Great Britain CHAPTER FOUR Thinking About Britain A

Great Britain CHAPTER FOUR

Thinking About Britain A. Key Questions i. Gradualism ii. Relative economic decline and its political implications iii. The Thatcher revolution iv. The victory of New Labour

Thinking About Britain B. The Basics i. A variety of names ii. The peoples of the U. K. C. Signs of decline

The Evolution of the British State A. Sequential, not simultaneous crises B. The broad sweep of British history i. More and more democracy ii. Persistence of class divisions C. The collectivist consensus

British Political Culture A. The civic culture and collectivist years i. Widespread sense of legitimacy ii. Tolerance of diversity iii. Nationalism

British Political Culture B. The politics of protest: Toward an uncivic culture? C. The civic culture holds

British Political Culture D. Will there always be a Britain? i. Polarization and catch-all parties ii. Devolution iii. Cultural and racial diversity (food and television) iv. European Union

Political Participation A. The Conservatives i. iii. iv. Pragmatic Noblesse oblige Organization Thatcherism and after B. Labour i. Pragmatism ii. Crisis-motivated radicalization iii. Defeat-motivated moderation

Political Participation C. D. E. F. The Liberal Democrats Minor Parties The British electorate Interest groups

The British State: Enduring Myths & Changing Realities A. Bagehot’s dignified and real parts of the British system B. The Monarcy and the Lords: Still dignified? C. Parliamentary Sovereignty, sort of i. Parliamentary parties ii. Collective responsibility iii. Party discipline

The British State: Enduring Myths & Changing Realities D. Cabinet government? E. The rest of the state F. Labour and constitutional reform

Public Policy: The Thatcher and Blair Revolutions A. The retreat from the commanding heights: Nationalizing and privatizing B. Blair and the Third Way C. Foreign policy: The U. S. A. , Europe, and Ireland

Decision Making in Britain