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Switzerland provides the strongest example of modern democracy at both the local and federal levels. Another example comes from the United States, where, despite being a federal republic where no direct democracy exists at the federal level, the vast majority of the states have either initiatives and/or referendums.

Liberal democracy is a form of government, a political system. A liberal democracy has elections, a multiplicity of political parties, political decisions are made through an independent legislature, and an independent judiciary. A liberal democracy may take the form of a constitutional republic or a constitutional monarchy.

COMPREHENSION

The text states different types of democracy. Match these types with the definitions according to the text.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

A Read the words and guess their meaning. Mind the stress.

BFind in the text the verbs that complete the expressions below. Translate these word combinations into Russian.

……… freedoms; ………. the institutions of democracy;

.……. matters of policy; ……. individual liberty and property; ….…. the right to vote; ….…. in the decision-making process; ……. the form of a constitutional republic.

CComplete these sentences using an appropriate phrase from Exercise B.

1. Some democracies …….…… more ………… than others.

2. Democratic centralism is an organizational method where members of a political party ……… .

3. Defensive democracy is a situation in which a democratic society has to limit some rights in order to ……… .

4. Liberal democracy may …..… or a constitutional monarchy.

5. Totalitarian democracy is a system of government in which citizens, while ……… , have little or no

participation in making decisions.

6.Liberal democracy is a form of democracy aimed at

………by rule of law.

7.Totalitarian democracy does not grant or grants little

………to its citizens.

DFind in the text the equivalents for the following word combinations.

осуществлять; предоставлять свободу; ограничивать права и свободы; принимать решения; большинством голосов; защита свободы и собственности; избранный законным путем; предоставлять право голоса; процесс принятия решений; на местном и федеральном уровне; подавляющее большинство; законодательная власть.

F Make a summary of the text.

UNIT 5

LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

READING PRACTICE

AScan Text 5.1 and answer the questions:

a)What countries are mentioned in the text?

b)What are unitary states?

c)How many levels of government do federal states have?

BRead the text and match the questions below (1-5) with the paragraphs in the text.

1. What constitution do federal states require?

2. In what way can states with two levels o government be distinguished?

3. How many levels of government are there in all modern states?

4. What states are called unitary?

5. What jurisdiction do regional governments possess?

5.1 Unitary, Federal, and Regionalist Systems

No modern state can govern a country only from a central point. In all modern states there are at least two levels of government: the central government and the local governments. But in a number of states between the two levels there exists still a third one consisting of governments that take care of the interests of, and rule over, more or less large regions.

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The distribution of powers among different levels of government is an important aspect of the constitutional organization of a state. States with two levels of government can be distinguished on account of the greater or lesser autonomy they grant to the local level. Great Britain’s respect for local selfgovernment has always been a characteristic of its constitution. France, instead, at least until recently, used to keep under strict central control its local authorities. In states with three levels of government the distribution of powers among the central and the intermediate governments varies. States formed through the union of formerly independent states usually maintain considerable legislative, executive and judicial power at the intermediate level: the United States and Switzerland fall into this category. However, other states with three levels o government grant few powers to the intermediate level.

States with two levels of government are called unitary, with three levels of the first category-federal, and with three levels of the second type-decentralized or “regionalist”. A great majority of the world’s nation-states are unitary systems, including Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Japan, Poland, the Scandinavian countries.

The model ‘federal state’ requires the existence, at the national level, of rigid constitution guaranteeing not only independence of the several intermediate governments but also the amplitude of their legislative, executive, and judicial powers. The national constitution must delegate to the central government only enumerated powers; the remaining powers are reserved to the intermediate governments.

Regionalist states are also based, as a rule, on written rigid constitutions granting some limited legislative and administrative powers to the intermediate or regional governments. But because regional governments possess jurisdiction only over enumerated matters, their actual role and political weight within the system largely depend on the will of the central government.

COMPREHENSION

Match the sentence beginnings (1-7) to the correct endings (a-g).

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1.All modern states have …………………………..……….……

2.States with two levels of government ………….…….………..

3.States with two levels of government …………..……………..

4.Some states with three levels of government ………….……...

5.The model ‘federal state’ …………………………..………….

6.Regionalist states are also based on ……………………..…….

7.The role of regional governments largely depends on …….….

a)…………………………………………….. are called unitary.

b)………………….. requires the existence of rigid constitution.

c)……………………………. at least two levels of government.

d)………………….. grant few powers to the intermediate level.

e)…………………………………………….. rigid constitution.

f)……………………………….. the will of central government.

g)………….. grant greater or lesser autonomy to the local level.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

A Read the words and guess their meaning. Mind the stress.

BMatch the English and Russian equivalents.

1.to take care of smb а) предоставлять независимость

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CComplete these sentences using an appropriate phrase from Exercise B.

1.In some countries between the two levels of government there exist ……… .

2.The intermediate level of government ……… the interests of more or less large regions.

3.States with two levels of government ……… greater or lesser…to the local level.

4.In states with three levels of government ……….. varies.

5.Some states with three levels of government ……… few

……… to the intermediate level.

6.The model ‘federal state’ requires the existence of …….. .

7.Regional governments ……… only over enumerated matters.

DWhich of the phrases below do not associate with levels of government?

to govern a country; unitary states; central government; local educational authorities; a rigid constitution; to grant autonomy; civil service; intermediate governments; a системlimited legislative power; limited resources; distribution of powers.

ELearn the active vocabulary.

DISCUSSION

Speak about the levels of government in Belarus.

AScan Text 5.2 and answer the questions:

a)What countries are mentioned in the text?

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b) What are the most important functions of city government?

BRead the text. Mark the statements True or False according to the information in the text. Justify your answer by reference to the text.

1.Cities do not provide museums, parks, and other cultural facilities.

2.One of the important functions of government activities is city planning.

3.Governments of modern cities form a larger constitutional regime.

4.Public utility services are provided only by a city government.

5.In federal constitutions city government falls within the jurisdiction of the state government.

6.Counties and districts in Britain perform separate functions.

7.The municipalities in Japan have the same structure and legal status.

5.2 City Government

City government is a system of governmental institutions that serve an urban area. Modern cities are almost always contained within the boundaries of modern states, and their governments form parts of a larger constitutional regime that usually includes state or provincial governments and a national government.

A city government’s most important functions are to provide law enforcement and fire prevention; elementary and secondary education; water supply, sewage and refuse collection and disposal; construction, maintenance, and lighting of the streets; regulation of building safety and housing standards; the provision of public housing; various welfare services for the needy; health protection; and environmental services. Cities also provide museums, parks, play grounds and other cultural and recreation facilities. Publicutility services that supply water, electricity, gas, and public transport may be provided by a city government or by commercial companies that are closely regulated by the government.

BChoose the best alternative to compete these sentences.

1.City government supplies / serves an urban area.

2.One of the functions of city government is to provide / maintain cultural and recreation activities.

3.City planning consists of / involves the coordination of all government activities.

4.In federal constitutions city government falls / keeps within the jurisdiction of the state or provincial government.

5.In Britain, locally elected councils perform / provide separate functions.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

A Read the words and guess their meaning. Mind the stress.

BGive forms derived from these verbs.

serve, form, provide, collect, protect, achieve, exist, create, elect, perform, possess, appoint.

CComplete these sentences. Use the correct form of the words from Exercise B.

1.After World War II, a radical reform of local government took place directed towards ……… of political democracy in Japan.

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2.The new constitution provided that local authorities should ……… by popular vote.

3.In heavily populated areas in Britain ……… of certain services falls upon more powerful metropolitan district authorities.

4.The city-manager system typically consists of a small elected council that decides the budget and ……… a manager.

5.The services now ……… by city governments are different in nature and wider in scope than in the past.

6.Municipal, or city, governments are responsible for delivering most ……… .

DFind in the text the equivalents for the following word combinations.

обеспечивать соблюдение законности; водоснабжение; коммунальные услуги; достигать цели; плотность населения; подпадать под юрисдикцию; большое разнообразие; двухуровневая система; как…так и…; выполнять функции; отвечать за; заниматься торговлей; осуществлять руководство.

ELearn the active vocabulary.

F Make a summary of the text.

UNIT 6

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

READING PRACTICE

A Scan Text 6.1 and answer the questions: