Politics · Year 13 · Comparative Politics (UK vs US) · 3.º Período

Comparing Executives and Legislatures

An evaluation of the executive and legislative branches in the UK and the US. Students will compare the roles of the Prime Minister and the President, as well as Parliament and Congress.

TL;DR:This unit compares the 'power centres' of the UK and US: the executive (Prime Minister vs President) and the legislature (Parliament vs Congress). Students evaluate the degree of executive dominance in both systems, comparing the UK's 'elective dictatorship' with the US's system of 'separated institutions sharing powers.' They also analyse how effectively each legislature holds the executive to account through oversight, budgets, and votes of no confidence.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• DfE A-Level Politics Subject Content: Comparative Politics
• Edexcel Component 3: Comparative Theories

About This Topic

This unit compares the 'power centres' of the UK and US: the executive (Prime Minister vs President) and the legislature (Parliament vs Congress). Students evaluate the degree of executive dominance in both systems, comparing the UK's 'elective dictatorship' with the US's system of 'separated institutions sharing powers.' They also analyse how effectively each legislature holds the executive to account through oversight, budgets, and votes of no confidence.

Understanding these dynamics is essential for Year 13 students to grasp how policy is actually made. They explore why a UK Prime Minister with a large majority is often more powerful domestically than a US President. Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation, where they must defend which leader has more 'clout' in specific policy areas.

Key Questions

1. Who has more domestic power: the UK Prime Minister or the US President?
2. How do the legislative processes in Parliament and Congress compare?
3. Which legislature is more effective at holding the executive to account?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The US President is just like a UK Prime Minister but with a different title.

What to Teach Instead

The PM is part of the legislature (fusion of powers), while the President is strictly separate. A 'Venn diagram' of powers helps students see that the PM's power comes from their party majority, whereas the President must constantly negotiate with a separate branch.

Common Misconception

The House of Lords and the US Senate are basically the same thing.

What to Teach Instead

The Senate is an elected, highly powerful body that can block any law, while the Lords is unelected and can only delay legislation. Using a 'power ranking' activity helps students understand the massive difference in democratic legitimacy and legislative 'teeth' between the two chambers.

Active Learning Ideas

Formal Debate

PM vs President

Divide the class into two teams. One argues that the UK Prime Minister is more powerful due to their control over the legislature, while the other argues the US President is more powerful as a global figurehead and Commander-in-Chief.

30 min·Whole Class

Inquiry Circle

Oversight Audit

In small groups, students compare a transcript of Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) with a video of a US Congressional Committee hearing. They must evaluate which method is more effective at uncovering the truth and holding leaders accountable.

45 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

The Power of the Purse

Students research how the UK budget is passed versus the US budget. They discuss with a partner why 'government shutdowns' happen in the US but not in the UK, focusing on the role of the legislature in each system.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'fusion of powers' in the UK?

The fusion of powers means that the executive (the PM and Cabinet) are also members of the legislature (Parliament). This usually allows the government to pass its agenda easily, as long as it has a majority. In contrast, the US has a 'separation of powers' where the President cannot be a member of Congress.

Who has more power over foreign policy: the PM or the President?

Both have significant 'prerogative' or 'implied' powers in foreign policy. However, the US President is the formal Commander-in-Chief and can sign executive agreements, while the UK PM usually seeks parliamentary approval for military action (by convention), though they technically hold the Royal Prerogative.

How can active learning help students compare legislatures?

Role-playing a 'legislative committee' session for both systems is highly effective. By having students attempt to 'amend' a bill as a US Senator and then as a UK MP, they quickly realise how much more independent and powerful individual US legislators are compared to their UK counterparts, who are often bound by strict party whips.

Why is the UK often called an 'elective dictatorship'?

This term, coined by Lord Hailsham, refers to the fact that a UK government with a large majority in the House of Commons faces very few constitutional checks and can pass almost any law it wants, unlike the US system where the President is constantly checked by Congress and the Courts.