The political system of Great Britain

The political system of Great Britain is, in a certain sense, a complex phenomenon. However, the most important factor for understanding its nature is fundamental and immutable. The reasons may be due to the fact that Great Britain did not experience revolutionary upheavals, as happened in many other countries. In the country, there has almost never been an external invasion, except for very old times. Someone may remember about the English Civil War (1642-1651), but the main its constitutional consequence is the abolition of the monarchy, which lasted only 11 years. The glorious revolution in 1688, also called "Bloodless", is a classic English revolution or coup d'état, which resulted in the overthrow of James II Stuart and the reign of William of Orange.

The political system of Great Britain represents a democratic, constitutional monarchy. It is based on the so-called Westminster (from the Westminster Palace, the seat of the Parliament of Great Britain) democratic parliamentary system.

The United Kingdom (along with New Zealand and Israel) can be said to be a unique state. It does not have an official unified written constitution. Instead, it is based on a number of historical documents, traditional political and legal methods, collectively known as English Common Law. Basic constitutional documents: Magna Carta, Petition of Rights, Bill of Rights, Act of Succession.

The key date in the evolution towards democracy was 1215, when King John Lackland signed the Magna Carta, according to which a new structure of political power was formed. It was the first document that limited the rights and powers of the monarch and protected the privileges of the feudal barons.

At the moment Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, hereditary monarch, is the Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The monarch, in accordance with the Act of Succession to Succession in 1701, belongs to the Church of England, is also the Head of State for many former British colonies.

Although the British political system is headed by a monarchy, the powers of the reigning person, as dictated by tradition, are limited to ceremonial functions. However, despite the fact that it practically does not directly participate in the work of the government, the Crown remains the source, which is the final executive power. These powers are known as the "Royal Prerogative" and can be applied under many circumstances, among some - the appointment and resignation of the Prime Minister, the dissolution of Parliament. The monarch has the authority even to declare war (or peace). "Royal Prerogative" can be delegated directly on behalf of the Crown or handed to ministers, officials.

In fact, the royal family has a certain hidden influence on the legislative process. Senior members, especially the monarch and the Prince of Wales (male heir), may resort to discussing legislation issues if they affect their personal interests and correct them.

The British Government is headed by the Prime Minister. He must be a member of the House of Commons and form a government with the support of this structure. In practice, this means that the leader of a political party with an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons is appointed prime minister. He then selects ministers for his Cabinet, which forms the executive branch of government.

Classically, the political system of Great Britain is represented by three branches of state power:

Executive is the Cabinet of Ministers, which manages the country and proposes new laws.

Legislative body that enacts laws.

The judiciary is the courts and judges, ensuring that everyone obeys the laws.

All ministers in the government are members of the legislature, and some senior judges sit in the House of Lords. Formally, the head of the judiciary is the Prime Minister. This is a vivid illustration of how pragmatic and flexible is the political system in the UK.

Parliament, consisting of the upper (Lords) and lower house (Community) - the legislative body of the Government of Great Britain.