Question

Which do you think best explains why economic policies experienced a major change in Britain (transition away from heavy government intervention) but much more continuity in France: ideas such as national political cultures; arrays of economic interests; or institutions like electoral and constitutional rules? If your answer is that some combination of these factors is the best explanation, what’s the specific combination you have in mind?

Answer 1

Britain national political cultures:

Britain's national is that the people now live in a unitary state which is acceptable to all. This means essentially that the laws passed by Parliament at Westminster apply normally to the entire country and that in nearly all important matters it is correct to speak of the country being governed from London. However, this observation has to be increasingly qualified to take account of Britain's membership of the European Union, the process of devolution to Scotland and Wales and the changes in the Government of Northern Ireland associated with the peace process, all of which have in practice diluted the doctrine of Parliamentary supremacy and the dominance of London. A part from this, there is also a well-established structure of local government in Britain which can claim a degree of legitimacy, since local Councillors are directly elected by the people in their localities. This fetches of greater change in the norms of the government.

Arrays of economic interests:

England remained a predominantly agrarian society, significant development and change occurred in the towns. London continued to grow, dominating the southeast. Elsewhere the development of the woolen industry brought major changes. Halifax and Leeds grew at the expense of York, and the West Riding at the expense of the eastern part of Yorkshire. Suffolk and the Cotswold region became important in the national economy. As the cloth trade grew in importance, so did the association of the Merchant Adventurers. The merchants of the Staple, who had a monopoly on the export of raw wool, did less well. Italian merchants prospered in 15th-century England, and important privileges were accorded to the German Hanseatic merchants by Edward IV.

constitutional rules:

The British Constitution is derived from a number of sources. Statutes are laws passed by Parliament and are generally the highest form of law. Conventions are unwritten practices which have developed over time and regulate the business of governing. Common law is law developed by the courts and judges through cases. The UK's accession to the European Communities Act 1972 has meant that European law is increasingly impacting on the British Constitution. The UK is also subject to international law. Finally, because the British Constitution cannot be found in any single document, politicians and lawyers have relied on constitutional authorities to locate and understand the constitution.