In fact, we could set a few provisional requirements to the evaluation of a government as democratic in order to analyze the British particular case. These requirements would be of different natures, and would be related first to the institutional system, then to the society itself. Indeed, the legal frame should be the one of a representative system, in which the different powers would be separate and independent, and in which free elections open to the society with a diversity of candidates could be celebrated. On the social scale, there should be a civil society, autonomous and active, a civil control of the national and local security forces and independent media towards the political power and the economic and pressure groups. These characteristics can be modified throughout this essay, as its purpose is to consider whether the British government is democratic in the light of a non static definition of democracy in today's political world. In order to do so, it will first be examined that the tradition of government in the United Kingdom was not built on democracy, but rather on Parliamentary and Liberalism aspects.
[...] The first assumption is that it is inevitable for the British government to become more democratic, the second is that the current system is accurate and does not need to become more democratic. In practice, both answers converge. To begin with, globalization has been responsible for major shifts in politics and policy in the world. In the British case, it is represented by a certain loss of responsibility by the government, to the hands of non state actors on the international sphere. [...]
[...] These characteristics can be modified throughout this essay, as its purpose is to consider whether the British government is democratic in the light of a non static definition of democracy in today's political world. In order to do so, we will first focus on how the tradition of government in the United Kingdom was not built on democracy, but rather on the Parliamentary system and Liberalism. Then, after this mostly historical consideration, it will be necessary to debate whether these characteristics of the British case can be considered as democratic. [...]
[...] With the arrival of the Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837, the British image is reconstructed through the world. During that period, the parliamentary institutions are as follows: the government is the one of the council of ministers, chosen by the sovereign and having a majority in the Parliament; the Anglican Church, which receives taxes and excludes dissenters and Catholics from the public function and university; and finally, the Westminster Parliament, formed by two chambers, the Chamber of Lords and the Chamber of Representatives. [...]
[...] Indeed, the two parties ruling the political sphere in the United Kingdom share a very similar vision of society and politics, and therefore offer an almost inexistent choice for electors. There is no doubt that the British government lacks a certain degree of democracy. However, is this suitable system for this particular state? How could the United Kingdom become more democratic without confusing its institutions, its tradition and its people? III. Is an evolution towards democracy necessary? In order to answer this question, we could broach this subject in two different ways, which could seem as opposite directions and however are complementary. [...]
[...] Given the fact that the EU is not democratic but is guided by humanist and liberal values, we can consider that the fact that the British government ratified this treaty and modified its legal system by taking legislative power from the Parliament, which has to follow the laws of a superior entity, it goes backwards in its evolution from Liberalism and Parliamentary system to democracy. II. Can we consider these characteristics as democratic? As we have seen, the British political tradition is more Liberal and Parliamentary than democratic, and therefore, the British government itself follows this trend as it emerges directly from the Parliament. [...]
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