英语国家概况 第7章 英国政治

Chapter 7 Government and Politics第七章 英国政治1）The UK is not a federation（联邦）, but a unitary state（中央集权国家）.A unitary state is a country in which official power is given to one organizationwhich deals with all matters in a local area.2）It is a constitutional monarchy（君主立宪制） and a parliamentarydemocracy（议会民主制）. Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in引言which a monarch acts as head of state within the guidelines of a constitution,Introductionwhether it be a written or blended tutional monarchies are sometimes referred to as limited monarchies,crowned republics or parliamentary monarchies.1）英国不是联邦制国家，而是单一制国家。在单一制国家里，只有一个组织拥有职权，处理当地所有的事务。2）它是君主立宪制和议会民主制的结合。君主立宪是一种政体，君主作为国家元首，在宪法指导下处理事务，无论是成文的宪法还是混合宪法。君主立宪政体有时被称为有限君主制、加冕的共和制或议会君主制。3）In the UK, the country’s head of state is the reigning king or queen（在位的3）在英国，国家元首是在位的国王或女王，政府首脑是首国王或女王）, and the head of government is the prime minister（首相）, who is相，他是下议院多数党领袖。the leader of the majority political party in the House of Commons（下议院）.第一节 Constitutional Framework（宪法框架）1）组成made up of2）The main elements of thegovernment政府的主要组成部分The British constitution is only partly written. It is made up ofstatute law, common law and conventions（成文法，习惯法和1）组成：英国宪法只有一部分成文规定。它是由成文法、习惯法和惯例组成。它比其他国家的成文宪法更灵活。公约）. It is more flexible than the written constitution of legislature, the executive, and the judiciary （立法，行政和司法）.2）政府的主要组成部分：立法，行政和司法the lord chancellor（大法官） is a member of all three serves as a member of the cabinet （内阁）（executive3）机关之间的重叠：大法官同时任职于三个机关。他是内阁3）机关之间的重叠branch）, as the government’s leader in the House of Lords成员（执行机关），担任上议院议长（立法机关）以及国家司overlap between the branches（上议院） （legislative branch）, and as the head of the country法部门（司法机关）的领导。’s judiciary（国家司法体系）（judicial branch）.第二节 Parliament （议会）The UK Parliament was formed in 1707 following the ratificationof the Acts of Union（《联合法案》） by both the Parliament ofEngland and the Parliament of Scotland. The Acts created a new1）Kingdom ofunified Kingdom of Great Britain and dissolved the separateGreat Britain:English and Scottish parliaments in favor of a single parliament,引言located in the former home of the English parliament in theIntroductionPalace of Westminster, near the City of London.2）UnitedKingdom ofGreat Britainand NorthernIreland:1）不列颠王国：根据1707年的《联合法案》，将英格兰议会与苏格兰议会合并，形成联合王国议会。此法案创造了新型统一的大不列颠王国，为支持单一议会，解散了英格兰和苏格兰各自的议会，新议会位于英格兰议会的故居——威斯敏斯特宫，毗邻伦敦城。This lasted nearly a century, until the Acts of Union 1800 merged2）大不列颠和北爱尔兰联合王国：这项改变持续了近一个世the separate British and Irish parliaments into a single纪，直到1800年联合法案合并了英格兰和爱尔兰单独的议会，Parliament of the UK with effect from January 1, 1801.形成一个单一的联合王国议会，在1801年1月1日生效。1）In the UK, the king or queen is the head of government. However, in practice,the Crown reigns, but does not rule. The country is governed in the name of the1）在英国，国王或女王是政府首脑，然而在实践中，君主统Crown, by His or Her Majesty’s Government－a body of Ministers who are the而不治。国家以君主的名义，由其政府——部长机构进行统leading members of whichever political party the electorate has voted into治，这些部长是执政党的领袖，对议会负责。office, and who are responsible to Parliament.①Her father acceded to the throne as George VI in 1936 on theabdication of his brother Edward VIII，from which time she wasthe heir presumptive.①伊丽莎白的父亲是乔治六世，他的哥哥爱德华八世退位后，他在1936年继位为王，那时起伊丽莎白成为王位假定继承人。②In 1947, she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark （希②1947年，她嫁给了希腊和丹麦的菲利普王子。腊和丹麦的菲利普王子）③she has four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.1. The Crownor Sovereign（君主）2）presentSovereignQueenElizabeth II现任君主女王伊丽莎白二世④Her coronation service（加冕仪式） took place in 1953 andwas the first to be televised.⑤Major events in Elizabeth’s reign: the Troubles in NorthernIreland, the Falklands War, and wars with Iraq and inAfghanistan.⑥personal sorrow: the death of her father at 56，theassassination of Prince Philip’s uncle, Lord Mountbatten, thebreakdown of her children’s marriages in 1992（a year deemedher annus horribilis多灾之年）, the death in 1997 of her son’sformer wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the deaths of hermother and sister in eth has occasionally faced republican sentiments andsevere press criticism of the royal family, but support for themonarchy and her personal popularity remain high.第 1 页，共 5 页③她育有四个孩子：查尔斯、安妮、安得鲁和爱德华。④她于1953年加冕，并首次在电视台播映。⑤伊丽莎白在位期间发生的大事件：北爱尔兰动乱、马岛战争、伊拉克与阿富汗战争。⑥私生活中的悲痛：其父亲去世，享年56岁，菲利普王子叔叔——蒙巴顿勋爵被暗杀，子女1992年婚姻失败（这一年视为她的灾难年），儿子的前妻——威尔士王妃戴安娜于1997年去世，母亲和妹妹也都在2002年去世。虽然伊丽莎白偶尔也会面对共和党的情绪以及对王室严厉的抨击，但支持君主政体人数居多，她个人声望仍然很高。

1）两院two houses:1）two houses: British Parliament has two parts： the upperhouse, or House of Lords（上议院） and the House of Commons1）两院：英国议会有两部分，上院或上议院、下议院。（下议院）2）origin: The upper house, or House of Lords, is the older ofthe two parts of Parliament. It originated in the 11th century2）起源：上院或上议院的时代较为久远。它源于11世纪，委with the councils of nobles and high clergy who were the closest员会成员包括贵族和神职人员，他们是君主的亲密顾问。advisers to the monarch.3）not elected: The members of the House of Lords are notelected. The Lords is made up of peers of the realm（membersof the nobility or Lords Temporal世俗贵族）, the highest clergy（最高神职人员） in the Church of England （Lords Spiritual）,and the highest judges（最高法官）（Law Lords）.3）非选举产生：上议院议员不是选举产生的。上议院是由世袭贵族（贵族成员或上议院世俗议员）、英国国教中的最高神职人员（上议院神职议员）和最高法官（上议院高级法官）组成。2）起源origin:3）非选举产生not elected2.上议院 is the lord chancellor（大法官）, or the speaker of the houseThe House of4）The（议长）, who may take part in debates and votes. In addition to4）主议长是大法官，或参加辩论与投票的上议院议长。除了presidingLordsserving in Parliament, the lord chancellor is also a member of the在议会任职，大法官也是内阁成员和法院的首席行政官。officer（主席）Cabinet and the chief administrator of the courts.①Before the early years of the 20th century: the House of Lords①在20世纪初之前的年代：上议院有相当大的权力。上议院可had considerable power. The Lords could veto bills passed by以否决下议院通过的法案，从而可以指导公共政策的制定，并the Commons and could thereby direct public policy and keep a严格控制自由主义或社会主义倾向。tight rein on liberal or socialist tendencies.5）权力的变化changes in its②after the early years of the 20th century: This authority wasstripped away by the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949（《议会authority法案》）. The House of Lords still plays an important role inrevising bills initiated by the House of Commons, especiallythose that have not been worked out in great enough detail. Inaddition, the Lords can introduce noncontroversial bills.1）作用function:1）function: The House of Commons is the real legislativebranch.②20世纪初之后的年代：在修订下议院发起的法案，特别是那些细节未商榷好的法案上，上议院仍扮演着重要的角。此外，上议院可以采用没有争议的法案。1）作用：下议院是真正的立法机关。2）国家行政长官：国家行政长官是首相，他是下议院多数党的领袖。几乎所有的立法都是由多数党提出的。3）下议院可以完全控制货币法案——所有的税收政策和支出。4）根据法律规定，所有立法必须由下议院和上议院以相同的形式通过，再得到君主的同意。然而在实践中，下议院通过的立法很少得到上议院的支持，而君主几乎自动同意任何通过的提案。自十八世纪初期安妮女王在位以来，英国皇家的否决权还未使用过。5）成员：下议院有650名议员：533位来自英格兰，59位来自苏格兰，40位来自威尔士，18位来自北爱尔兰。2）国家行政长2）The national chief executive: is the prime minister, who is官the leader of the majority party in the Commons. Almost allThe nationallegislation is introduced by the majority executive:3）The Commons has complete control of money bills—all tax policy andexpenditures.4）Under the law all legislation must be passed by the Commons and Lords inidentical form and be assented （agreed） to by the monarch. In practice,however, the Lords rarely holds up legislation passed by the Commons, and thesovereign almost automatically agrees to any bill passed. The royal veto powerhas not been used since the reign of Queen Anne, early in the 18th century.5）members: There are 650 members in the Commons: 533 forEngland, 59 for Scotland, 40 for Wales, and 18 for NorthernIreland.3. 下议院The House ofCommons5）成员members:Qualified categories: Citizens of the UK, of a Commonwealthcountry, or of the Republic of Ireland who are 21 years of age有资格者：英国、英联邦国家或爱尔兰共和国21岁及以上的公and older are eligible to run for the Commons as long as they do民，只要未被取消资格，就有资格参加下议院竞选。not fall into one of the disqualified lified categories: Apart from convicted criminals, thosedisqualified include members of the House of Lords;government employees; members of the armed forces;policemen; most judges; government-nominated members ofsome public corporations; and persons in bankruptcy.无资格者：除了被定罪的罪犯，那些被取消资格的人包括上议院议员、政府人员、武装部队士兵、警察、大多数法官、政府在公有企业中任命的成员及破产者。1）All political power rests with the prime minister and the cabinet, and themonarch must act on their advice.1）首相和内阁掌握着所有的政治权力，君主必须遵循他们的意见。2）The prime minister chooses the cabinet from MPs in his political party. Most2）首相从其所在政党的议员中选择内阁。大多数内阁部长都是政府部门的领导。4.首相和内阁cabinet ministers are heads of government Prime3）Because the party with a majority in the House of Commons supports the3）因为下议院的多数党支持内阁，所以它行使议会主权。Minister andcabinet, it exercises the sovereignty of CabinetThe royal right of veto has not been exercised since the early 18th century, and自18世纪初以来，皇室并没有行使否决权，而上议院的立法权the legislative power of the House of Lords was reduced in 1911 to the right to也在1911年削减为推迟立法权。在议会之前，内阁会计划并商delay legislation. The cabinet plans and lays before Parliament all important bills.榷重要的法案。虽然内阁因此控制了立法机制，但它也遵从议Although the cabinet thus controls the lawmaking machinery, it is also subject to会。Parliament.第 2 页，共 5 页

第三节 Regional Government （区域政府）1）National assemblies（议会） in Scotland, Wales, and northern Irelandpower in 1999 and assumed some powers previously held exclusively by thecentral Parliament at Westminster, to which they remain subordinate. The centralParliament retains full legislative and executive control over England, which lacksa separate regional assembly.1）在英国，苏格兰、威尔士、北爱尔兰的国民议会于1999年上台，并取得一些权力，这些权力以前专属于威斯敏斯特议会大厦的中央议会，现在这些国民议会仍然隶属于中央议会。中央议会在英格兰保留了完全的立法和行政控制权，因为这一地区缺乏独立的地区议会。2）苏格兰议会在卫生、教育、住房、运输、环境和农业等方面有广泛的权力。它有权增加或减少苏格兰地区的英国收入所得税率，但幅度需在三个百分点内。中央议会保留对外交事务、国防、社会保障和总体经济政策的职责。不同于下议院议员，苏格兰议会议员是在比例代表制下进行选择的。苏格兰根据罗马法，有自己一套独特的法律系统。国民议会2）Scotland’s Parliament has wide powers over such matters as health,education, housing, transport, the environment, and agriculture. It also has thepower to increase or decrease the British income tax rate within Scotland by up苏格兰议会有to three percentage points. The central Parliament retains responsibility for广泛的权力foreign affairs, defense, social security, and overall economic policy. Unlike themembers of the House of Commons, members of the Scottish Parliament arechosen under a system of proportional representation. Scotland has a distinctlegal system based on Roman law.威尔士在19993）Since 1999 Wales has also had its own assembly, but because it has neither3）自1999年以来，威尔士也有了自己的议会，但是因为其议年开始有自己legislative nor tax-gathering powers, the Welsh assembly is significantly less会既没有立法权，也没有征税权，所以威尔士议会的权力远不powerful than the Scottish Parliament.的议会如苏格兰议会那么大。4）The Northern Ireland Assembly gained limited legislative and executivepower at the end of 1999.4）北爱尔兰议会于1999年年底获得了有限的立法权和行政权。北爱尔兰议会在1999年底获Divisions between unionist（联邦主义者）（Protestant） and nationalist （民族主在北爱尔兰议会中，联邦主义派（新教）和民族主义派（天主得立法权和行义者）（Roman Catholic） factions in the Northern Ireland Assembly, however,教）出现分歧，已经威胁到它的未来。如果其中一派退出议have threatened its future. If either faction withdraws from the assembly, the政权会，该地区将由中央政府直接管辖，这就回归了1973年至region could return to the system of direct rule by the central government that1999年间盛行于北爱尔兰的制度。prevailed in Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1999.第四节 Local Government （地方政府）1）Each partof the UK hasa distinctsystem oflocalgovernment.在英国的每个部分，当地政府都有不同的制度。Local governments have very few legislative powers and must act within theframework of laws passed by the central Parliament （and by the ScottishParliament in Scotland）.Nevertheless, they do have the power to enact regulations and to levy rates（property taxes） within limits set by the central are funded by the rates that they levy, by fees for services, and by grantsfrom the central of the UK have as many as three levels, or tiers, of local government,each with its own responsibilities, whereas other areas have only a single tier ortwo tiers.①Throughout England, parish and town councils（教区和城镇议会） form thelowest tier of local government. （Parishes are civil subdivisions, usually centeredon a village or small town, that are distinct from church bodies.） Communitycouncils perform a similar role in Wales, whereas community councils in Scotlandare voluntary and consultative bodies with few statutory powers. This lowestlevel of local government has no counterpart in Northern Ireland.2）threelevels of localgovernment:地方政府的三个级别②The next tier of local government is usually known in England and NorthernIreland as a district, borough（自治市）, or city. In Northern Ireland this is theonly level of local Wales these local government areas are known as either counties or countyboroughs, while in Scotland they are variously known as council areas or localgovernment authorities or, in some cases, cities.③Finally, every part of the UK lies within what is known as a historic county（郡）. The historic counties have formed geographic and cultural units since theMiddle Ages, and they historically had a variety of administrative though they lack administrative power, historic counties remain importantcultural units. They serve as a focus for local identity, and cultural institutionssuch as sporting associations are often organized by historic county.地方政府的立法权很少，且必须在中央议会（在苏格兰是苏格兰议会）通过的法律框架内行使权力。但它们有权制定法规，在中央政府规定的限额内征收税款（财产税）。它们的资金来自其征收的税费、服务收费以及中央政府的资助。英国部分地区的地方政府分三个级别，每一级都有各自的职责，而其他地区只有一两个级别。①在英格兰，地方政府的最低级别是教区和城镇议会。（教区是民用住宅小区，通常集中在村庄和小镇，不同于教堂。）威尔士的社区委员会职能相同，但是苏格兰的社区委员会是自愿的协调机构，没有什么法定权利。北爱尔兰当地政府没有对应的最小级别。②在英格兰和北爱尔兰，地方政府的第二个级别通常是为人熟知的区、自治镇或者市。在北爱尔兰，地方政府只有一个级别。在威尔士，地方政府所在地被称为郡或自治郡，而在苏格兰称谓较多，可以称为委员会或当地政府部门，有些情况下也称为市。③最后，英国各地区都存在历史郡。从中世纪开始，这些郡已形成了地理文化单位，拥有各种各样的行政权力。尽管它们缺乏行政权力，历史郡仍然是重要的文化单位。它们象征着该地方的身份，且历史郡通常会组织一些文化组织如体育协会。第 3 页，共 5 页

第五节 Justice（司法）英国法官的选拔被告在证明有罪之前是清白的刑事案件的裁决1）Recruited from successful practicing lawyers, judges in the UK areappointed and virtually irremovable.2）An accused person is presumed innocent until proved guilty. The courtsstrictly enforce a law of contempt to prevent newspapers or television fromprejudicing the trial of the accused before a jury.1）英国的法官都是从成功的出庭律师中遴选，得到任命，几乎不能调动。2）被告在证明有罪之前是清白的。法院严格执行藐视法庭法，防止报纸或电视在陪审团做出决定前损害被告人的审判。3）Verdicts in criminal cases rest on a majority vote of the jury（陪审团）（in3）刑事案件的裁决取决于陪审团中的多数票（在苏格兰，只Scotland a simple majority, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland with no要票数超过一半即可，在英格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰反对票不more than two dissenting votes（反对票）.得超过两票）。4）Capital punishment was abolished in all defendants in criminal cases in the Crown Courts（皇室法庭）（inScotland the High Court of Justiciary）, which deal with all serious cases, aregranted publicly funded legal aid.5）The vast majority of civil actions （民事案件） in England, Wales, andNorthern Ireland are tried in local county courts, whose jurisdiction is limited bythe nature of the action and the amount of money at stake. In Scotland, sheriffcourts and the Court of Session try all civil actions.4）死刑于1965年废除。在处理所有重罪案件的英国皇家法庭上（苏格兰高等法院），几乎所有刑事案件的被告都被授权予以法律援助，由政府资助。5）英格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰的绝大多数民事诉讼都是在地方郡法院审理的，其管辖受到诉讼性质和涉及金额的限制。在苏格兰，郡法院和最高民事法院审判所有民事诉讼。死刑的废除民事诉讼地方上诉6）appeals（上诉）: Appeals in civil and criminal matters move from the High6）上诉：具有法律意义的案件包括民事和刑事诉讼，可由高and Crown courts to the Court of Appeal, which, in cases of legal importance,级刑事法院转交至上诉法院，上诉法院允许将最终上诉交于上can allow a final appeal to the judges in the House of Lords. In Scotland only civil议院的法官。在苏格兰，只有民事诉讼可能被上诉到上议院。matters may be appealed to the House of Lords.第六节 Political Process（政治程序）1）All citizens aged 18 or older are eligible to vote in parliamentary and localelections as well as in elections to the European Parliament. All other publicposts are filled by member of the House of Commons represents one parliamentaryconstituency（选区）.2）The House of Commons is elected for a maximum term of five years. At anytime during those five years, the prime minister has the right to ask the monarchto dissolve Parliament and call a general election. An early election may takeplace if there is no working majority, and the prime minister need give only 17working days’ notice of a general election.3）Parliamentary candidates’ campaign spending is strictly limited. Since 2000,national party expenditure, which was previously unrestricted, has been limitedto a maximum of ￡20 million per party. In addition, each party is allocatedfree election broadcasts on the main television channels. No paid politicaladvertising is permitted on television or radio.1）A two-party system has existed in the UK since the late 17th century. Sincethe mid-1920s the dominant groupings have been the Conservative Party andthe Labor l smaller parties一e.g. the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish and Welshnationalist parties, and loyalist（unionist） and republican（nationalist） politicalparties in Northern -PartySystem（两党制）2）officialopposition/“shadow”government（官方反对党/影子内阁）①The two-party system, together with uncertainty about thetiming of a general election, has produced the Britishphenomenon of the official opposition.②Its decisive characteristic is that the main opposition partyforms an alternative, or “shadow” government, ready at anytime to take office, in recognition of which the leader of theopposition receives an official salary.1）所有18岁或以上的公民有资格参加议会选举、地方选举以及欧洲议会的选举。所有其他公共职务都由任命产生。每一位下院议员代表一个议会选区。1. Elections（选举）2）下议院议员最长五年选举一次。在这五年中，首相随时有权要求君主解散议会，并要求举行大选。虽然人们期望拥有足够多数票选的政府能在其任期内进行更多的管理，但很少有政府会管理到最后。如果没有足够多数票选，可能会进行初选，首相需要宣布仅17天大选的通知。3）议会候选人的竞选支出是严格限制的。国家政党开支以前是不受限制的，自2000年后，每个政党的开支限制在2000万英镑。 此外，每个政党都可以在主要电视频道上免费进行选举广播。电视或电台不允许出现付费的政治广告。1）自17世纪末以来，英国已经存在两党制。自20世纪20年代中期开始，保守党和工党成为最主要的两大政党。一些规模较小的政党——例如自由民主党，苏格兰和威尔士民族主义政党，以及北爱尔兰的忠英党（联邦主义者）和共和党（民族主义者）。①两党制加之大选时耗的不确定，引致英国政府的反对。名词解释★★★②它的决定性特点是主要的反对政党形成另一个“隐蔽的”政府，其随时准备上台，当反对党领袖得到政府工资时，这个隐蔽的政府也就得到认可了。1）尽管英国出现过几位知名的女君主和女政治家，但是几个世纪以来，英国政界还是由男性主导。2）纵观20世纪，只有少数妇女赢得选举；在20世纪80年代以前，下议院女性议员最多时是1964年的29位。事实上，许多有能力赢得选举的妇女有的是贵族后代，有的是有影响力的政治家的遗孀。3）一个特例是玛格丽特•撒切尔，她在1959年首次当选为国会议员，于1979年成为英国第一位女首相。1）Despite several high-profile female monarchs and politicians, men havedominated politics in the UK for Representation in BritishPolitics英国政治中的女性代表2）Throughout much of the 20th century, only a few women won elections;before the 1980s the high point for female representation in the House ofCommons was 29 in 1964. Indeed, many women who were able to win electionto the House of Commons were of aristocratic stock or widows of influentialpoliticians.3）One such exception was Margaret Thatcher, who was first elected toParliament in 1959 and became Britain’s first female prime minister in 1979.第 4 页，共 5 页

第七节Security（安全）1）The UK has no national police force or any minister exclusively responsiblefor the police. Each provincial force is maintained by a police authority, acommittee elected by several local councils. One of its important tasks is toappoint and dismiss the chief constable（警察署长）. Once appointed, the chiefconstable has the sole right of appointment, promotion, discipline, anddeployment of his force.①The British police, are popularly known as “bobbies”.②They wear a uniform that is nonmilitary in appearance.英国警察昵称2）bobbies（英国警察昵称）1）英国没有国家警察或任何专门负责警务的部长。每一个省级部队由警察局维护，警察局是由几个地方政务会选举产生的委员会。其重要任务之一是任免局长。一旦任命为警察局长，便对军队的任命、晋升、处罚、部署，享有唯一权利。①英国警察，俗称“条子”②他们身穿外观上非军事的制服。名词解释★★英国没有国警③Their only regular weapon is a short, wooden truncheon,③他们唯一的常规武器是短小的木制警棍，他们放在看不到的which they keep out of sight and may not employ except in self-地方，除了自卫或恢复秩序，其余情况不可使用。defense or to restore order.④Police on a dangerous mission may carry firearms for thatspecific occasion.④执行危险任务时，警察可能会在特定场合携带支。首相和内阁负责国防3）Responsibility for national defense rests with the prime minister and thecabinet. Britain has been an active member of the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization（NATO）, deploying its troops in various theaters of conflict.3）首相和内阁负责国防。英国一直是北大西洋公约组织（北约）的活跃成员国，在各种冲突战区均部署了军队。第 5 页，共 5 页