Running head: INSTITUTIONS CASE STUDY 1
Institutions Case Study: the United States v. the United Kingdom
Brookelynn Rhyne
Helms School of Government, Liberty University
GOVT 210: Intro to Political Science
Prof. Aaron Van Allen
April 23, 2023
INSTITUTIONS CASE STUDY 2
Institutions Case Study: the United States v. the United Kingdom
In this paper we will analyze the differences between the democratic systems within the
United States and the United Kingdom. Throughout, we will discuss topics such as, their
legislative structures, the premise by which they were founded, and how each has changed over
time. In addition, we will examine what types of powers are present, and how those powers are
divided within each system. Lastly, we will determine how officials are elected, then look to
understand the amount of influence that public opinion holds on each institution.
In the United States, we exist within a republic system of government. By definition, this
means “A republican government is one in which the people—directly or indirectly—are the
ultimate source of authority, electing representatives to make laws that serve their interests and
advance the common good” (Republican Government, n.d.). The United States, therefore, is
known as a constitutional republic. However, it is often confused that the United States is a
democracy, because the term is used often to describe our form of government. But, the main
distinction is that “Power is not found in mere majorities, but in carefully balanced power” (Lee,
2020).
Within this specific form of government, the legislative structure, established by Article 1
of the Constitution, outlines our legislative branch as being composed of the House of
Representative and the Senate. The two together form the United States Congress. The powers
reserved to Congress are as follows: “…the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war,
the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative
powers” (The Legislative Branch, n.d.). The origin of this type of system dates back to the
establishment of the U.S. Constitution. The framers of the document this idea of Congress being
split into two “houses.” In the words of George Mason, one would be the “grand depository of
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the democratic principle of government:” the House of Representatives. The other, proposed by
James Madison, “would be small, deliberative, and independent from the larger, more democratic
house:” the Senate. (United States Senate: Origins and Foundations, n.d.).
When surveying how the Senate has changed since it installment during the
Constitutional Convention in 1787, one would assume that it has adapted to continue to
modernize along with the constantly changing world. But, holding this belief would be incorrect.
Many presidents, members of the House of Representatives, and sometimes even Senate leaders
have become frustrated with the length of the deliberation process, and have sought to change
this in order to meet new challenges. “Yet despite more than 200 years of pressures to change,
the Senate as an institution remains remarkably similar to the body created by the Constitutional
Convention in 1787” (United States Senate: The Idea of the Senate, n.d.). The Senate has
retained all of its original powers that are specifically identified in Article I of the Constitution. It
is has been noted that the role of the Senate in our Constitutional system is as old as the Senate
itself.
In regards to the House of Representatives, the initial number of seats was 391. However,
due to the Apportionment Act of 1911, when President William Howard Taft signed into
legislation an increase in the seats of the house, it has been capped at 435 representatives
(Historical Highlights: The 1911 House Reapportionment, n.d.). This has been consistent except
for a temporary increase during the admission of both Hawaii and Alaska as states in 1959. The
specific number of seats designated to each state is dependent of its population size. Due to the
fact that the number of seats has been stable for over a century, changes in population size do not
in turn increase the total number of seats as a whole, rather than the whole is differently
distributed to accurately reflect the ratio of population to representatives.
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The fundamental core foundation of the United States Congress, both the House of
Representatives and the Senate, has remained consistent. Where the two have continued to
change is in the realm of demographics. For example, Pew Research assessed the change in data
from different demographics. They conducted research examining change in race, sex, sexual
orientation, age, foreign-born, veteran status, college degree holders, and religion.
First, the study concluded that “The 118th Congress is the most racially and ethnically
diverse in history” (Schaeffer, 2023). In regards to sex, the number of women in Congress is at
an all time high, accounting for 28% of all members. Next, in recent years, the number of openly
LGB members of Congress has increased to 13 total members. When discussing age, over the
past few years, the ratio of millennials to gen x, boomers, and the silent generation has increased
as well. Meaning that there is a greater representation from young people than ever before. Next,
the amount of immigrants in Congress is on the rise, but remains lower than historical highs
during the 50th Congress in 1887. Furthermore, the number of members in Congress who have
formally served in the United States Military is among the lowest percentage since World War II.
Interestingly, in 1953, 74% of the Senate, and 62% of the House of Representatives were
veterans, where as today the numbers are as low as 18.4% in the Senate and 17% in the House.
In respects to the lawmakers who hold a college degree, 99% of the Senate, and 94% of the
house hold a bachelors degree level of education. Many of whom hold higher levels of education
such as, graduate and doctorate degrees. Lastly, since the 87th Congress, Christianity remains the
largest religious group throughout, however it is important to note that their percentages have
declined over time as the percentage of other religions such as, Catholicism, Mormonism,
Orthodoxy, and Judaism has increased (Schaeffer, 2023).
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The difference in demographics plays a role in the constantly changing powers shifts in
Congress. Various life experiences dictate the ideologies that each individual holds, and the
strength of having elected officials encourages representation of the people in Congress. In my
opinion the lack of adaptation within the legislative system is because it has proven effective
since its establishment in the 1700’s. Although the system does not appeal to every individual
present in the nation. Through the make-up of our government system, the 435 members of the
House and the 100 Senators, who are each elected by the popular majority, are called to represent
the people. Their goal is to support major values of the populous.
Although the United States Congress can trace its origins to British Parliament, the two
have since evolved into significantly different institutions. In contrast, the United Kingdom is a
constitutional monarchy. By definition, it is “a system of government in which a country is ruled
by a king and queen whose power is limited by a constitution” (Merriam-Webster Collegiate
Dictionary (10th ed.), 1999). Interestingly, the United Kingdom lacks a written constitution, but
rather an unwritten one formed by Acts of Parliament, court judgements and conventions
(Blackburn, 2015). The government is led by the Prime Minister who appoints other ministers.
The monarch does not make an open political decision, but all the decisions are made by the
Parliament and the government.I“The monarch is the head of state. They play a minor role in
governing the country with the Crown remaining the source of the executive power exercised by
the government” (Misachi, 2017). While being the Head of State, the ability to make and pass
legislation resides with the elected Parliament.
Similar to the United States, the United Kingdom functions through a bicameral system.
Rather than it being separated into the House of Representative and the Senate, the U.K.’s two-
houses are known as the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Where the House of
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Commons and the House of Representatives differ is that, the House of Commons is “comprised
primarily of ministers and deputies drawn from the majority party or block” (Peterson, 2005).
Where as the House of Representatives, “exists as a legislative and oversight forum whose policy
preferences may or may not coincide with those of the separately elected government, that is, the
presidency and the rest of the executive branch” (Peterson, 2005). In addition, the individual
members of the United States House have more independence when it comes to influencing the
agenda of the body, which is noted as something much more difficult to do in British Parliament.
Another variation between the two is that in the United States, the House does not have
executive control, something reserved for the President, however in the United Kingdom, the
House of Commons does have a percentage of executive control.
Monarchy is the oldest form of Government in the United Kingdom, but this form of
government origins trace back to early kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England and Scotland in the
10th century (Papagiannopoulou, 2023). It is said to have developed naturally out of the daily
political needs of the English King and his government. Despite its rather unforeseen
development, the British Parliament is one of the oldest continuous representative assemblies in
the world. Over time, the scope of British Parliament’s authority has gradually widened, and a
few changes have been made to become more effective. For example, the House of Lords was
the primary court of appeals for both civil and criminal case, but in 2009, the United Kingdom
established the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to better delegate roles within their
government. To add, in 1971, the Crown Court replaced the multiple individual courts known as
quarter sessions and assizes, all in efforts to better delegate roles and create a more effective and
efficient system.
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As I stated previously, the lack of adaptation within the government legislature of both
the United States and the United Kingdom can be attributed to an ongoingly successful
framework. From my perspective, why change something that has been functional to a practical
extent. I agree that modernizing policies would be beneficial to keep pace with ever changing
world that we live in, however the structure and the fundamental natures of the systems should
remain the same if they are proving useful.
Lastly, we will analyze the election process for each government and address the amount
of influence that public opinion plays on said government.
First, In the United States, officials are elected by the citizens of the nation. At the age of
18, unless convicted of a felony, all American citizens have the right to vote in local, state, and
federal elections. Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution outlines the qualifications for
candidates. For the Senate, you must adhere to the following: at least 30 years of age, 9 years of
citizenship, and a full year of residency in the state. The term for a senator is 6 years, and there is
no-limit on terms. There are two available seats in Congress. Where as, the requirements to be
elected to the House of Representatives are as follows: at least 25 years of age, 7 years of
citizenship, and be a resident of the state. The term is 2 years for the House, and there, like the
Senate, is no-limit on terms. There is a total of 435 seats, however each states number of
representatives is population dependent. The leader of the House is known as the Speaker of the
House, the second successor to the President. However, for the Senate, the leader is the Vice
President. The election process for the Senate occurs every 2 years for 1/3 of the Senators. The
elections are said to be staggered because, “ Framers hoped that staggered elections would bring
stability to the Senate, and in turn, to other branches of the new government” (About the Senate
INSTITUTIONS CASE STUDY 8
& the U.S. Constitution: Senate Classes, n.d.). Versus the House of Representative, which re-
elects members each even year.
In the United Kingdom, the election process works in likeness to that of the United
States. Similarly, any British or Irish qualifying citizen at least 18 years of age, unless otherwise
legally excluded, has the right to vote. There are 650 members of Parliament (MPs) representing
areas called constituencies. In the same way, the U.K., also elects their representatives by favor
of the majority; the candidate with the most votes is elected. “The maximum term of a
Parliament is five years from the day on which it first met” (). Once the 5 year term is reached,
parliament is dissolved, unless done sooner by the King or Queen. 25 days later, a new election
is held. The MPs, much like Congress, have no-limit to the amount of terms that they can serve.
Relating to the United States, according to The Impact of Public Opinion on Public
Policy: A review and an agenda, “public opinion influences policy most of the time” (Burnstein,
2003). The article also emphasizes the idea that responsiveness and salience are a direct
variation, meaning as one increases, the other also increases simultaneously. Burnstein also states
that the public opinion of the polus matters even alongside the “activities of interest
orginizations, political parties, and political and economic elites” (Burnstein, 2003). However, it
is important to understand that public opinion does not form public policy but rather, it restrains
members of government from making unpopular laws. Specifically in the United States, the
separation between interest groups and political parties plays a distinguishing role in the affect
that public opinion has on policy making in Congress. Interest groups try to appeal to the
political parties who then are responsible for the promotion of a representative, in hopes of their
election to a political office. Because the United States is a political republic, in which the
election of officials is determined by the people, the people are going to vote for parties in which
INSTITUTIONS CASE STUDY 9
most closely align with their ideologies. For example, the Christian Coalition of America, a
religious interest group, is more likely to vote for the candidate whose political position includes
things such as, the support for in school prayer, the fight to end Partial Birth Abortion, or efforts
to improve education (About Us, Christian Coalition of America). So their responsibility as an
interest group is to appeal to candidates and political parties in order to have their positions
supported on a larger scale, such as in Congress. Regardless, it is also important to address the
inverse effect that they have on public opinion. The question of “Do interest groups corrupt
government by buying influence” (Interest Groups, Independence Hall Association), has been
posed. Some say that interest groups have a greater influence than an individual, because for a
political party, the most financial support comes from larger businesses and corporations,
therefore they have a stronger connection with the political party and government, then the
common man does. But the reverse of that, is that anyone is able to create or join an interest
group, meaning that everyone has the opportunity for better access to government.
In respect to the United Kingdom, public opinion was analyzed by the Pew Research
Center. When asked the question, “Do elected officials care about ordinary people?” (Wike and
Schumacher, 2020), the United Kingdom voted 70% “no” and 30% “yes.” While not great, they
are twelfth in rank against other nations regarding this topic. However the ration was very
different when asked the question, “Does voting give people like them some say about how the
government runs things?”(Wike and Schumacher, 2020). There is a much higher percentage that
agrees that there vote matters. While it seems that some believe that the government does not
care much for public opinion, but despite that, they believe that there votes hold weight, and
have the power to change things.
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While the two forms of government have various differences, the two are very similar in
nature. It can only be assumed that this is because the United States government was born out of
the one already established in the United States. However, from that, they adapted to a form of
government which is more effective for the nation, and also separated itself from the ill parts of
the British monarchy during that time.
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