What are the main sources of the UK constitution, and what is the supreme source in the USA?

The UK draws on statute law, common law, conventions and authoritative works, whereas in the USA the codified constitution itself is the supreme source of authority.

Why is the US constitution described as entrenched while the UK's is not?

The US constitution can be changed only through a special amendment procedure, while any part of the UK constitution can be altered by an ordinary Act of Parliament.

Outline the US amendment process and contrast it with changing the UK constitution.

A US amendment must be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or a convention called by two-thirds of the states, then ratified by three-quarters of the states, whereas the UK needs only a simple majority in Parliament.

What do the different amendment procedures mean for flexibility?

The UK constitution is highly flexible and can be changed quickly by a government with a majority, while the rigid US constitution has been formally amended only twenty-seven times since 1787.

AQA A-Level Politics 7152

The Nature and Sources of the British Constitution

Topic overview Codified and Uncodified Constitutions The Rule of Law and Parliamentary Sovereignty Magna Carta and the Early Constitution The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 Individual and Collective Rights Constitutional Change since 1997 and Codification

The Structure and Role of Parliament

Topic overview The Two Chambers and Parliamentary Privilege The Passage of a Public Bill Burke and the Models of Representation The Roles of MPs and Peers Scrutiny of the Executive and PMQs Select Committees, the Opposition and Parliament's Influence

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

Topic overview The Core Executive and the Prime Minister's Powers Policy Making and the Limits of Prime Ministerial Power Ministerial Responsibility Accountability in Practice and Crichel Down

The UK Judiciary

Topic overview Judicial Independence and Impartiality The Constitutional Reform Act, Separation of Powers and Appointments The UK Supreme Court and the Grounds of Judicial Review Judicial Review and the Miller Cases

Devolution

Topic overview Devolution, Federalism and the Scottish Parliament Scotland and Wales since Devolution Northern Ireland and Power-Sharing The West Lothian Question and English Devolution The Barnett Formula, Sewel and the Impact of Devolution

Democracy and Participation

Topic overview Democracy, Legitimacy and Direct Democracy Direct and Representative Democracy Compared The Reform Acts of 1832 to 1884 and the Chartists Suffragists and Suffragettes Who Can Vote Today, and Votes at 16 Forms of Political Participation Turnout, Apathy and Proposals for Reform Partisan and Class Dealignment

Elections and Referendums

Topic overview Majoritarian and Proportional Systems The Additional Member System, STV and Other Systems The 1945 and 1979 General Elections The 1997 and 2010 General Elections Models of Voting Behaviour Leadership, Manifestos, Campaigns and the Media The Nature and Use of Referendums Regulating Referendums, and the Case For and Against

Political Parties in the UK

Topic overview Party Functions and the Conservative Party Labour: Origins, Clause IV and Structure The Liberal Democrats Party Funding and Short Money Funding Controversies, the Media and Electoral Outcomes Two-Party, Multi-Party and Dominant-Party Systems Minor Parties in UK Politics

Pressure Groups in the UK

Topic overview What Pressure Groups Are Outsider Groups, Methods and Influence Pluralism and the Democratic Balance Sheet Think Tanks, Lobbying and the Media

The UK and the European Union

Topic overview The Institutions of the European Union EU Aims and the Four Freedoms The Impact of the EU on the UK

The Constitutional Framework of US Government

Topic overview The Nature of the US Constitution Checks and Balances and Constitutional Principles Federalism and the Division of Powers Coercive Federalism and Federal-State Disputes Amending the Constitution Informal Constitutional Change and the Rights Amendments

Congress

Topic overview The Composition of Congress The Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections How a Bill Passes Congress The Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation

The US Presidency

Topic overview The Sources of Presidential Power Signing Statements, Pardons and Informal Powers Congressional Checks on the President Term Limits, the Press and Other Constraints The US Cabinet, EXOP and the Bureaucracy The Imperial and Imperilled Presidency

The US Supreme Court

Topic overview The Composition and Tenure of the Court How a Case Reaches the Supreme Court Judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution The Debate over the Court's Power The Warren Court and Landmark Rulings Later Landmark Rulings and Court Eras

US Elections and Direct Democracy

Topic overview Congressional Elections and Electoral College Votes The Electoral College The Invisible Primary, Primaries and Caucuses Super Tuesday, Momentum and Delegates What Decides a US Election Campaign Finance Regulation Party Coalitions and Voting Behaviour Realignment, Dealignment, Split-Ticket Voting and Turnout Direct Democracy at State Level

Political Parties in the USA

Topic overview The Ideologies of the Two Main Parties Party Traditions and Organisation Polarisation and Ideological Sorting Factionalism and the Decline or Renewal Debate Two-Party Dominance and Ballot Access Third Parties and the Spoiler Role

Pressure Groups in the USA

Topic overview Pressure Groups and Political Pluralism Think Tanks, Lobbying and Group Methods PACs and Super PACs The Revolving Door, Iron Triangles and Group Power

Civil Rights in the USA

Topic overview Civil Liberties, Civil Rights and the Bill of Rights Entrenchment, Incorporation and the Rights Amendments Landmark Rights Rulings and the Supreme Court The Civil Rights Movement Rights Groups and the Courts Contested Rights Issues Today

Comparative Politics: Theoretical Approaches

Topic overview Structural, Rational and Cultural Approaches

Constitutions and Legislatures Compared

Topic overview The Two Constitutions Compared Devolution and Federalism Compared Parliament and Congress: Powers and Chambers Committees, Scrutiny and Control of Money

The Executives Compared

Topic overview Prime Minister and President: Office, Tenure and Cabinet Executive Power over Courts, Officials and Abroad

The Judiciaries Compared

Topic overview The Two Supreme Courts: Appointment, Tenure and Powers Judicial Impact, Activism and Restraint

Electoral and Party Systems Compared

Topic overview Electing Legislatures and Executives Compared Campaign Finance, Direct Democracy and Voting Compared Party Systems and Third-Party Barriers Party Organisation and Unity Compared Minor Parties and the Ideological Spectrum

Pressure Groups Compared

Topic overview Access Points and Group Power Compared Group Methods and Targets Compared

Civil Rights Compared

Topic overview How Rights Are Protected in Each Country Security, Guns and Reforming the Rights Framework

Liberalism

Topic overview The Individual and Individualism Limited Government and Foundational Equality Classical Liberalism and the Night-Watchman State Modern Liberalism and the Continuity Debate Locke and Mill Rawls, Wollstonecraft and Friedan

Conservatism

Topic overview Human Imperfection in Conservative Thought Organic Society and Paternalism Traditional, One-Nation and New Right Conservatism The New Right: Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Conservatism Hobbes, Burke and Oakeshott Rand and Nozick

Socialism

Topic overview Common Humanity, Equality and Social Class Alienation, Common Ownership and Social Justice The Vanguard Party, Gradualism and Social Democracy Revolutionary Socialism and Social Democracy Compared Marx, Engels and Luxemburg Webb, Crosland and Giddens

NationalismIdeology

Topic overview The Nation, the State and Self-Determination Views of the Nation and Economic Nationalism Minority Nationalism State Nationalism and Nation-Building Types of Nationalism Rousseau and Herder Mazzini, Garvey and Maurras

FeminismIdeology

Topic overview Sex, Gender and Patriarchy Feminist Views of the State Liberal and Radical Feminism Socialist, Difference and Post-Feminism Perkins Gilman and de Beauvoir Millett, Rowbotham and hooks

MulticulturalismIdeology

Topic overview Multiculturalism and the Politics of Recognition Assimilation, Integration and the Melting Pot Integration and Segregation Interculturalism and Civic Integration Berlin and Kymlicka Taylor and Parekh Modood: Multiculturalism and Citizenship

AnarchismIdeology

Topic overview The Anarchist Case against the State Propaganda by the Deed and the Charge of Chaos Individualist and Collectivist Anarchism Stirner and Bakunin Goldman, Kropotkin and Proudhon

EcologismIdeology

Topic overview Ecologism, Environmentalism and Ecocentrism Sustainability and the Limits to Growth Light Greens and Dark Greens Green Consumerism, Technology and Greenwashing Leopold and Carson Schumacher, Merchant and Bookchin

Constitutions and Legislatures Compared

4 subtopics
12 things to know
Paper 2

What Constitutions and Legislatures Compared covers

One constitution codified and entrenched, the other neither; one legislature sovereign, the other constrained. What follows for amendment, for federalism and devolution, and for committees and control of money.

Where it is assessed

Paper 2

Comparative politics.

Check the AQA specification ↗

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Process

Where does sovereignty lie in each system?

Key term

What is the single most fundamental difference in the form of the two constitutions?

Key term

Name two checks Congress has on the president that Parliament does not have on the Prime Minister.

Process

How does each system settle disputes over the boundary between central and regional power?

Key term

Give three genuine similarities between the UK and US constitutional systems.

Key term

A regional government wants to set its own income tax rates. What constrains it in each country?

Key term

On what basis does each legislature hold its powers?

Key term

Why is the Senate often called the more powerful chamber of Congress, and how does that compare with the Lords?

Key term

How are members of the two lower chambers elected?

Key term

How do the committee systems differ in legislative power?

Key term

Which is the stronger legislature in relation to its executive, and why?

Key term

How do war powers differ between Parliament and Congress?

Take Constitutions and Legislatures Compared further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

Fusion of powers vs Separation of powers
Fusion of powers: executive and legislature are institutionally connected. Separation of powers: government functions belong to distinct branches.
Parliamentary sovereignty vs Popular sovereignty
Parliamentary sovereignty: legislature possesses ultimate legal authority. Popular sovereignty: people constitute the ultimate political authority.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is the single most fundamental difference in the form of the two constitutions?
Model answer
The US constitution is codified in one authoritative document, while the UK constitution is uncodified and drawn from several separate sources.
2
What are the main sources of the UK constitution, and what is the supreme source in the USA?
Model answer
The UK draws on statute law, common law, conventions and authoritative works, whereas in the USA the codified constitution itself is the supreme source of authority.
3
Why is the US constitution described as entrenched while the UK's is not?
Model answer
The US constitution can be changed only through a special amendment procedure, while any part of the UK constitution can be altered by an ordinary Act of Parliament.
4
Outline the US amendment process and contrast it with changing the UK constitution.
Model answer
A US amendment must be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or a convention called by two-thirds of the states, then ratified by three-quarters of the states, whereas the UK needs only a simple majority in Parliament.
5
What do the different amendment procedures mean for flexibility?
Model answer
The UK constitution is highly flexible and can be changed quickly by a government with a majority, while the rigid US constitution has been formally amended only twenty-seven times since 1787.
6
Where does sovereignty lie in each system?
Model answer
Sovereignty in the UK rests with Parliament, while in the USA it rests with the people and is expressed through a constitution that binds every branch and level of government.

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The Nature and Sources of the British Constitution

The Structure and Role of Parliament

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

The UK Judiciary

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The Code.

MinisterialCabinetParliamentary

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AA US court can strike down a hostile law using the constitution.

BA UK court cannot.

CChange must come from persuading legislators.

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Veto means formal rejection of legislation.

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Constitutions and Legislatures Compared revision questions

What does Constitutions and Legislatures Compared cover in AQA A-Level Politics?: 4 subtopics: the two constitutions compared, devolution and federalism compared, parliament and congress: powers and chambers and committees, scrutiny and control of money. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Constitutions and Legislatures Compared organised?: By the AQA 7152 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

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