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What is the source of legitimacy of the British government? What makes the system
stable?
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Discuss the significant aspects of British political socialization and how this process
affects political orientation and values.
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Discuss the ways in which the British party system reflects society. How is the party
system changing?
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Describe the structure and broad operation of British parliamentary government.
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Why is it difficult for parties in Great Britain to carry out their programs when they
are in power?
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What social and economic problems do the British face today?
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Identify the elements and sequences of
events and analyze the significance of those factors in the evolution of
British government and political culture
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Describe the examples of that gradualism
from the last two decades, link them to their causes, and make reasonable
hypotheses about the results of ongoing political policy making
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Identify evidence of changes in
Britain's place in the world since the end of World War II and analyze the
results of policy decisions made to deal with those changes
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Describe the major elements of Margaret
Thatcher's programs and the ways in which they differed from the
"collectivist consensus"
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Explain connections between Thatcher's
political achievements and the changes that led to New Labour
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Analyze the role played by civic culture
in the functioning of politics and government in the present and recent
past
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Identify the roles played by noblesse
oblige and pragmatism in British politics and describe examples of each in
operation
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Explain in detail why the Liberal
Democrats are the most enthusiastic proponents of proportional voting in
the U.K.
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Identify the major types of interest
groups in the U.K. and explain how their roles differ from those of
interest groups in the U.S.A. (use QUANGOs in your explanation)
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Compare the roles played by parties in
the House of Commons with the roles played by parties in the U.S. Congress
and identify causes for the differences in political culture and
government structure and organization
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Describe the global pressures on the
making of British foreign policy and analyze the effect of those pressures
on British sovereignty
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Evaluate the role of British media in
the functioning of British government and politics and compare that role
to the role of media in the U.S.A.
