Case 1: United Kingdom

_______ is a system based on local customs and precedent, and serves as the basis for contemporary legal systems in the United Kingdom (except Scotland). A)Celtic law B)Code law C)Common law D)Informal law

The Magna Carta set an important precedent by establishing A)authoritarian rule. B)liberal democracy. C)lower-class power. D)limits to the power of the monarchy.

The English Civil War resulted in a victory for A)Catholic supporters. B)the monarchy. C)supporters of Parliament. D)peasant laborers.

In which of the following ways does the Labour Party differ from the Conservative Party? A)It has proved less willing to engage in coalition governments. B)It has formally reduced the once-dominant role of trade unions in party policy. C)It is more ideologically pure. D)It has suffered more internal divisions.

Which branch of government instituted reforms in 1999 to reduce the number of "hereditary peers," or members of the aristocracy, from positions of power? A)House of Lords B)judiciary C)cabinet D)regional legislatures

Which of the following statements about British foreign relations is accurate? A)The United Kingdom retains a relatively small army compared to its Western European counterparts. B)Since the end of World War II, the United States has counted on the United Kingdom as its most dependable ally. C)Most Britons have supported the idea of full participation in a stronger EU. D)The United Kingdom identifies itself with continental Europe far more strongly than it does with partners across the Atlantic.

Which term best describes the United Kingdom's political regime? A)authoritarian B)majoritarian C)oligarchy D)corporatist

The SNP's ability to win the 2007 Scottish regional elections resulted in part from which of the following? A)Scottish support for Blair's Iraq policy B)the Labour Party's refusal to devolve power to Scotland C)economic revival in Scotland D)the promise by the EU of membership for an independent Scotland

The British party system is often called a "two-and-a-half party system" because the A)Labour Party has two unofficial wings that operate with different policy objectives. B)House of Lords is part of government but is not popularly elected. C)Scottish National Party holds only a regional sway instead of a national one. D)Liberal Democratic Party trails far behind the Conservative and Labour parties in electoral strength.

Which of the following descriptions of the UK prime minister is accurate? A)Prime ministers are frequently removed by votes of no confidence. B)Prime ministers are elected to a maximum term of ten years. C)Prime ministers are responsible for maintaining the support of their fellow MPs. D)Prime ministers largely cede diplomatic responsibilities to the head of state.

Which of the following descriptions of members of the UK House of Commons is accurate? A)Members are typically more accessible to the electorate than American legislators. B)Members typically act independently of their party's wishes. C)Members enjoy more material support and staff than their U.S.counterparts. D)Individual members are unable to propose legislation.

In which of the following ways did Tony Blair's policies as prime minister differ from those of Margaret Thatcher? A)He was more accepting of his party's status quo mode of operation. B)He devolved more power to regional governments. C)He moved the country away from free-market policies. D)He sought to strengthen the power of trade unions.

Which of the following is a characteristic of Britain's use of the single-member district (SMD) electoral system? A)It strengthens democratic rule. B)It encourages the strength of smaller parties, which results in more coalition governments. C)It supports the dominance of the Labour and Conservative parties. D)It weakens the regional concentration of smaller parties.

Local government in the United Kingdom A)is constitutionally protected. B)does not exist at any level. C)is led by appointed rather than elected officials. D)has formal powers only when granted by the central government.

The current mayor of London, notable for being the first nonwhite and Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, is A)Sadiq Khan. B)Boris Johnson. C)Ken Livingstone. D)Nigel Farage.

In 1998, violence in Northern Ireland was largely ended by A)a military intervention by the Irish Republic. B)the Catholic victory in the civil war. C)the Good Friday Agreement. D)the Protestant victory in the civil war.

Which of the following statements best describes the Third Way of the Labour Party today? A)It is a means of governing with a very slim majority that requires courting votes from the opposition. B)It involves a frequent coalition government between the Labour Party and the Green Party. C)It represents devolution to regional governments in order to quell nationalist sentiment. D)It is a moderate compromise between the ideological right and the left of moderate free-market policies and ambitious constitutional reform.

Which of the following statements accurately describes results of the 2015 elections as they relate to the smaller British parties? A)The SNP demonstrated surprising strength in the 2015 election, nearly sweeping all of Scotland's 59 seats in Parliament. B)The United Kingdom Independence Party won increased support for its anti-EU platform, but it still holds only five seats in Parliament. C)The showing of the Liberal Democratic Party made the best case in a half century for the viability of a three-party system. D)The Liberal Democrats, who had maintained a coalition government with the Conservatives, were able to earn greater support by riding on the popularity of the Conservative Party in the 2014 elections.

The Conservative Party is also known as the A)Whigs. B)Reds. C)Backbenchers. D)Tories.

What type of social division or identity is most salient in the United Kingdom? A)ethnic B)religious C)class-based D)regional

Which of the following accurately lists two results of the 2017 "snap" parliamentary elections in the UK? A)the first coalition government involving the Scottish National Party and a major party; a dramatic reduction in popular support for the Labour Party B)a rise in the popular vote for the UKIP to 13 percent; the taking of ten seats in Parliament by the UKIP C)the replacement of David Cameron as the prime minister and Conservative Party leader; a general popular acceptance of the previous government's austerity measures D)a net loss of seats in Parliament for the Conservatives; the return to a "hung parliament"

In which of the following ways has the British welfare state changed in recent decades? A)It has sought more of its funding from personal income taxes instead of corporate taxes. B)It has moved away from direct benefits and toward "welfare-to-work" programs. C)It has taken on a more Labour-centric structure and moved away from Conservative preferences for welfare. D)It has increased in size while providing a narrower range of benefits to citizens.

Which of the following statements about the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union (EU) is accurate? A)The United Kingdom is a full EU member and has adopted the euro as its currency. B)Until recently, people living in the United Kingdom have been fully supportive of membership in the EU. C)In the recent referendum known as "Brexit," UK citizens voted to leave the EU. D)The United Kingdom is a transitional member of the EU, with membership conditional on acceptance of the single currency.

In which of the following ways does the British democracy differ from most other parliamentary democracies in Europe? A)The British system has a written constitution that is vastly more comprehensive and explicit than others. B)The majority party can enact policies with almost no checks from other branches of government. C)The minority party in Parliament has abnormally strong abilities to stop the work of government if it disapproves of policy choices. D)The head of government is not elected to a fixed term of office.

The Labour Party's devolution reforms of 1999 are best described as A)an effort to encourage Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to seek independence. B)turning over some central governmental power to regional legislatures in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. C)asserting more power for central government and blocking attempts at independence among Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. D)an increase in the number of parliamentary districts in the regions of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Describe the theorized causes behind the four-decade decline in the UK economy following World War II.What is the nature of the current postindustrial UK economy?

Describe the similarities that exist between Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, despite Thatcher being a Conservative and Blair a Labourite.

What factors led to the recent vote in favor of "Brexit" in the United Kingdom? Does Brexit represent a sharp break in UK-EU relations?

What does it mean for the United Kingdom's political regime to be majoritarian? What about the structural relationship among the legislature, judiciary, and executive encourages majoritarianism, and what effect has it had on electoral politics in the United Kingdom?

Why is the United Kingdom's political system an unlikely candidate for coalition government? Briefly explain why a significant increase in support for third parties in the 2015 elections (Scottish National Party (SNP) and United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in particular) did not translate into seats in Parliament.