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Comparative: UK and US Categorise
Target Level
C
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Rational Theory
Structural Theory
Cultural Theory
Focuses on the individual in terms of explaining their behaviour and outcomes in any political system. An individual will evaluate the choices presented to them and then make a rational choice largely based on the best outcomes for themselves.
Cultural norms and expectations that have built up over time are the key determinant in explaining behaviour and outcomes. It is the belief that these have the power to influence they way in which either the individual or the system operates.
In the USA, there is a far greater expectation that rights are protected than in the UK as this has been explicitly in place in the US Constitution since its inception, although emphasis on rights has become more prevalent in the UK in recent years.
In respect to national and regional governments, the exact location of sovereignty is a result of political processes and actions based on constitutional authority.
The political system in each country has had a direct impact upon how the Constitution details the very nature and power of the respective governments.
There are different levels of flexibility in the UK and US constitutions due to cultural acceptance. In the UK there is no sustained or strong public pressure for a codified constitution; so the status quo of ease of amending is accepted.
Citizens have greater influence in the USA as the system of checks and balances (and separation of powers) is far clearer than that of the UK. In turn, this leads to far more access points for US citizens to exert and gain influence.
In the UK, constitutional amendments are generally accepted due to the way in which politics is conducted, whereas in the USA any such amendments, however necessary they seem, must have widespread support across the country.
Although both the USA and UK have different forms of constitution, the processes of how politics should be conducted, including governance, are defined in the Constitution, e.g. both are clear that the 'lower' house has power of the purse.
The nature of the UK and US constitutions impacts the very different amendment processes for each country.
Focuses on the systems or organisations in place to explain behaviour and outcomes. It is the belief that an individual's position within a set structure may affect the action that they can take, so individuals often have very little influence.
US citizens have a clearer set of rights entrenched within their Constitution and are able to fight for this much more easily than UK citizens, whose rights have been enshrined in law for only a limited period of time.
Development of each country helps to explain the nature of its constitution. The UK's is uncodified, having developed free from any violent events or opposition. Meanwhile the codified US Constitution was written after the Revolutionary War.
Individuals fight for their positions over the interests of a federal government in order to ensure that their positions are secure, i.e. responsive to constituents.