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Answer
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Hint
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Legislative Power
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In the UK and US, the elected legislature passes all national or federal laws, meaning pressure groups and other groups focus much of their lobbying on Parliament and Congress. Link to Rational Theory: -This focus is almost entirely on the Commons in the UK, whereas in the US, lobbyists and others will target both Senate and House as they have legislative equality. |
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Limits on executive and legislative power
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Neither the US President or UK Prime Minister can be truly imperial. UK PMs can sometimes be checked in the Commons, especially by backbench rebellions. US Presidents are often faced by an uncooperative Congress:
-Checks and balances are 'earthed' into the US political system, with vetoes and congressional supermajorities being key features - presidential vetoes are still exercised.
-These are absent from the UK's system, where the only formal veto point, denial of royal assent, has not been used since 1707.
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Rational Theory
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This theory focuses on the actions and behaviours of groups and individuals: -It can be usefully applied to studying areas such as voting behaviour and the methods adopted by pressure groups to achieve their aims. -The emphasis is on what political tactics make logical sense in any given situation. -In this specification, this theory focuses on the actions and behaviours of certain features within the framework of the US or UK Constitutions. -If politics were a play, this theory could symbolise the it's actors. |
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Legislatures
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In both the UK and US: -Two political parties have dominated political affairs.
In the UK: -Third parties are more significant in Westminster and indeed held the balance of power between 2010 and 2015, and again from 2017 to 2019. -Party discipline is traditionally stronger, meaning there is less of a need in general for party leaders to plead with or persuade their MPs to 'toe the party line'. A leader with a strong majority can more easily ignore internal dissent - yet recent experience as shown with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss' resignations in 2022 has changed this assumption somewhat.
In the US: -Presidents still seek bipartisan support for tricky legislation or nominations. |
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Federalism/Devolution
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Although there is a tendency to focus on DC and Westminster as being the epicentres of power, in reality much decision-making takes place in regional assemblies or in state capitols. Link to Rational Theory: -This means that a lot of campaigning goes on for elected offices in these places, and also that they are important targets for pressure group influence. -Devolution in the UK, while growing in significance, remains far less important than the wholly federal structure of the USA.
-Elections to state legislatures and governorships have long been heavily contested, and these are a major access point for pressure groups.
In the UK: -Parliament and Whitehall remain the main focus of lobbying. -The UK Devolved regions contain significant nationalist parties including the SNP and Sinn Féin, which view victory or strong showings in assembly elections as important stepping stones towards securing their goal of full independence.
In the US: -State elections are significant affairs and often fiercely contested both between and within the 2 main parties. -Pressure groups focus much of their activity on state legislatures but also state supreme courts. -Secession has been off the cards for US States since the end of the US Civil War (1865). |
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The Judiciary
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In the UK and US, the judiciary can rule against the legislature and the executive. In the UK, the courts have intervened to rule aspects of anti-terror legislation as incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) or the prolonged prorogation of parliament as unlawful. Likewise, the US Supreme Court has ruled executive actions such as the line-item veto unconstitutional, and has struck down some congressional legislation such as certain clauses of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002, in the 2010 Citizens United case:
-The US judiciary is far more powerful and significant in shaping the modern American state - landmark cases are a major part of US constitutional and political history.
-UK courts do not have the power to rule Acts of Parliament as unconstitutional and can only issue 'declarations of incompatibility' with regard to EU law (until 2020) or the ECHR.
Link to Rational Theory: -The US Supreme Court is thus a major focus for lobbying by interest groups with 'amicus curiae' (friend of the court) briefs, reflecting the fundamental difference between parliamentary and constitutional sovereignty.
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Constitutions
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In both the UK and US: -The leaders often have to spend time persuading party members to support their bills and policies, although this is more usual in the US.
In the UK: -The traditional focus for lobbying is Parliament. -Devolved assemblies are increasingly becoming targets for pressure groups, but post-Brexit, the EU is far less of a target.
In the US: -The key role of the US Supreme Court makes it a major focus for pressure groups and lobbyists. -Federalism means that state governments are a major focus for lobbying. |
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Executive Power
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In the UK and US, the executive plays a significant role in drawing up policies and setting the political agenda. Whether it is 'Make America Great Again' or 'Get Brexit Done', the president and the prime minister both seek to set the political tone. Link to Rational Theory: -A UK PM with a healthy majority can normally get their agenda through Parliament without major incident - Johnson could push through Brexit legislation in 2020.
-This is trickier for US Presidents, who have to negotiate carefully and bargain with congressional leaders, even those from their own party - Trump found it very difficult to secure the billions of dollars required for his proposed Mexican border wall.
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