Notes from Tues 2/3

7TH PERIOD


-THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF INTEREST GROUPS; ALL OF WHICH SEEMED TO APPEAR IN STAGES.

pLURALIST INTEREST GROUP- WWII TO THE EARLY 1960S

LATE 60S TO LATE 70S- NEO CORPORATIST SYSTEM
--POLICY ADVISOR BOARDS: QUANGO (QUAZI AUTONOMOUS NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION)

80S- GOVT DISTANCING STRATEGY --> PLURALIST SYSTEM

LATE 70S LABOR UNIONS ARE STRONG
-PUSHED LABOR GOVTS AROUND
-EVENTUALLY BROUGHT DOWN GOVT WITH STRIKES

MID 90S- LABOR UNIONS LOST ALOT OF THEIR POWER
-NOBODY FEARED THEM
-LIMITS ARE PUT ON THE UNIONS BY THE LATE 90S
-STILL ATTEMPT TO GET SUPPORT FROM THE LABOR WORKING PARTY

OVER 300 TRADE UNIONS:
ABOUT 38% OF EMPLOYEES
PERCENTAGE DOWN DRASTICALLY SINCE 1979

TRADE UNION CONGRESS:ALLIGNED WITH LABOR PARTY

CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY: CONSERVATIVE PARTY

ABOUT 90% OF ALL UNIONIZED WORKERS AFFILIATED WITH TUC

BBI WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT BUT LESS DOMINANT THEN TUC
--OVER 250 COMPANIES AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

VOTES IN HOUSE OF COMMONS USUALLY ORDAINED CONCLUSIONS:
-INTEREST GROUP MEMBERS TRY TO STAY CLOSE WITH PARLAIMENT AND FOCUS ATTENTION ON DECISION MAKERS (CABINET MINISTERS, POL PARTY LEADERS, SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS

SMALL NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES
-CLOSE INFORMAL NETWORK


WORKER STRIKES WERE SOMETIMES USED AS A FORM OF PARTICIPATION BUT WERE EXTREMELY RARE IN ENGLAND

N. IRELAND-IRA EMPLOYED VIOLENCE/ TERRORIST TACTICS

98-BLAIR INTRODUCES NEW IDEA FOR HIGHER EDUACTION (TUITION)
--STUDENTS PROTEST
-HIGHER INCOME FAMILIES PAY MORE FOR TUITION : $1700 A YEAR
IN 2006 THAT NUMBER INCREASED TO $5600 A YEAR

2005-BAN ON FOX HUNTING
--WEALTHY RURAL PEOPLE PROTESTED
--BAN STILL IN EFFECT



POL PARTY SYSTEM
MULTI PARTY BUT ONLY CONSERVATIVE AND LABOR HAVE HELD GOVT MAJORITY SINCE 1945.

CONSERVATIVE, LABOR, LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, AND REGIONAL PARTIES ARE PRESENT.

WHALES:PLAID AND SYMRU
sCOTTLAND:NATIONAL PARTY
N. IRELAND: SINTEIN AND DEMOCRATIC UNIONIST PARTY

3/4 OF ELECTORATE ARE NEAR POLITCAL CENTER

CONSERVATIVE-RIGHT
LABOR- SLIGHTLY LEFT
LIB DEM-ORIGINALL MIDDLE, BUT HAS MOVED LEFT PAST LABOR

CONSERVATIVE PARTY- TORIS: BRITAIN'S OLDEST PARTY; WON MAJORITY OF ELECTIONS SINCE 1880S.
-HISTORICALLY WITH UPPER CLASS NOBILITY ROOTS
-SENSE OF OBLIGATION TO LESS FORTUNATE
-CURRENT LEADER dAVID CAMERON CHOSEN IN DEC 2005
HE RECEIVED 68% OF THE PARTY VOTE

--YOUNG, 39 OR 40; HIS JOB WAS TO SCRAPE THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OFF THE FLOOR