UK Political Timeline (1688-2007)
1688: Glorious Revolution establishes power of Parliament
Throughout the sixteenth and early seventeenth century, Britain faced from religious conflicts, national rivalries, and conflicts between rulers and the parliament. Finally, in the 1640s, a civil war broke out followed by the abdication of the new king, James II, who succeeded the throne in 1685, tried to exert more power than he had, such as making the country highly centralized and autocratic. This uprising against James II was known as the Glorious Revolution of 1688. This revolution overthrew James and replaced him with William and Mary. This led to the establishment of the constitutional monarchy, where the Parliament held the sole power of taxation and commanding the army. Moreover, this resolved the religious conflict within the country since William and Mary were both Protestants. By 1689, it became apparent that Britain was commercial rather than agrarian. Nevertheless, the relatively free-er monarchs enabled the economy to be less restrictive.
This may seem to be a revolutionary event because it happened almost immediately rather than fighting James II for a long period of time. However, when we consider the effects brought by the revolution, we could say it was evolutionary as well. Both Mary and William signed the Bill of Rights, agreeing to limit their power with written restrictions; hence establishing a constitutional monarchy. Further more, the monarchs after them continued to lose power while the Parliament gained more power, which lead to the emergence of parliamentary democracy when Robert Walpole established the power of prime minister in the 18th century.
AMSCO
Introduction to comparative politicshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/glorious_revolution_01.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/glorious_revolution_01.shtml
This may seem to be a revolutionary event because it happened almost immediately rather than fighting James II for a long period of time. However, when we consider the effects brought by the revolution, we could say it was evolutionary as well. Both Mary and William signed the Bill of Rights, agreeing to limit their power with written restrictions; hence establishing a constitutional monarchy. Further more, the monarchs after them continued to lose power while the Parliament gained more power, which lead to the emergence of parliamentary democracy when Robert Walpole established the power of prime minister in the 18th century.
AMSCO
Introduction to comparative politicshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/glorious_revolution_01.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/glorious_revolution_01.shtml
1750: Industrial Revolution begins in Britain
The Industrial Revolution helped the country in securing a dominating position in the world and the people’s lives alike. It expanded the manufacturing sector of the country as well as the technological innovation sector, followed by public wish of democracy. The Industrial Revolution replaced the exchanging of local needs with cash and market-based system as the efficiency of the production created more surplus than ever before. This distributed the wealth of landowners to people of commerce and industries. Moreover, the standard of living improved under the Industrial Revolution; the revolution allowed Britain to trade in a global scale, making its economy stronger, making imperialization more possible and easy. It also helped Britain win many wars, such as the Napoleonic Wars. Furthermore, the Industrial Revolution changed the European economies from feudalism to capitalism, as well as the political systems, transportation, communication, literature, and social classes. This event is evolutionary because it happened over a period of time because these technology, industries, social, economic, and political changes happened gradually. Moreover, This led to the expansion of enfranchisement passed by the Reform Act of 1832 that gave the middle class people more power.
Introduction to comparative politics
http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist2.html
http://www1.umassd.edu/ir/
Introduction to comparative politics
http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist2.html
http://www1.umassd.edu/ir/
1832: Reform Act expands voting rights
The Reform Act of 1832 enfranchised a portion of the male middle class. More manufacturing centers emerged such as the ones in Manchester and Birmingham. Before the reform act, the voting population was less than 5 percent of the total adult population. However, even after the reform act, only 7 percent of the total adult population was allowed to vote. This resulted in conflicts between different classes. This was an evolutionary event because suffrage was granted over a long period of time, not just with one act. In the late 1830s, a movement called The Chartist broke out to secure the People’s Charter that promised the universal male suffrage and other changes that would make Britain more democratic. In 1867, The Representation of the People Act expanded franchise a little bit over 16 percent – most cities were still underrepresented severely. In 1884, the Franchise Act doubled the size of the voting body. Finally, the Representation of the People Act of 1918 expanded enfranchisement to almost all male adults and women that were older than thirty years old. The process of suffrage lasted for almost a century, and thus the 1832 milestone was considered as an evolutionary event, not revolutionary since it initially did almost nothing.
Introduction to Comparative Politicshttp://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist2.html
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/21cc/struggle/chartists1/historicalsources/source2/reformact.html
Introduction to Comparative Politicshttp://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist2.html
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/21cc/struggle/chartists1/historicalsources/source2/reformact.html
1837-1901: Reign of Queen Victoria; height of British Empire
The reign of Queen Victoria was considered as the peak of the British Empire due to the wealth and power it acquired from the colonies. In fact, about 25 percent of the world’s entire population was under the British Empire at that time. This allowed it to get raw materials and other things from the colonies to boost its wealth. However, the idea of mercantilism caused the economy to be quite restricted since the idea believed that export should exceed import, this limited the trade with other countries. This event was also evolutionary because the British Empire was built over a period of time; colonies were acquire at different points of time.
Introduction to Comparative Politicshttp://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensoftheunitedkingdom/thehanoverians/victoria.aspx
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html
Introduction to Comparative Politicshttp://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensoftheunitedkingdom/thehanoverians/victoria.aspx
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html
1914-1918: World War I
The First World War was fought in 1914 to 1918. The state became more involved with the country’s economy during the World War I by taking control of many industries such as railroads, mining, and shipping. Moreover, it set prices as well as restricted the money flowing outside the country, while arranging the resources to be put into productions that would support the country in the war. This took away the economic freedom of the country which was completely against the British policy of laissez-faire; moreover, it slowed down the economic production since most of the resources and labors were arranged to produce ammunitions. Last but not least, the country had to borrow heavily from the United States for raw materials and other resources to sustain its war needs. This event was revolutionary because the country changed its policy as soon as the war broke out. Although the war lasted for a while, the policies were set since the beginning as oppose to tweaking constantly to reach the final rules.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/overview_britain_ww1_01.shtml
http://www.firstworldwar.com/
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/overview_britain_ww1_01.shtml
http://www.firstworldwar.com/
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
1929-1939 Great Depression
In 1921, the economy was hit by a serious depression known as the Great Depression. After the War, the United States insisted that the European countries repay their loans. However, Europe did not recover from the war economically at all. Moreover, the Wallstreet crashed due to stock speculation, over-production, and excessive use of credit; the country fell into a detrimental recession for a decade. There was a high unemployment rate especially among the skilled craftsmen, since their expertise was no longer in high demand. After World War I, Britain not only lost lives and resources, but also owed large sums of money to the United States Britain remained to be regulative in its economy by managing the industries. However, because of the widespread industrial disputes, the state started to try to divide the trade union movement while refusing to let workers control their production, as well as advocating for more state ownership of the industries. This was against its laissez-faire policy, which called for minimal government participation in the country’s economic markets. This event was an evolutionary because the depression lasted for a whole decade. It was not until the second world war did the Great Depression end. This event helped shape the economic regulation we see today, such as illegalization of “playing the market”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/britain/depressionrev1.shtmlhttp://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item107595.html
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/britain/depressionrev1.shtmlhttp://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item107595.html
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
1939-1945 World War II
After the World War I, the Allies countries sought reparation from Germany, who had no money to pay at all. A man called Adolf Hitler rose to power and started to invade Poland, who Britain promised to protect militarily if under German attack. After taking over Vichy France, Germans looked at Britain and planned to attack. Once again, Britain had to lend money from the United States, but this time, it also lent ammunitions, to have a better chance to defend and fight back the Germans. At last, the Allies won the war followed by the death of Hitler. After the war, Prime Minister Winston Churchill attended the Potsdam Conference with the other two leaders form United States and Soviet Union. They decided to divide Germany in to four occupation zones controlled by each of the United States, France, Britain, and Soviet Union. Even though the interest for the loan was low and could be paid back over a long period of time, Britain’s economy was still negatively impacted. This event was evolutionary because it did not change something right away. The most important long term effect of the war was the decline in Britain’s economy and standing as the most powerful country in the world. At this point in History, Britain’s position as leading power of the world was no longer true. In fact, its economy had been declining with the fall of the empire followed by the costly wars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/world_war2/the_war_ends/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/page2
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/world_war2/the_war_ends/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/page2
Introduction to Comparative Politics
AMSCO
1945-1979 Establishment of British welfare state; dismantling of British Empire
Shifts in political ideologies and economic spending let to the dismantling of the British Empire during the early 1960s. The independence of British Somaliland sparked hope for independence of many other British colonies. At the same time, increasing liberalism questioned the effectiveness of colonial governing methods. Moreover, Britons preferred the economy to be more concentrated on creating a new welfare state rather than governing colonies from all over the world. In the end, on 1997 when Hong Kong gained independence, this officially marked the end of the British Empire and the start of the establishment of the British welfare state. Post-war Britain was a time of strong collectivism in which a large portion of the British population and important state political parties unanimously decided on narrowly the wealth gap and establishing the welfare state. Financing the National Health Service was one of the state’s most critical political goals and other services such as funding education, decreasingly unemployment, etc were on the agenda as well. If all is taken to account, then this event is considered a revolutionary change for the complete set of change in political ideals and economic breakdown.
http://www.britishempire.co.uk/library/decolonisation.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10740852
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/field_01.shtml
Introduction to comparative politics
http://www.britishempire.co.uk/library/decolonisation.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10740852
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/field_01.shtml
Introduction to comparative politics
1973 Britain joins the EU
On January 1st, 1973, UK officially became the 7th member of the European Union, or at that time known as the European Economic Community. Prime Minister Edward Heath felt optimistic that the membership would “enable us [UK] to be more efficient and more competitive in gaining more markets not only in Europe but in the rest of the world." In becoming an EU member, the UK received four votes within the council that puts forth policies on issues varying from social welfare to climate change, a critical issue in the UK. Becoming a member of the EU was considered an evolutionary change for the UK; although a member, UK did not adopt the euro as their currency but on the flip side, UK successfully entered the world’s largest market after two previous attempts in 1963 and 1967 that were both rejected due to Charles de Gaulle’s, the French President of the time, doubt on UK’s political will. Through the EU, UK would have many economic benefits, such as ending non-tariff barriers to trade that used to exist in Europe. UK’s membership did not revolutionize the country, but involved evolved the country and brought its presence onto a more, recognized platform.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/1/newsid_2459000/2459167.stm
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=15296
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=17942
Introduction to comparative politics
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/1/newsid_2459000/2459167.stm
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=15296
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=17942
Introduction to comparative politics
1979-1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher promotes “enterprise culture”
Immediately when UK elected Margaret Thatcher of the Conservative Party to be the prime minister, she set to work on combating the economic stagnation and decline of business competition. Fixing the economy was her number one priority and she dealt with the high inflation rates through cutting income taxes. Next, she wanted to rid the collectivism that she believed had been dragging the country’s economy down. As a start, she sparked competition in the market through privatizing many companies, such as British Airways, which led to a global revolution in the privatization sector. Next, she decreased government intervention and let the market rule itself. Thatcher once commented, “There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then to look after our neighbour." As a result, Thatcher’s new policies created a revolutionary change in UK politics; after many failed attempts from previous prime ministers to heal UK’s economic wounds, she set clear economic goals that paved the path towards new era in UK enterprise culture.
http://www.skyminds.net/politics/inequalities-in-great-britain-in-the-19th-and-20th-centuries/the-thatcher-years-the-individual-and-society/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/thatcherism_01.shtml
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/344961/margaret-thatcher-rip-editors
Introduction to comparative politics
http://www.skyminds.net/politics/inequalities-in-great-britain-in-the-19th-and-20th-centuries/the-thatcher-years-the-individual-and-society/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/thatcherism_01.shtml
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/344961/margaret-thatcher-rip-editors
Introduction to comparative politics
1997 Tony Blair elected Prime Minister
Tony Blair from the Labour Party came into the position of Prime Minister ready to implement change the Labour Party. Aside from changing the name from Labour Party to New Labour, Blair also went away from the interest-based politics and shifted towards government partnership with businesses. Also, he decentralized the central government’s power and divided it to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, unlike Margaret Thatcher who cut civil services, Blair promoted them and increased the welfare of the citizens of UK. Under Blair’s term, UK went under evolutionary changes that shifted UK’s economic style from a free market to more of a command economy and paved the way for UK’s post-industrial economy.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6636091.stm
http://www.tonyblairoffice.org/pages/biography/
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/normantebbit/100155335/war-debt-drunkenness-a-broken-nation-the-real-legacy-of-tony-blair
Introduction to comparative politics
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6636091.stm
http://www.tonyblairoffice.org/pages/biography/
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/normantebbit/100155335/war-debt-drunkenness-a-broken-nation-the-real-legacy-of-tony-blair
Introduction to comparative politics
9/11 Al Qaeda Attacks
September 11 marked the beginning of a new era for politics for the international community. At 8:45 a.m., a plane containing 20,000 gallons of fuel crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. 18 minutes later, another plane crashed and this collision resulted in a massive explosion of the building and the destruction of a part of the Pentagon. In the end, 2000 civilians died with hundreds of more casualties. The US and many other countries, including the UK, have joined on the “War on Terrorism.” This was an revolutionary change for the UK for two reasons: one was that they gained enemies from the Middle East countries as UK allied closely with US in fighting terrorism and two because the focus of foreign policy shifted primarily to combating terrorism, as Tony Blair set fighting terrorism as a top priority for UK.
http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
Introduction to Comparative Politics
http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
Introduction to Comparative Politics
2001: Under Blair’s leadership, Britain “stands shoulder to shoulder” with America in war against terror
After the 9/11 bombing, Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed in a speech on October 2 to the Labour Party, “We were with you [America] at the first. We will stay with you [America] to the last.” To Blair, the weakening security rights in Iraq is the main cause of the tragic event and establishing democratic rights in the country is the best way to prevent more casualties. Blair stated, "… the way to stop the innocent dying is not to retreat, to withdraw, to hand these people over to the mercy of religious fanatics or relics of Saddam, but to stand up for their right to decide their government in the same democratic way the British people do." The Prime Minister called for reform on international law and urged the UN to eliminate rogue, repressive regimes which might be funding terrorists with WMD. His actions created a lot of controversy and received mixed reactions from the Labour party though. Graham Bash of Labor's Socialist Campaign Group claimed that Blair’s ally with America is just causing more trouble for UK as the nation gets more caught up in a mess that it was originally not involved in. On the other side, MP Hilary Armstrong claimed that Blair was doing a good job in handling the situation with his firm stance and solid vision of what he believes in. The ally with George W. Bush on the war against terror revolutionized the relationship between the two strongest Western powers and changed the ways foreign powers can intervene with international affairs.
http://www.spacewar.com/news/terrorwar-05zzy.html
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/mar/05/iraq.iraq1
Introduction of Comparitive Politics
http://www.spacewar.com/news/terrorwar-05zzy.html
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/mar/05/iraq.iraq1
Introduction of Comparitive Politics
2007: Gordon Brown becomes prime minister and promises to renew the party and the nation
Gordon Brown renewed the Labour Party’s organization, political values, and electoral fortunes due to his capable leaderships. Moreover, he established many political reforms, including a change in the electoral system; the new system allowed voters to rank candidates in order of preference to ensure a more proportional. Other reforms included: banning Members of Parliament from working for lobbying companies, introducing a recall system that allowed voters to remove MPs if they committed financial misconduct, and giving voters a right to petition the House of Commons. Additionally, Brown pushed for an increase on public spending for social welfare at reasonable measures to make up for the suffering welfare state since the Thatcher years. In order to "create greater economic prosperity and deliver a fairer Britain," Brown passed a banking bill that protectors depositors from future bank collapses, the Education and Skills Bill that established the independent qualifications system to assure the top-notch standards while keeping schools accountable to parents, and a new NHS reform bill guaranteed entitlements to minimum standards of access, quality, and safety of health services. With these reforms put together, Brown led UK onto an evolutionary change, concentrating more power and focus of UK politics onto the citizens but not transforming the nation into a whole new UK.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/may/14/queensspeech.gordonbrown
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/apr/07/gordon-brown-constitutional-reform
Introduction to comparative politics
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/may/14/queensspeech.gordonbrown
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/apr/07/gordon-brown-constitutional-reform
Introduction to comparative politics