Political Science Questions
Introduction.
Question 1
British politics may not be British for much longer.’ (Gamble) Discuss.
Introduction.
The study of British politics has been under scrutiny by scholars in recent times. In the world of academia, the politics of Britain has witnessed a growing trend in the analysis of the politics of this country through an international perspective. Some scholars argue that the changes that have been witnessed have had an adverse effect on the status as well as the cohesion of the study of this subject as a self-contained discipline. It should be noted that the renewed interest in British politics by scholars has been accelerated by the fact that political scholars have not overcome the problems they were associated with the Westminster political model. In this section, we are going to elucidate the evolution of British Politics and then articulate the challenges that it faces presently. In the end, we are going to conclude whether British politics is going to remain British for longer, or it is going to disintegrate.
British politics
In the recent past, British politics has witnessed a destabilization by a variety of trends. These destabilizations have threatened to significantly undermine the cohesion and status of an academic field that had largely been regarded as an academic field that is self-contained. It, therefore, means that there have been significant changes to the politics of Britain as we know it, and some scholars feel that British Politics may not be British for longer. The British political landscape has been undergoing various developments, for instance, the changes in the British higher education system, which has warranted the study of British politics to decline from being a core area of academic concern within the universities in Britain. The decline in the study of British politics has declined to the point that it is now regarded as a poor cousin of a number of specialism, and therefore the British politics does not take center stage as the main area of inquiry(Kerrand Kettell2006, p.1).
Looking at the British politics against the backdrop of global interdependence, theoretical sophistication, and global interdependence, the view held by many that British politics still has a central place in the present and future academic climate, is a view that does not resonate well in many contemporary political science departments. Kerrand Kettell(2006, p.1), allude that the focus on British politics is like having entered into a wrong disciplinary bus. The general feeling is that British politics has significantly changed to the extent that those who still believe in conventionalBritish politics feel lost. The rapid changes that are taking place in British politics is an indication that what was conventionally regarded as British politics may not remain so for longer.
Scholars of political scientists argue that the study of British politics, like any other study like literature, is embedded in the institution of higher learning. One question that is often asked is why British politics is especially scrutinized and not the politics of any other country? The answer may be found in the observation that British politics is unique, and the British political institutions have special characteristics that attract special scrutiny. British politics is also chosen since it is an excellent example that can provide a case study that can be used to contribute to the general political theory of comparative politics(Gamble1990, p.404).
Various events have happened in the British political and economic landscape that threatens to change the face of politics in Britain as we know it. For instance, the referendum to exit from the EU has created a crisis that has been felt both economically and politically. Even two years after the Brexit referendum, the circumstances under which Britain would leave the EU, or stay were still very unclear. As the Brexit Continues to unravel, the British it is significantly threatening to disrupt Britain both economically and politically. Since the Brexit Referendum, the political landscape in Britain has been in turmoil, since for the first time in history, the referendum went against the advice of government and the status quo. There was a sharp split between popular sovereignty and parliamentary sovereignty. For a majority of MPs, they were opposed to any option that involves a hard Brexit, while a minority were of the opinion that the best thing for the country was to respect the vote. All these examples are an indication that British politics was changing drastically, and that British politics may not be British much longer. The uniqueness of British politics is being eroded every sing day to the Extent that when Teresa May was in office, her request to negotiate with the EU the terms and conditions of Brexit, it cost her political seat. In her thinking, Teresa May thinks that if she called for a general election, it would give her an opportunity and the authority to negotiate with the EU after the election. But surprisingly, she did not win as she had anticipated. Instead, she lost even though in parliament that had been in her side. What May had not realized was that she was trying to reconcile the unreconcilable the political landscape had changed forever, and what was regarded of British politics was not Britishanymore.
Conclusion.
The political landscape and the politics of Britain are indeed changing rapidly to the extent that what was regarded to be unique to the British Politics, can no longer be said to be unique to this country. There has been a time when the people of Britain have to choose whether to regard political sovereignty or popular sovereignty. The political disturbances that have been witnessed in the county is an indication that British politics may not be British anymore.
Question 3
What have we learned in the last two decades about the effects of giving party members a larger role in the selection of leaders?
References
Kerr, P., and Kettell, S., 2006. In defense of British politics: The past, present, and future of the discipline. British Politics, 1(1), pp.3-25.
Gamble, A., 1990. Theories of British politics. Political Studies, 38(3), pp.404-420.