Example Of Britain's Flawed Democracy example essay topic

Britain's Flawed Democracy The development of democracy in Britain was unlike that of any other country. Its gradualness and lack of contestation throughout the years cause many to believe that the democracy in Britain is superior to those in other countries. However, this idea has led to a lack of seriousness about democratic rights as well as a skewed view of the way that a true democracy should work. I believe that Britain's democracy is flawed for three main reasons. First, there is no written constitution.

Second, there is no separation between church and state, and finally, the existence of a monarchy creates an unnecessary feeling of separation between the government and the citizens of the United Kingdom. The first and most important example of why democracy in Britain is flawed is the lack of a constitution. According to one British newsletter, "This apparent constitutional anachronism... is deeply rooted in the national character. The British need to feel different from continental Europe" (web). I believe that this comment is unfounded and is a very invalid reason for Britain not to have a constitution.

The United Kingdom should have a written constitution to define the powers of the government or the basic rights of the people. The main reason for the absence of one is the lack of any significant turning point or event in Britain's history that called for the writing of a constitution. However, parliament is supreme in that it goes unchecked by other branches of government, and it is unlimited in its power to create and repeal laws. The rights of the people are defined by the current parliament. Therefore, not every citizen of Britain has the same outlined rights.

They may be given and taken away from certain individuals as the parliament sees fit. I believe that for a democracy to be able to function properly, every person must know their personal rights and every person must have equal, if not always the same, rights. The lack of defined rights could lead not only to discrimination in terms of the law, but also corruption and abuse of power by the parliament. Another example of Britain's flawed democracy is the lack of separation between church and state. The members of the Anglican Church have a privileged status in Britain, even though less than half of the population practices this particular religion. Bishops of the Anglican Church possess seats in the upper house of the legislature, and are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Also, the head of state is required to be a member of the Church of England, and is not permitted to marry a Catholic. This integration of the Anglican Church and the government could lead to controversy and other problems because of the influences that the church and state can have on each other, and also because not all citizens of Britain share the same religious beliefs. While the government affects every person in the United Kingdom, and rightly so, the Anglican Church does as well, even though less than half of the population actually belongs to this church. Another reason that the lack of separation of church and state in Britain is a bad thing is because British schools are required by law to organize a daily act of religious worship that must be mainly Christian.

All tax payers are required to give financial support to the promotion of Christian, Jewish and Muslim beliefs, through state financial aid to religious schools. This law is not fair to non-religious citizens of Britain, because their tax dollars are going toward something that they do not believe in. The existence of a monarchy in the United Kingdom is another detriment to democracy. Besides ceremonially and symbolically, the monarchy plays very little role in government besides pocketing the tax dollars of the citizens. First, I believe that the monarchy creates unnecessary status in Britain. In a true democracy, the belief that "all men are created equal" is an important one.

The British people are not only separated by class, but are obligated to be loyal to and basically worship a group of people simply because they were lucky enough to be born into a particular family. This norm creates the idea that the members of the royal family are better than the rest of the citizens of the country. This is a problem because people need leaders who they can relate to in order to feel like they are an important part of society. Second, the ability to rule a country is by no means inherited. The monarchy creates a barrier to many potential great leaders of England. These are all reasons why Britain's democracy is flawed.

I believe that the lack of a constitution, the lack of separation of church and state, and the existence of a monarchy in the United Kingdom are all detriments to its democracy because they do not allow the people of Britain to have the outlined rights and freedoms that a true democracy should ensure.