Concetti Chiave
- The Whigs and the Tories were the first political parties in Britain, with the Whigs supporting Parliament and reform, and the Tories backing the monarchy and tradition.
- The Act of Union in 1707 united Scotland and England, creating a single nation, though cultural and linguistic differences remained significant.
- Sir Robert Walpole, a Whig, was Britain's first prime minister, promoting trade and managing to avoid foreign conflicts, despite accusations of corruption.
- William Pitt's mercantilist policies strengthened England's economy and expanded its global influence, notably in India, North America, and the Caribbean.
- Modern British politics is dominated by the Conservative and Labour parties, with the prime minister chosen from the majority party's leadership after elections.
The birth of political parties
At the beginning of the 18th century, the Hanover dynasty succeeded the Stuarts. Queen Anne succeeded her brother-in-law, William III (of Orange), and her sister Mary. During her reign, Scotland became officially united with England with the Act of Union of 1707. Many Scots emigrated to England and the expanding colonies. The Whigs and the Tories were the first political parties in Britain.
The Tories were descendants (conservatories) of the Royalists, they were supporters of the monarchy and they believed in divine right of the monarch (supported by the Church of England), and the Whigs descended by the Parliamentarians (reformists), they were supporters of the Parliament and they believed in tolerance and economical development (supported by the wealthy and commercial classes). There were elections to the House of Commons, but a small number of men controlled main of the votes. The first prime minister was the Whig Sir Robert Walpole, who was in power for over twenty years. He managed to keep England out of foreign conflicts so that trade could flourish and taxes could be kept down. Trade was stimulated by the removal of customs duties on exports and on imports of raw materials, but in 1723 tea, coffee and chocolate became subject to taxation. This kept smuggling under control and at the same time increased government income. From 1726 Walpole and his government were accused of corruption and bribery during elections. He had, however, survived a change of monarch when George I of Hanover died and was succeeded by his son, George II. The new king relied more and more on Walpole and gave him a house in Westminster, 10 Downing Street, which is still the official residence of the prime minister today. In 1735 the Whig William Pitt entered Parliament as an opponent of Walpole, and became prime minister in 1766. He started a mercantilist policy to make England a strong and economically competitive country. This led to the establishment of a new set of values based on power, wealth and prestige. In this period, England expanded its possessions in India, North America and the Caribbean.
The Act of Union
The Scottish Members of Parliament voted to join the Union, and on the 16th January 1707 the Act of Union was signed. The Scottish Parliament was dissolved and England and Scotland became one country. Currency, taxation, sovereignty, trade, parliament and flag became one. The red cross of St George combined with the blue and white cross of St Andrew, resulting in the old union flag. However, there were and there are significant differences between the two countries in culture, education, religion and language.
Modern political parties
Nowadays the two main parties are the Conservative Party (represents private enterprise and the ruling classes), and the Labour Party (represents the working classes); a third important party is the Liberal Party. British voters do not choose their prime minister; he or she is elected within their political party. After a general election, the leader of the political party with the most Members of the Parliament in the House of Commons is asked by the Queen to become Prime Minister and to form a government that will manage the Country.
Domande da interrogazione
- ¿Cómo se originaron los primeros partidos políticos en Gran Bretaña?
- ¿Qué impacto tuvo el Acta de Unión de 1707 en Escocia e Inglaterra?
- ¿Quién fue el primer ministro británico y qué logró durante su mandato?
- ¿Cómo se elige al primer ministro en el sistema político británico moderno?
- ¿Cuáles son los principales partidos políticos en la Gran Bretaña actual y a quiénes representan?
Los primeros partidos políticos en Gran Bretaña fueron los Whigs y los Tories. Los Tories eran descendientes de los Realistas y apoyaban la monarquía, mientras que los Whigs descendían de los Parlamentarios y apoyaban el Parlamento.
El Acta de Unión de 1707 unió oficialmente a Escocia e Inglaterra, disolviendo el Parlamento escocés y unificando moneda, impuestos, soberanía, comercio, parlamento y bandera.
El primer ministro británico fue el Whig Sir Robert Walpole, quien mantuvo a Inglaterra fuera de conflictos extranjeros, estimuló el comercio y controló el contrabando, aumentando así los ingresos del gobierno.
En el sistema político británico moderno, el primer ministro es elegido dentro de su partido político. Después de una elección general, el líder del partido con más miembros en la Cámara de los Comunes es invitado por la Reina a formar un gobierno.
Los principales partidos políticos en la Gran Bretaña actual son el Partido Conservador, que representa a la empresa privada y las clases dominantes, y el Partido Laborista, que representa a las clases trabajadoras. Un tercer partido importante es el Partido Liberal.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
