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2006-12-02 20:03阅读：
11.
How did the Labour
Party come into being?
—— As the new working class became
established in the industrial towns in the late 18th century, they
became aware of the power which they could possess if they acted
together instead of separately. So various working class
organizations were formed which brought about the formation of the
Labour Party.
The Labour Party had its origins in the Independent Labour Party,
which was formed in January, 1893 and Led by Keir Hardie, a
Scottish miner. The foundation of an effective party for labour
depended on the trade unions. In 1900, representatives of trade
unions, the ILP, and a number of small societies set up the Labour
Representation Committee (LRC). The LRC changed its name to be
Labour Party in time for the general election which was called for
1906. The Labour Par
ty remains one of the two major parties in Britain until
today.
12.
What is a constitutional
monarchy? When did it begin in Britain?
——
A constitutional monarchy is a
governmental system in which the head of State is a king or a queen
who reigns but does not rule. The country is namely reigned by the
Sovereign, but virtually by His or Her Majesty’s Government
—— a body of
Ministers who are the leading members of whichever political party
the electorate has voted into office, and who are responsible to
Parliament.
The Constitutional Monarchy in Britain began in 1689, when king
William and Queen Mary jointly accepted the Bill of Rights, which
guaranteed free speech within both the House of Lords and the House
of Commons and constitutional monarchy, of a monarchy with power
limited by Parliament began.
13.What
is the role of the Monarchy in the British
government?
—— The sovereign is the symbol of the
whole nation. In law, he/she is head of the executive, an integral
part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, the
commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the crown and the
“supreme governor” of the established church of
England.
14.
What are the main functions of
Parliament?
—— The main functions of Parliament
are: (1) to pass laws; (2) to provide the means of carrying on the
work of government by voting for taxation; (3) to examine
government policy and administration, including proposals for
expenditure; (4) to debate the major issues of the
day.
15.
Why do the criminal convicts like to be tried
first before the magistrates’ courts?
——
A Magistrates’ court
tries summary offences and “either way” offences. It is open to the
public and the media and usually consists of three unpaid “lay”
magistrates. A magistrates’ court sits without a jury.
The criminal law presumes the innocence of the accused until he has
been proved guilty beyond reasonable doubt; every possible step is
taken to deny to the prosecution any advantage over the defence. No
accused person has to answer the questions of the police before
trials; he is not compelled to give evidence or to submit to
cross-examination in court.
16.
What does the civil courts system
do?
—— The civil courts system does the
following jurisdiction: (1) actions founded upon contract and tort;
(2) trust and mortgages cases; (3) actions for the recovery of
land; (4) cases involving disputes between landlords and tenants;
(5) admiralty cases and patent cases; and (7) divorce cases and
other family matters.
17.
What is meant by the term “welfare state” in
Britain?
—— The welfare state is a system of
government by which the state provides the economic and social
security of its citizens through its organization of health
services, pensions and other facilities. The system is funded out
of national insurance contributions and taxation. In Britain the
term applies mainly to National Health Service (NHS), national
insurance and social security.
18.
What is the most important established Church in
Britain? How is it related to the Crown and linked with the
State?
—— The most important established Church in Britain is the Church
of England.
It is uniquely related to the Crown in that the Sovereign must be a
member of that church and, as “Defender of the Faith”, must promise
on his or her accession to uphold it. Church of England
archbishops, bishops and deans of cathedrals are appointed by the
Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Church is also
linked with the State through the House of Lords, in which the two
archbishops (of Canterbury and York), the bishops of London, Durham
and Winchester, and 21 other senior bishops of London, Durham and
Winchester, and 21 other senior bishops have seats
19.
What distinguishes the Open University from all other
British Universities?
—— The Open University is non-residential university
which is “open” to all to become students. It offers degree and
other courses for adult students of all ages in Britain and other
member countries of the EU. It was founded in 1969 and began its
first courses in 1970. It was a combination of specially produced
printed texts, correspondence tuition, television and radio
broadcasts and audio/video cassettes. For some courses, there are
residential schools. There is a network of study centers for
contact with part-time tutors and counselors, and with fellow
students.
