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Part 4: Political Economy

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Political Economy

Liberal economic model

Postindustrial economy

Economic decline since WWII

Has become closely tied to the rest of Europe

Brexit will complicate this economic interconnection

Neoliberal economic policies

The Third Way

The economy has been declining since World War II. There are several possible reasons for this problem. For one thing, early industrialization means the downside is manifested earlier than in other countries. Moreover, after a while, its empire was a burden financially more than it was a benefit. Finally, many political scientists have argued that the postwar collectivist consensus focused the country on social expenditures while ignoring the need to modernize the economy.

Postindustrial economy: service sector; privatization means a smaller role for the state in economy. The government has sold Rolls Royce, Jaguar, and British Airways, and the welfare state has moved to welfare-to-work programs. Until the 2008 recession, the United Kingdom did better economically than France, Germany, or Japan, yet by 2011 it had a per capita GDP that was lower than the former colonies of Ireland and Australia.

The Euro was introduced in 2002, but the United Kingdom opted out of that currency. Changing to a single currency would have reduced the United Kingdom’s ability to respond to its own challenges, but it would have also allowed it to avoid the stress of exchange-rate fluctuations between the Euro and the pound.

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Part 5: Foreign Relations

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Foreign Relations and the World: Brexit

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Contemporary Place in World Politics

Has the mentality of both an island and an empire

Identifies more with its previous colonies, especially the United States, than continental Europe

British participation in the Iraq War has recently fueled anti-Americanism, more agreement with European allies on Middle Eastern conflicts

Brexit, the EU, and NATO

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Issues in Modern Britain

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A United Kingdom

United Kingdom comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

Also contains 15 dependencies
United Kingdom owned 1/4^thof world at zenith

Multi-lingual State

Major languages are Scotish, English, Welsh, Cornish, and Irish

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British Multiculturalism

Britain maintains ties with many of its former colonies and is home to many descendants (and recent immigrants) from former imperial holdings
Make up about 8% of the British population

Indian (23%)
Pakistani (16%)
Afro-Caribbean (13%)
Black African (11%)

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England

Largest region of Great Britain
Makes up 2/3 of the land mass

Contains about 80% of UK’s Population

English have dominated the other nationalities historically, and still hold a disproportionate share of political power

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Scotland

History of resistance to English rule
Strong sense of national identity
Have their own flag
Recently granted their own parliament and regional assembly in 1999
Scottish National Party – political party of the region of Scotland

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Wales

Became subject to the King of England in 16th century
Plaid Cymru – Welch national political party
Strong sense of national pride reflected in their flag and in their own language

Signage in Welsh and English

Granted their own assembly in 1998

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Northern Ireland

Long history of conflict between England and Ireland, particularly over religion
Home rule was granted largely because of

the Irish Republican Army (IRA) which used

guerrilla tactics against British forces to secure independence

Sinn Fein – political party of the IRA
In 1949 the bulk of Ireland officially became independent
Northern Ireland remains under British control
Their continues to be a great deal of conflict

between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland

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Devolution

British government is a unitary system (centralized control)
Starting in the 1970s the Scots and Welsh made an aggressive push for certain political autonomy in their regions
Devolution – the turning over of some political power and autonomy to regional governments
The Labour Party had supported the idea of devolution since the 1970s
Margaret Thatcher’s administration blocked the idea during the period

in which they controlled government

Under Tony Blair’s New Labour Party the idea of devolution was revisited
In 1999, referendums in Scotland and Wales successfully passed, and each

established their own regional assemblies: powers of taxation, education, and economic planning

In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement established a parliament for Northern

Ireland as well, but it was shut down by London in 2003 when violence broke out once again in the region of Northern Ireland.

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Education & Political Elite Recruitment

“Public schools” originally were intended to train boys for “public life” in the military, civil service, or politics
Majority of Britain’s political elites go to public boarding schools
Currently only about 65% of British 17-year olds are still in school, the lowest number of any industrialized society
Oxbridge (Oxford-Cambridge) – the most important portal to membership in the elite classes and political recruitment is through these two prestigious universities