Strengths & weaknesses of the UK
constitution Exam Questions and
Answers
FLEXIBLE (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-THE UK CONSTITUTION IS EASY TO CHANGE.
IT IS EASIER TO INTRODUCE AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT THAN E.G. TO AMEND
THE US CONSTITUTION. BECAUSE THE UK CONSTITUTION CAN'T BE
ENTRENCHED, IT CAN ADAPT TO CHANGING TIMES
UNCERTAIN (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-IT CAN BE HARD TO KNOW WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION SAYS, PARTICULARLY THE UNWRITTEN PARTS.
DEMOCRATIC RULE (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-THE UK HAS A LONG, UNBROKEN
PERIOD OF DEMOCRATIC RULE. CHANGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT DUE
TO DEMOCRATIC PRESSURE. THE INFLUENCE OF UNELECTED JUDGES ON
THE CONSTITUTION IS MINIMAL, UNLIKE THE USA, WHERE JUDGES INTERPRET
THE MEANING OF THE CONSTITUTION
EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-GOVERNMENT DECISIONS,
BACKED BY PARLIAMENT, CANNOT BE OVERTURNED BY JUDGES. ALSO,
PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT USUALLY MEANS THE GOVERNMENT GET
THEIR WAY. THIS ALLOWS FOR STRONG, DECISIVE ACTION E.G. THE ATLEE
GOVERNMENT 1945-51 SETTING UP THE NHS
ELECTIVE DICTATORSHIP (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-ONCE ELECTED,
GOVERNMENTS CAN MORE OR LESS ACT AS THEY PLEASE DUE TO THE
COMBINATION OF PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY AND PARLIAMENTARY
GOVERNMENT. POWER IS CONCENTRATED IN THE EXECUTIVE WHO CAN
RESHAPE THE CONSTITUTION AS THEY WISH.
CENTRALISATION (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-DESPITE DEVOLUTION AND
JUDICIAL REFORM, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE POWER IN THE UK ARE STILL
BLURRED. CHECKS & BALANCES WHICH LIMIT GOVERNMENT POWER IS
SUPPOSED TO BE A KEY FEATURE OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
TRADITION (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-IT IS BASED ON CUSTOMS, LINKING US TO
PAST GENERATIONS. IT IS GOOD THAT THE CONSTITUTION HAS GROWN
'ORGANICALLY' RATHER THAN BEING 'CREATED' AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES
WEAK PROTECTION OF RIGHTS (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-THE 'ELECTIVE
DICTATORSHIP' AND LACK OF ENTRENCHED RIGHTS MEAN POOR
PROTECTION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.
constitution Exam Questions and
Answers
FLEXIBLE (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-THE UK CONSTITUTION IS EASY TO CHANGE.
IT IS EASIER TO INTRODUCE AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT THAN E.G. TO AMEND
THE US CONSTITUTION. BECAUSE THE UK CONSTITUTION CAN'T BE
ENTRENCHED, IT CAN ADAPT TO CHANGING TIMES
UNCERTAIN (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-IT CAN BE HARD TO KNOW WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION SAYS, PARTICULARLY THE UNWRITTEN PARTS.
DEMOCRATIC RULE (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-THE UK HAS A LONG, UNBROKEN
PERIOD OF DEMOCRATIC RULE. CHANGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT DUE
TO DEMOCRATIC PRESSURE. THE INFLUENCE OF UNELECTED JUDGES ON
THE CONSTITUTION IS MINIMAL, UNLIKE THE USA, WHERE JUDGES INTERPRET
THE MEANING OF THE CONSTITUTION
EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-GOVERNMENT DECISIONS,
BACKED BY PARLIAMENT, CANNOT BE OVERTURNED BY JUDGES. ALSO,
PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT USUALLY MEANS THE GOVERNMENT GET
THEIR WAY. THIS ALLOWS FOR STRONG, DECISIVE ACTION E.G. THE ATLEE
GOVERNMENT 1945-51 SETTING UP THE NHS
ELECTIVE DICTATORSHIP (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-ONCE ELECTED,
GOVERNMENTS CAN MORE OR LESS ACT AS THEY PLEASE DUE TO THE
COMBINATION OF PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY AND PARLIAMENTARY
GOVERNMENT. POWER IS CONCENTRATED IN THE EXECUTIVE WHO CAN
RESHAPE THE CONSTITUTION AS THEY WISH.
CENTRALISATION (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-DESPITE DEVOLUTION AND
JUDICIAL REFORM, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE POWER IN THE UK ARE STILL
BLURRED. CHECKS & BALANCES WHICH LIMIT GOVERNMENT POWER IS
SUPPOSED TO BE A KEY FEATURE OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
TRADITION (STRENGTH) - ANSWER-IT IS BASED ON CUSTOMS, LINKING US TO
PAST GENERATIONS. IT IS GOOD THAT THE CONSTITUTION HAS GROWN
'ORGANICALLY' RATHER THAN BEING 'CREATED' AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES
WEAK PROTECTION OF RIGHTS (WEAKNESS) - ANSWER-THE 'ELECTIVE
DICTATORSHIP' AND LACK OF ENTRENCHED RIGHTS MEAN POOR
PROTECTION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.
