Abstract This paper considers the nature of the devolution process in Scotland and Wales, noting that the process means the shift of power from Westminster in London to ruling bodies in Scotland and Wales. It points out that while both regions have moved toward devolution since the shift in power, Scotland has achieved more in this regard because it accepted devolution more fully.
From the Paper "Both the Scottish and Welsh have voted for devolution, a process that is more extensive for Scotland than for Wales. In both cases, though, the process means the shift of power from Westminster in London to ruling bodies in Scotland and Wales. Vince Gardiner and Hugh Matthews state that constitutional reform was called for because of a lack of democracy in these regions, though they also state that "much of this has been elite-driven rather than populist" (Gardiner and Matthews 8), with an exception for Scotland, "where pressure for a devolved Parliament with tax-raising powers was substantially confirmed in a 1997 referendum and the first elections were held in 1999" (Gardiner and Matthews 8)."
Abstract This discusses the devolution of political power in the United Kingdom (UK) including sub-state regionalism. The author explains regional political parties and agendas and their impact of the concept of the nation-state. The paper explains functionalist and neo-functionalist perspectives.
From the Paper "Jonathan Bradbury defined sub-state regionalism as the development of elected and indirectly regional political institutions and further stated that this particular form of state organization and management has ..."
Abstract This paper explains that, since 1997 and the New Labor's landslide victory, there has been a flurry of legislation in the U.K., with reference to the House of Lords, party funding and freedom of information, in an attempt to change and modernize the institutions of the country. The author points out that devolution, which means deputing or delegating of power or authority, is different from federalism, which is a constitutional settlement in which power is not devolved by the center to the periphery (with the center remaining the locus of supreme power), but rather shared between two entities, as is the structure in America, Australia or Germany. The paper concludes that, with devolution, the structure of government in Scotland and Wales and in the U.K. has become more complex as it has created a situation of interdependence rather than a separation of powers.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Definition
The British Constitutional System
The Distinctiveness of Wales and Scotland
The Proto-history of Devolution The Nationalist Parties
The 1960s/early 1970s as Turning Point
The State of the Economy Britain-wide and on the Periphery
A Protest Vote?
The Identity Question
Decolonization of the Nation and Mind
A Critical Assessment of the Foregoing (2-1 to 2-4)
Devolution: First Attempt
Business as Usual?
The Kilbrandon Report
Devolution as a Last Resort, or Labour's Big dilemma
A Divisive Issue
The 1979 Referendum and its Aftermath
The 'Ice Age' (1979-1997)
A Radically New Agenda
Concessions
Playing the Economic Card
The Gap Widens
Devolution no matter what
The Campaign for a Scottish Assembly / Parliament, the Scottish Constitutional Convention and the Campaign for a Welsh Assembly
The European Dimension and the New Nationalism
Limits and Contradictions
The Dream Come True
The Referenda
The Scotland and Wales Acts (1998)
Devolution - A Success?
Conclusion
Devolution: Event or Process?
The End of Britain? The End of Britishness?
What about England?
Secretaries of State for Wales
From the Paper "Incorporation, of course, brought with it an unprecedented measure of administrative uniformity, so much so that Wales can in fact be said to have been the creation of the Henrician union with England. Through it, Wales achieved territorial integrity for the first time in history; indeed, although the Welsh were recognized in the Middle Ages as forming a distinct nation on account of certain key cultural features, they had never inhabited a single polity. All the indications are that the implementation of the program launched by the Cromwellian regime proved unproblematic from the very start."
Abstract This paper looks at the history and the issues concerning the devolution of Scotland from being under the control of the English parliament to having its own ruling body. It examines how Scotland has been part of the United Kingdom since the eighteenth century and by the middle of the twentieth century a new nationalist movement had emerged. It shows how home rule failed to win approval in a 1979 referendum but has gained new support in the early 1990s. It evaluates whether devolution is a precursor to possible separation of the two countries entirely and the effect of devolution on current Scottish legislation.
From the Paper "When the Conservatives were in power, devolution was not on the agenda. Conservative Prime Minister John Major opposed bringing home rule to Scotland and Wales, although it would bring more votes to his party if both countries broke away from the UK. Labor Party leader Tony Blair supported devolution during his campaign, although it might result in lost votes for his party ("Highland Games" 45). With the coming to power of the Labour Party, supporters of regional government started to push for an assembly, seeing the Labor Party as giving support for devolution. In 1995, Jack Straw, the shadow home secretary, published his proposal for regional government. Many saw the plan as too cautious. It suggested that the first step should be "regional chambers" composed of existing councillors from within the region, and any move to create a directly elected assembly would have to be approved by this regional chamber, by parliament, and by a regionwide referendum. This placed numerous obstacles in the way of any further devolution."
Abstract This paper looks at the devolved assemblies of Scotland and Wales and at their relative achievements. It focuses on explaining why devolution has worked well for everyone and should even proceed further. The paper reviews nationalism and the precipitating historical factors which led to the devolution process in both lands. In the end, the paper argues that it is not at all a bad idea to continue the process - especially in Wales which (as of yet) still lacks the sweeping powers bequeathed to the Scottish assembly.
From the Paper "Finally, besides the rather obvious fact that devolution in both Scotland and Wales gives "local" assemblies taxing powers of some significance, the devolutionary process also gives legislative bodies the tools they need to really affect meaningful change. In the case of Scotland, local executive councils, free of interference from Westminster, provide to the general public minutes, background notes, discussion papers and other items that are all part of an ongoing effort to connect the voting citizenry with the decision-makers. In effect, devolution in Scotland has filtered down from the national assembly to the local level, and that has been ultimately good for everyone, with progressive steps being taken in a number of areas ("Local Decision-Making and Public Scrutiny," 2007)."
Abstract Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, along with the principality of Wales. Scotland and England were formerly separate states.
From the Paper "Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, along with the principality of Wales. Scotland and England were formerly separate states. Scotland, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, is governed primarily from Westminster. The secretary of state for Scotland administers government ministries relating to welfare and economy. Scotland is represented in the British Parliament by 72 members. Scotland has a legal system which is separate and different from that of the rest of Great Britain. In it, the High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court, and its civil counterpart is the Court of Session. For the purposes of local government, Scotland was divided into 33 counties until 1975, when they were reorganized into nine administrative regions. Scotland has been part of the United Kingdom since the eighteenth century, but by..."
Abstract The devolution of the Soviet Union and the abandonment of command economies throughout Eastern Europe was one of the most profound developments in the last half of the twentieth century. A dozen years after the 'transition' began the results are still both tentative and mixed. This paper assesses the process with a broad, holistic perspective emphasizing both economic and non-economic factors.
Abstract This paper examines the process of economic and political transformation in Hungary that has occurred since the devolution of the Soviet Union and the collapse of Communism. It assesses transition in terms of governmental change, economic change and social change.
Abstract Since independence, Australia has attempted to maintain standards typical of a Western, liberal democracy that values the quality of life of its work force. The issue of hiring discrimination has become an issue because lifetime employment is becoming more and more rare, and many of Australia's neighbours implicitly condone the mass employment of children in the textiles industry. This paper shows that, according to the Australian Council of Trade Unions, there are no federal laws in Australia prohibiting forced labor, setting a minimum age for employment, or prohibiting forced or bonded labor by children as exist in the United States, Britain, and Canada. Humanitarian organizations fear that increased trade with these countries will lead to a devolution of Australia's treatment of workers, young and old. It is for these reasons that the current unregulated system should be audited according to its effects on the population in terms of employment and income levels by age. This study focuses on the nature of publicly-available, quantitative data reflecting the age and salary of Australia's workers.
From the Paper "Australia maintains wage and income restrictions that are more typical of Europe than North America, which may help to explain its young workforce. 20-24 year olds make an average of between 300 and 700 a week, whereas the range increases for 25-29 year olds, who typically make between 400 and 1500 a week. As salary is often more driven by tenure than by educational attainment in Australia, this provides incentives for workers to get into the workforce early. This is not the case in countries like Germany and the United States, where educational attainment is highly valued."
Abstract This paper begins by exploring the three distinct themes or influences from Darwin that shaped the course of the works, "Dorian Gray", by Oscar Wilde, and "Dracula", by Bram Stoker. First, the theme of ambivalence toward religion is discussed. Next, the paper discusses the theme concerning the overwhelming fear of monsters hidden within our own genetic code. The paper then examines the last theme of degeneration and entropy. In addition, the issue of racism and how it arose from this fear of degeneration is looked at, as well as how the sexual abuse of African women was justified because of these racist views. Furthermore, cannibalism as a form of sexual lust is discussed and related to the notion of devolution. Finally, the paper compares and contrasts how all of these themes are expressed in both novels.
From the Paper "At the fin de siecle, a great confusion settled over the intellectual communities. Darwin's theories of natural selection had radically altered the scope of society and the popular imagination since the Origin of Species was released in 1858. By the end of the century, however, scientific criticism of the theory had combined with an increased popular paranoia regarding its logical (and less than logical) consequences. Specifically, the idea that we had evolved from the animals began to develop into a fear that we might retrace our steps and descend once more into bestiality. Fear of intrinsic degeneration and the beast within was heightened by its symbolic merger with a sort of imperial self-doubt, as the poets and prophets of the era increasingly foresaw coming changes to the British Empire and a waning of national power. The basic foundations of the British world were crumbling, though they still appeared outwardly bulwarked."
Abstract This paper inherently implies that the United Kingdom once had a constitution and that it is questionable whether it continues to do so. It begins with an explanation of what a constitution is and debates its current part in U.K politics today. Evidence is considered from a breadth of sources including the law courts, the European Union, the Blair reforms of devolution and increased use of referenda and theoretical argument from inter alia Dicey, Montesquieu and Madison.
From the Paper "When people talk of a constitution they often misleading refer to the single, codified document that entrenches the "laws, customs and conventions which define the composition and powers of the State and regulate the relationship of various state organs to one and other and the private citizen" . This is misleading, because a constitution need not be codified, nor for that matter written down. The greatest example of the single document mantra is the USA, but arguments that the UK lacks a constitution simply because it lacks a vellum document authoritatively stamped with a seal are rarely taken seriously. ?Many of the laws and rules that describe and regulate Britain's political system are in fact written down."
Abstract This paper examines the role of sex in the lives of four female narrators. For some, sex is a tool with which to gain power. For others, it is a box in which to hand over power. It explains how Bender uses sex to underline the root message in her stories, often turning her characters into modern-day grotesques.
From the Paper "The stories in Bender's The Girl in a Flammable Skirt use everyday situations for their material but twist and turn them into unconventional modern-day grotesques. Sex is a recurring situation in many of these tales. Sometimes, the sexual act functions as an expression of love, as in "The Rememberer." Sometimes, as in "Fell This Girl" it is a vehicle for hatred and power. Bender takes sex and forges it into an action underlining the root message of her story."
Abstract There are numerous constraining factors that burden the process of forming an effective environmental policy in Australia. This paper discusses how clashing values and ideas prevent the formulation and implementation of coherent environmental policy in Australia. It looks at how Australia's over-reliance on a resource-based economy, federalist framework and failing policy processes often converge to create conjecture in the environmental arena. The conclusion is a brief summary, which reflects that the conflict and ambiguity plaguing environmental policy in Australia is the direct result of a confusion of ideas.
From the Paper "A quick review of environmental policy in Australia reveals the extent of confusion surrounding the issue, this confusion can be partially attributed to Australia's dependence on and sometimes exploitation of its natural resources to generate revenue (Eckersley, 1996:89). This utilitarian trend began with European settlement and originated from the developmentalist approach to land management (Walker, 1999:24-5). An approach that fails to recognise the value of nature beyond that which is appropriate for development such as mining, logging and other economically productive practices (Aplin, 1998:173). Developmentalism comes at an immense cost to the environment; large portions of Australia's woodlands and forests have already been destroyed in the relentless pursuit of economic growth. "
Abstract This paper reviews the ongoing public debate in the UK (United Kingdom) on whether or not the UK needs a written constitution. The author explains the advantages and disadvantages. The paper considers other areas of constitutional reform including establishing of an independent judicial.
From the Paper "...an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of a written constitution for the United Kingdom together with conclusions as the whether the United Kingdom should adopt a written constitution. = The current public debate concerning the need or ..."
Abstract This paper is an analysis of the question of whether British and American societies are monolithic. The writer questions whether these societies contain strong regional identities. In this article, the writer looks at Joseph Conforti's book "Imagining New England" and discusses society and culture in the United States. The writer shows that Conforti argues that the United States is not monolithic and that strong regional identities exist in the U.S.
From the Paper "In his book 'Imagining New England' Joseph Conforti offers the following insights about the myth of a monolithic United States and the reality of strong regional identities. In the Introduction to the book Conforti writes 'Regions are not only concrete geographic domains but also conceptual places. Humans define regions they are not geographic entities that define themselves. Regional identity is not simply an organic outcome of human interaction with the physical environment, the geology and climate for example of a particular place. Regions are ...'"
