US AND UK COMPARATIVE
THEORIES QUESTIONS
Analyse the extent of party unity in the UK
Structure of political system - STRUCTUAL Similarities
Differences - Executive dominance of patronage is no longer
- The fusion of powers and unitary nature of the producing as much loyalty as it did in the UK –
UK places great powers of patronage in the hung parliament and the issue of Brexit has
hands of the PM – party loyalty is therefore placed CMR under great strain
necessary - Partygate allegation also
- Dominic Raabs continued presence in the - While in the US, Trump circumvented the SoP by
Johnson cabinet and Sunak government owes to criticising wavering law makers on Twitter
his public loyalty increasing likelihood they would face primary
- Meanwhile, the separation of powers in the US challenge if they voted against his wishes
entails that members of congress have separate - This public criticism contributes to increased
mandates, promotions is not something the party loyalty, particularly in the GOP making
President can offer party unity a bit similar to that in the UK
- Hence why conservative democrats in the - This explains why part line voting is around 90%
senate refused attempts to reform the filibuster in both houses in Congress – another factor
despite Bidens calls to do so showing British style unity
- This difference can be explained by structural
theory as the separation of powers creates
space for greater independence from the
executive, whereas the fusion of powers in the
UK leads to loyalty to President
Candidate selection process - However, primary voters in the US tend to be
Differences more ideological and therefore forcing all
- Party unity greater in the UK than the US lawmakers to move away from the centre
- In the US, members of congress must stand in ground, consequently the lawmakers in the US
primaries to be confirmed – means that law share a similar ideology with their party, leading
makers consider the views of their primary to more party unity in the US than there once
electorate over the views of their party was
- Explains why the 2020 democrat presidential - The Tea Party Movement forced may moderate
hopefuls took a far more progressive support for republicans to drop support for Obama’s policy
the green new deal proposals than the and support a small government agenda
democratic leadership in the House, as these - In the UK in 2019 many MPs braved deselection
presidential candidates wanted to win more and resigned the party whip, leading to
support amongst more progressive democratic formation of Change UK
primary voters - UK parties have arguably displayed greater
- While in the UK, candidate selection still lies ideological flexibility
with the party machine through constituency
parties – the threat of deselection often
persuades potential rebels in the house to tow
the party lines, even more so when Johnson
followed through with the threat of deselection
in 2019 by removing the whip from 20 remain
voting MPs
- Meanwhile Kier Starmer has parachuted in more
moderate has parachuted in more moderate
candidates and removed the whip from Corbyn
- Therefore, the difference in party unity links to
rational theory, as lawmakers in the US wish to
win re-election and thus prioritise primary
voters over their party while MPs in the UK wish
to hold their seats through greater party loyalty
Nature and frequency of elections - However, the house of lords is not elected, and
- Parliamentary elections in the UK are held at the so peers in the party do not feel the pressure of
same time – all 650 seats contested at once party whips
which has the effects of uniting party, because - General elections in the commons are usually 4-
, lawmakers know disunity is often punished by 5 years apart, so MPs may feel safer in rebelling
voters party way through a parliamentary term – 100+
- In the US, elections in the Senate are staggered Tories rebelled over Covid plan B measures
– so senators often work with colleagues who - Meanwhile the permanent campaign elections
have different motivations depending on in House, mean that members feel permanent
closeness of their own individual election threat of a primary challenge and feel greater
- The House is elected all at once but every 2 push to vote with their party – how house
years, so frequency means constituency members approached Trump’s first
pressure is permanent and could be the driving impeachment and did not scrutinise him
factor - Parties in the US beginning to mirror that of the
- This could be why the GOP split in its opposition UK and fearing party leadership
to Biden’s infrastructure bill in 2021 as many
saw support for this as an opportunity to show
constituents they were bringing back the bacon
- This difference could be explained by the
rational theory – as both senators and MPs
attach different levels of importance to party
unity for their re-election chances
Analyse the challenges to the two-party systems in the US and UK
Direction – there are more challenges in the US than UK
Devolution and federalism SIMILARITIES
DIFFERENCES - Federal system has resulted in state parties that
- Devolution has pushed the UK into multiparty may have the same labels as labels as parties in
politics whereas federalism has not the other states, but have different views
- Devolution has helped the rise of nationalist - There are party factions that have power base in
parties such as SNP different parts – Blue Dogs in the South, Joe
- Has created opportunities for smaller powers to Manchin, and the Progressives on the Coast
gain power – Greens are in coalition with SNP in - Not that different from parties in UK enjoying
Scottish gov regional power bases
- In the US, regional differences have not
produced new parties recently
- This difference is explained by cultural theory, as
there are parts of the UK with strong regional
identify, whereas in the US the differences are
reflected through the two parties in the US
Representation of parties in the legislatures - Labour and Tories collectively won 87% of the
- There are regional parties in the UK, DUP, Plaid seats in the commons in 2019
Cymru, SNP, which have gained significant - The democrats and the republicans collectively
representation due to their ability to generate control 532/535 seats in both chambers of
concentrated support in regions – a necessity to congress, and all 3 independents caucus with
overcome barriers of FPTP the democrats most of the time
- All this is explained by structural theory because - May be because of the fact that all the parties
concentrated support is required to have receive the most money for campaigns, or
representation in both US and UK owing to FPTP because of the FPTP systems that both countries
- In the UK however, more parties have managed employ
to achieve this concentration, whereas minor 3rd
parties in the US have failed to do so
Influence over government - Only had Labour and Tory governments since
- Smaller parties have participated in government WW2 with the exception of the coalition in 2010
– coalition in 2010 – - Only had Dem and GOP controlling legislature
- Fusion of powers in UK requires parties to have and presidency since end of 19th century
majority of seats to be able to govern – when - In terms of who runs the gov, it really is just two
this failed in 2017 Tory forced to work with DUP parties
– confidence and supply agreement
- Whereas there are separate presidential
elections in the US so independent candidates
who do well in congressional elections cannot
be in the executive
THEORIES QUESTIONS
Analyse the extent of party unity in the UK
Structure of political system - STRUCTUAL Similarities
Differences - Executive dominance of patronage is no longer
- The fusion of powers and unitary nature of the producing as much loyalty as it did in the UK –
UK places great powers of patronage in the hung parliament and the issue of Brexit has
hands of the PM – party loyalty is therefore placed CMR under great strain
necessary - Partygate allegation also
- Dominic Raabs continued presence in the - While in the US, Trump circumvented the SoP by
Johnson cabinet and Sunak government owes to criticising wavering law makers on Twitter
his public loyalty increasing likelihood they would face primary
- Meanwhile, the separation of powers in the US challenge if they voted against his wishes
entails that members of congress have separate - This public criticism contributes to increased
mandates, promotions is not something the party loyalty, particularly in the GOP making
President can offer party unity a bit similar to that in the UK
- Hence why conservative democrats in the - This explains why part line voting is around 90%
senate refused attempts to reform the filibuster in both houses in Congress – another factor
despite Bidens calls to do so showing British style unity
- This difference can be explained by structural
theory as the separation of powers creates
space for greater independence from the
executive, whereas the fusion of powers in the
UK leads to loyalty to President
Candidate selection process - However, primary voters in the US tend to be
Differences more ideological and therefore forcing all
- Party unity greater in the UK than the US lawmakers to move away from the centre
- In the US, members of congress must stand in ground, consequently the lawmakers in the US
primaries to be confirmed – means that law share a similar ideology with their party, leading
makers consider the views of their primary to more party unity in the US than there once
electorate over the views of their party was
- Explains why the 2020 democrat presidential - The Tea Party Movement forced may moderate
hopefuls took a far more progressive support for republicans to drop support for Obama’s policy
the green new deal proposals than the and support a small government agenda
democratic leadership in the House, as these - In the UK in 2019 many MPs braved deselection
presidential candidates wanted to win more and resigned the party whip, leading to
support amongst more progressive democratic formation of Change UK
primary voters - UK parties have arguably displayed greater
- While in the UK, candidate selection still lies ideological flexibility
with the party machine through constituency
parties – the threat of deselection often
persuades potential rebels in the house to tow
the party lines, even more so when Johnson
followed through with the threat of deselection
in 2019 by removing the whip from 20 remain
voting MPs
- Meanwhile Kier Starmer has parachuted in more
moderate has parachuted in more moderate
candidates and removed the whip from Corbyn
- Therefore, the difference in party unity links to
rational theory, as lawmakers in the US wish to
win re-election and thus prioritise primary
voters over their party while MPs in the UK wish
to hold their seats through greater party loyalty
Nature and frequency of elections - However, the house of lords is not elected, and
- Parliamentary elections in the UK are held at the so peers in the party do not feel the pressure of
same time – all 650 seats contested at once party whips
which has the effects of uniting party, because - General elections in the commons are usually 4-
, lawmakers know disunity is often punished by 5 years apart, so MPs may feel safer in rebelling
voters party way through a parliamentary term – 100+
- In the US, elections in the Senate are staggered Tories rebelled over Covid plan B measures
– so senators often work with colleagues who - Meanwhile the permanent campaign elections
have different motivations depending on in House, mean that members feel permanent
closeness of their own individual election threat of a primary challenge and feel greater
- The House is elected all at once but every 2 push to vote with their party – how house
years, so frequency means constituency members approached Trump’s first
pressure is permanent and could be the driving impeachment and did not scrutinise him
factor - Parties in the US beginning to mirror that of the
- This could be why the GOP split in its opposition UK and fearing party leadership
to Biden’s infrastructure bill in 2021 as many
saw support for this as an opportunity to show
constituents they were bringing back the bacon
- This difference could be explained by the
rational theory – as both senators and MPs
attach different levels of importance to party
unity for their re-election chances
Analyse the challenges to the two-party systems in the US and UK
Direction – there are more challenges in the US than UK
Devolution and federalism SIMILARITIES
DIFFERENCES - Federal system has resulted in state parties that
- Devolution has pushed the UK into multiparty may have the same labels as labels as parties in
politics whereas federalism has not the other states, but have different views
- Devolution has helped the rise of nationalist - There are party factions that have power base in
parties such as SNP different parts – Blue Dogs in the South, Joe
- Has created opportunities for smaller powers to Manchin, and the Progressives on the Coast
gain power – Greens are in coalition with SNP in - Not that different from parties in UK enjoying
Scottish gov regional power bases
- In the US, regional differences have not
produced new parties recently
- This difference is explained by cultural theory, as
there are parts of the UK with strong regional
identify, whereas in the US the differences are
reflected through the two parties in the US
Representation of parties in the legislatures - Labour and Tories collectively won 87% of the
- There are regional parties in the UK, DUP, Plaid seats in the commons in 2019
Cymru, SNP, which have gained significant - The democrats and the republicans collectively
representation due to their ability to generate control 532/535 seats in both chambers of
concentrated support in regions – a necessity to congress, and all 3 independents caucus with
overcome barriers of FPTP the democrats most of the time
- All this is explained by structural theory because - May be because of the fact that all the parties
concentrated support is required to have receive the most money for campaigns, or
representation in both US and UK owing to FPTP because of the FPTP systems that both countries
- In the UK however, more parties have managed employ
to achieve this concentration, whereas minor 3rd
parties in the US have failed to do so
Influence over government - Only had Labour and Tory governments since
- Smaller parties have participated in government WW2 with the exception of the coalition in 2010
– coalition in 2010 – - Only had Dem and GOP controlling legislature
- Fusion of powers in UK requires parties to have and presidency since end of 19th century
majority of seats to be able to govern – when - In terms of who runs the gov, it really is just two
this failed in 2017 Tory forced to work with DUP parties
– confidence and supply agreement
- Whereas there are separate presidential
elections in the US so independent candidates
who do well in congressional elections cannot
be in the executive
