot of laws that have been made in Europe : the courts should get their sovereignty back only deal with laws that are concerned with British interests

There are not very many laws that are determined by the European Commission. In addition to this, British citizens will suffer if Britain no longer has to comply with certain laws, such as those on human rights

Jobs will not really be affected: Britain can easily develop a strong job market after Brexit

Around 3 Million jobs are linked to the EU: these jobs will have an uncertain future, because businesses will be less likely to invest in a country outside Europe

Britain does not need the EU to be influential on the world stage

British interests are best protected as part of the EU bloc

The British Parliament must become sovereign again, and it cannot do so with close ties to the European Union

It is important for countries to work closely in a globalized world

History ! Timeline of the British history 1215: King John have signed the Magna Charta! -> Beginning of political liberties of the aristocracy ! -> church’s gains independence from the crown ! 1296-1357: Scottish war of Independence ! 1400-1404: Welsh war of Independence ! 1535: Henry VII brought Ireland under English control! -> the Kingdom of Ireland was founded !

1536: Act of Union ! -> reunion of England and Wales ! 1542: Wales had been annexed by England ! 1583-1783: Beginning of the British Empire ! 1639-1651: War of the Kingdoms (England, Scotland and Wales)! 1649-1653: End of the monarchy and beginning of a republic ! 1660: Beginning of the constitutional monarchy ! 1689: English Bill of rights: Monarchy and parliament are two powers ! 1919-1921: Irish war of Independence ! -> Ireland is no langer part of the UK ! 1931: Foundation of the commonwealth of nations ! 1938-1945: World war II: India richest colony gained Independence ! -> end of the British Empire ! 20th century: majority of the colonies gained independence ! -> end of the colonial period ! 1973: UK joined the EU ! 2002: Refuse of the Euro ! June 2016: first Brexit referendum ! January 2021: the Uk is no longer an EU-leader ! Today: there are 14 overseas territories which are governed from Britain ! Oversea territories: Cayman-Islands, Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,! Caribbean Islands such as Monserrat ! !

The British Commonwealth Commonwealth of Nations -members: many of Britains former colonies ! -Foundation: 1931! -is a way of maintaining economic cooperation

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with former colonies ! -Member states interact in an informal way ! -Member states have certain things in common: language, culture, history due to their association Untertitel with Britain ! -There are 52 member states including Britain ! -The heads of government meet at regular intervals to discuss international issues! There are many associations and university exchange programmes ! Commonwealth citizens get some privileges to vote or to participate in certain immigration programmes ! Main task: encourage democracy in weak states !

British society ! Britishness = the quality of being British or of having characteristics regarded as typically British Positive associations! -

the royal family and traditions ! Partnership between the countries of the UK ! Nation-State as a role model ! Inclusive term: no exclusion of non whites !

- Most influential partnership in history ! - Most successful country because of its history -> colonial period !

Top 5 features of Britishness ! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal family ! Culinary specialities: tea time, fish & chips ! Language: various accents & dialects ! National sport: rugby & football ! The UK and the EU: Brexit !

Criticism ! - unequality/ Segregation between different nationalities especially the inequality between -

Scottish and English people ! Migration-mouvement and the failed integration (Diversity)! Constitutional monarchy term „Kingdom“ ! Conflict between the British countries ! British associated with „English“ (racist, segregative)! Not a partnership of equals ! No respect for cultures/traditions ! > rather multi faith ! No appreciation for individuality !

Alternatives to Britishness ! - separation of the union and countries of Britain ! - Dual identity (similarities more important than inequality)! - Stronger regional identities !

The gap between rich and poor ! - 10% of the households have an huge impact on the national wealth -> financial inequality ! - Minority of the societies have an high income whether the rest of the community have a middle -

to low income ! Wealthy persons have invested in property and saved their income ! The poor people live in rent ! UK is the fifth most unequal country in Europe ! More than a fifth of the population live on incomes below the poverty line ! The financial inequality also effects the equality in the school system and in the health insurance (private schools and healthy-system)! > wealthy people have better opportunities than poorer people ! Disparities of living standards, life expectancy and life quality !

The class system in Britain !

Working class

Middle class

Upper class

Are referred as hard working people

Have 2 to 3 Children ! Have a garde in the city

Have a special manner of talking

Good solid, warm

Drink a lot of coffee

Wear tweed

Close families, happy people

Fear of not knowing basic things, like having a nanny or not

Eccentric/lazy

Do manual work in heavy industry ! Keep asking themselves if they Watch football are doing okay the way they are

Go to boarding schools

No real working class anymore because of the end of industrial society -> blue-collar working class disappeared

Sometimes pretend they were upper class ! -> are more defensive about their class than anybody else

Are referred as the ones who end up running the world because of their financial power! -> world leaders, aristocratic

Stereotypes:! - proud of their roots, upbringing,! - blue-collar, working class ! - Have a strong regional accent ! - Often do not go to university ! - Live on housing estates or in a block of flats or a small terraced house ! - Read Tabloid newspapers as the Sun or the daily mail ! - Work as shop assistants or as unskilled workers

Stereotypes:! - have a neutral accent with a regional indication where they grew up ! - Often attend universities ! - Many young middle-class people attend university ! - Live in green suburban areas! - Work as doctors, teachers, journalists ! - Read papers as the Guardian or the Independent

Stereotypes:! - use Oxford English ! - Go to public or boarding schools ! - Live in large detached houses possibly in rural areas ! - Have leading roles in the government and the industry ! - Read quality papers as the Time !

Class markers:! - wear hoodies! - Tracksuits ! - Used to live in industrial areas

Class markers:! - wear jeans ! - Want to be cool and hip -> distance to lower class ! - Still good quality of clothing ! - But not as expensive as upper class

Class markers:! - wear suits ! - Expensive shoes ! - Used to live in banking area

North-South divide ! -

describes the differences within a society concerning mentality, climat and wealth ! North: more warm hearted and poorer than southerns ! > working class ! North developed differently: was the heartland of of industrialisation, heavy industry concentrated cities were Manchester, Sheffield, new castle! - > those industries went into decline ! - Northern cities have undergone major redevelopment and minor economic booms ! - Further differences: ! 1. Accent: southern accent is the common representation of the English language e.g. on most TV shows and movies ! 2. Weather: North has worse weather, there are more spots of sunshine in the south ! 3. North is cheaper ! 4. Political difference: Votes for is divided !

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Royal duties ! - public service ! - Serve royal navy !

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Sign laws ! Read out governments legislative ! Represent the role of Britain and exemplify values ! > strengthen national unity and stability ! Economic and diplomatic relations ! Members of the royal family are expected to be the head of state one day ! Royalty is not allowed to talk about their political perspective in public !

Migration and diversity !

- around 1 in 8 people living in Britain were born in an another country ! - The largest groups of immigrants come from Asia, especially from the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean and Europe !

- Foreigners come to Britain to work, to study, to seek asylum, to join members of their family who already live their !

- Britain therefore has a multicultural society !

Immigrants from the EU

- Citizens from European Union have the right to live and work in Britain as long as they have a job or can support themselves financially !

- Since the decision to leave the EU there has been a significant fall in the number of people moving to Britain !

- Large numbers of EU citizens have left Britain after the Brexit due to the uncertainty about their future status after the Brexit !

- Experts have warned that there may be a „brain drain“ of specialists from EU countries, which would cause problems for British industry in long term !

Refugees and asylum seekers

- the number of asylum seekers increased sharply at the end of the 1980s as people fled international trouble spots such as Somalia and former Yugoslavia !

- In 2003 Britain have introduced new targets to reduce the number of asylum seekers ! - The civil war in Syria since 2011 has caused a refugee crisis throughout Europe ! - > many migrants reached Calais, in France and then tried to cross to Britain through the Channel tunnel !

- The tabloid newspapers and political parties such as UKIP have done their best to stir up public opinion against such refugees claiming that the country is being overrun!

Ethnic background of the UK population ! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

White 87%! Indian ! Black African ! Black Caribbean ! Pakistani ! Bangladeshi ! Chinese ! Mixed race !

Multicultural society For and against For

Against

Enriches a society ! -> introduces a variety of food , music and fashion

A country’s national identity and traditions will be lost

Interaction with people from a variety of backgrounds makes people more open minded and tolerant

When cultures are very different they cannot integrate, only exist side by side

Foreign workers bring a new perspective into the workplace ! -> greater creativity and productivity

Many migrants do not want to integrate into British society ! -> they create a division

Can lead to a more peaceful society ! -> people are more accepting of differences

People from different cultured do not always share the same values as the rest of the society ! -> can lead to conflict and racial tension

Problems facing second generation migrants ! - they live with two cultures . Their families culture in the home with its traditions and beliefs and -

outside the home the same western culture that their classmates and friends share -> can lead to a culture clash ! They can feel distanced from their parents and grandparents culture -> may not speak their language and may never have visited the country their family comes from ! They might feel guilty about trying to lead their own life ! They might face discrimination ! Experience a crisis of identity ! > they do not completely belong to either culture !

Problems facing migrants in Britain ! - Integration can be difficult especially if the migrants do not speak English ! - Work in low-paid, unskilled jobs and live in inner city areas with poor housing! - Have to face discrimination !

The relationship between Britain and Europe ! GB became more skeptical over the years ! -> 1993: foundation of an anti European party...