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Political Parties in the UK and in the USA
The main parties in the UK are the Conservative party (right wing), the Labour party (left wing) and the Liberal Democrats (centre).
The Conservative party was the party that supported Church and King. The Conservative party believes in free enterprise and the importance of a capitalist economy, with private ownership preferred to state control.
The Labour party believes that private ownership and enterprise should be allowed to flourish, but not at the expense of their traditional support of the public services. This party was formed in 1900 to represent labour in Parliament.
There has been a Liberal party in Great Britain since 1868 when the name was adopted by the Whig party. The Whig party was created after the revolution of 1688 and aimed to subordinate the power of the Crown to that of Parliament and the upper classes. In 1981 a second centre party was created by 24 Labour MPs. It was called the Social Democratic party. The Liberal Democrats believe that the state should have some control over the economy, but there should be individual ownership.
There are other political parties in the UK. The Green party offers economic and industrial policies that relate to the environment. The Scottish Nationalist Party wants independence for Scotland within the European Community.
In the USA there are two leading parties – the Democrats and the Republicans. There are other parties besides these two. Among these are Communist party and several Socialist parties. Minor parties do not play a role in national politics.
Sometimes, the Democrats are thought of as associated with labour and the Republicans with business and industry. Democrats tend to favour a more active role of the central government in social matters. To distinguish between the parties is often difficult. The traditional European terms of «right» and «left» or «conservative» and «liberal» do not quite fit the American system. Democrats or Republicans, Representatives or Senators are not bound to a party programme.
In the US, parties cannot win the seats, both Representatives and Senators are elected to serve the interests of the people and the areas they represent.
New words:
- to originate — происходить (возникать);
- enterprise — предпринимательство;
- private ownership — частная собственность;
- to be looked on — рассматриваться;
- foundation — основание, создание;
- at the expense of — за счет (кого-то, чего-то);
- to flourish — процветать;
- to adopt — принимать, утверждать;
- to vote — голосовать;
- to elect — избирать;
- to distinguish — различать;
- to fit — подходить, соответствовать;
- to be bound — быть привязанным, следовать.
Questions to the text:
1. What are the main political parties in the UK?
2. How did the Conservative party originate?
3. What does the Conservative party believe in?
4. When was the Labour party formed?
5. What does the Labour party believe in?
6. How was the Liberal party formed?
7. What other parties in the UK do you know?
8. What are the two leading parties in the USA?
9. What political priorities do the main political parties in the USA have?
10. Are Representatives or Senators in the USA bound to a party programme?
Exercise 2. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
1. The Conservatives are the party that supports Church and King.
2. In 1899 the Trade Union Congress summoned a special conference to make plans to represent labour in Parliament.
3. The Liberal Democrats believe that the state should control the economy.
4. In the USA people can simply declare themselves to be members of one of the two major parties when they register to vote in a district.
5. An American Democrat from one part of the country could be very «liberal», and one from another part, quite «conservative».
6. In the USA parties cannot win seats which they are then free to fill with the members they have chosen.
7. Both Representatives and Senators are elected to serve the interests of the people.
8. In 70% of legislative decisions US Congressmen will vote with the specific wishes of their people even if this goes against the decisions of their own parties.
9. The USA minor parties sometimes win offices at lower level of government.
10. In Russia the representatives of all main parties have seats in State Duma.
Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps with the words given below, translate the text into Russian: election campaign, to vote, to support, polling day, ballot box, to predict, opinion poll, polling station, candidate
Elections
People sometimes try to ______ the result of an election weeks before it takes place. Several hundred people are asked which party they prefer, and their answers are used to guess the result of the coming election. This is called an ______ . Meanwhile each party conducts its _______ with meetings, speeches, television commercials, and party members going from door to door encouraging people to _______ their party. In Britain everyone over 18 is eligible to _______ . The place where people go to vote in an election is called a _______ and the day of the election is often known as _______ . The voters put their votes in a _______ and later they are counted. The _______ with the most votes is then declared the winner.
Exercise 4. Work in pairs and discuss the following questions:
1. What are the origins of the main political parties in Great Britain?
2. What is the difference between the two major parties in the USA?
3. What do you know about main political parties in Russia?
Exercise 5. Translate from Russian into English:
1. Ведущей политической партией в Российской Федерации является «Единая Россия».
2. Представители партии «Единая Россия» получили большинство голосов на выборах в Государственную Думу в декабре 2011 года.
3. Приоритеты программы партии «Единая Россия» отражают интересы большинства населения.
4. Представители Консервативной партии Великобритании в своей программе на выборах 1987 года призывали к сокращению налогов.
5. Представители Лейбористской партии Великобритании в программе на выборах 1987 года призывали поднять налоги для финансирования проектов по сокращению безработицы (unemployment).
6. В области образования консерваторы призывают к созданию новых учебных планов (syllabus), введению новых экзаменов и тестов.
7. Лейбористы видят необходимость увеличения расходов на оборудование, сокращения наполняемости классов, предоставления учителям права участвовать в забастовках (to strike) в сфере развития образования.
8. Республиканцы в США выступают против влияния федерального правительства на некоторые сферы общественной жизни.
9. Демократы в США считают, что федеральное правительство должно играть более активную роль в общественных делах.
10. В целом, политические платформы демократов и республиканцев в США практически похожи.