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Essay / Main differences in the modes of governance in the United States and the United Kingdom
The United States and the United Kingdom are two different states in the world. The United States, known entirely as the United States of America, has a federal, constitutional form of government, while the United Kingdom (UK) has constitutional monarchical-parliamentary governance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Here are some key differences in the mode of governance: Perhaps the most fundamental difference between the American and British political systems is the constitution. The United States has a written constitution, like most other nation states. The United Kingdom does not have a single document called the Constitution, but its constitutional provisions are scattered throughout various Acts of Parliament. The U.S. Constitution is difficult to amend and, under current political circumstances, perhaps impossible to significantly amend. The British Constitution, that is, various Acts of Parliament, can be amended by a simple majority in the legislature. The most obvious and certainly most visible difference between the American and British political systems is that the United States is a presidential system, with the apex of power in a president elected indirectly through an electoral college, while The United Kingdom is a parliamentary system, with the Prime Minister only exercising his duties and power as long as he has a majority of votes in the House of Commons. The Constitution limits the term of office of a U.S. president to two four-year terms, while there is no limit on the length of his term. a British Prime Minister can hold this position. The American Cabinet is appointed by the President but he does not chair it and does not even participate in it. The British Cabinet is appointed by the Prime Minister who normally attends and chairs each meeting. In the United States, both houses of the legislature – the Senate and the House of Representatives – are directly elected. In the United Kingdom, the House of Commons is directly elected, but the House of Lords is largely appointed, making it unique in the democratic world. In the United States, the Supreme Court is an intensely political institution: its members are appointed by the president on a partisan basis. and its decisions are often highly political and highly controversial. By contrast, in Britain the Supreme Court is not politically appointed and, like all British courts, avoids making decisions that it considers to be a matter for politicians and Parliament. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayIn the United States, the term of office of a president, senator or congressman is known precisely as four years, six years and two years respectively and the election dates are fixed. In the UK, the term of office for members of the House of Commons – and therefore the government – is legally a maximum of five years, but traditionally a Prime Minister can call a general election whenever he wishes and this has been considered “cowardly”. it took a full five years and so elections were more typically held after about four years. However, the current coalition government has passed legislation providing for a fixed five-year term, unless in special circumstances..