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Summary Great Britain
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Q2 – The Encounter Of CulturesQ2.1 Great Britain - past and present: the character of a nation
Great Britain - tradition and change
England, Wales, Scotland
• Tremendous influence on western culture
o Trendsetter of popular culture (art, music, fashion,…)
• Time-honoured tradition like constitutional monarchy and established church
Political System: Constitutional Monarchy
• Monarch as head of state, but no real power (reign, not rule)
• Prime Minister as head of government + Cabinet (ministers)
• Parliament (Mother of Parliaments) since 1215: House of Lords (no real power) and House of
Commons (real power)
o both meeting in the Palace of Westminster
o "first-past-the-post" system (prevents smaller parties from being elected)
• Separation of powers
• Body of laws and legal precedent instead of written constitution
o Constitution changing over time: E.g. adding a Supreme Court as final court of
appeals, legislative power devolved to Scotland
• Constitutional reform necessary?: more elections, establishing real social classes and
eliminating inequalities
The Conservative Party Labour Party
-Centre right -Left/ centre left
-Conservatism -Democratic socialism
-British Unionism (against Scottish and Welsh -Supports government intervention in economy
Independence) -For distribution of wealth
-Opposition to the Euro, strong defence of -Advocates increased rights for workers
Pound Sterling -Favours an extended welfare state
-Eurosceptic position -Support of multiculturalism
-Free-market policy
-Criticism of Labour's state multiculturalism
, Q2 – The Encounter Of Cultures
Social Classes
• Past: Working, middle and upper class
o Defined by occupation, wealth and education
• Present: / social classes defined by economic (income, savings, house value), social (number/
status of people one knows) and cultural (cultural interests and activities) capital
o Elite: most privileged, wealthy, highest level of all 3 capitals
o Established middle class: second wealthiest, largest and most prosperous group
o Technical middle class: small but prosperous, low for social and cultural capital
(social isolation, cultural apathy)
o New affluent workers: young, socially and culturally active, middle levels of economic
capital
o Traditional working class: low on all forms of capital but high house values
o Emergent working class: new, young, urban, relatively poor, high social and cultural
capital
o Precariat: poorest and most deprived class, low on all forms of capital
Area inequalities
• London's economy growing, but least happiest
• Cities way more appealing -> more opportunities for the young
• Public spending rising in south, falling in north
• Criticism of levelling-up and central government
o "One cannot level up the north without levelling down London"
o "If the regions are to rise, London must somehow fall"
History: British Empire (16th-18th century)
• Largest empire in history
• Gained power, wealth and land through war and colonization
▪ Imperialism, ethnic and racial hierarchy/ superiority, dominions, protectorates, slavery
• Motives for expansion: economic benefits (trade), spread Christianity
System of triangle trading
• Since colonization (17th century)
• Trade among 3 ports/ regions/ countries
• E.g. transatlantic trade (17th-19th century): West Africa, Caribbean/ American colonies,
Europe
o manufactured goods, raw material, cash crops
• African slaves: European goods for slaves, transported to America on the sea lane (middle
passage)
o Slave trade started by Portugal and Spain in 1501
o Abolished since 1807 in UK
Trade and expansion in 1750s
• Traded goods worth 17 Mio. (= imports and exports together)
• Trade helped Britain gain control over many parts of the world
• Wish for expansion and need for raw materials during the Industrial
Revolution
o Causing a series of overseas wars (between European countries)
• East India Company as basis for the first North American colony
o Foundation of growth and rise of the BE
o Colonies for protecting trade routes or profits of the mother
country
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