СТРАНОВЕДЕНИЕ

1. What are the subnational entities of the U.K.? What are the historical reasons for such division?

The United Kingdom is divided into four entities: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This structure was formed by the political union between the former sovereign states: the Kingdom of England which included the conquered principality of Wales and the Kingdom of Scotland by the Acts of Union 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. The independence of the Irish Free State in 1922, and the partition of Ireland resulted in the current United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

2. Why are Scotland and Northern Ireland regarded as separate subnational units?

Scotland and Northern Ireland are regarded as separate subnational units, because they have a separate legal system. Scotland has a legislature, the Scottish Parliament with a government and the Scottish Executive. Northern Ireland’s legal system descends from the pre-1921 Irish system. It is based on common law. Northern Ireland is a district jurisdiction separate from England and Wales and Scotland.

3. What counties are called ceremonial? Why?

England is divided into areas known as ceremonial or geographic counties. These counties are sometimes used by people when describing where they live In England. However, many are not used as local government areas themselves because many are too large or include large urban areas. They are taken into consideration, for example, when drawing up parliamentary constituency boundaries.

4. What is the difference between metropolitan and shire counties? What is a unitary authority?

There are six metropolitan counties with the population from 12 to 28 mln people, divided into metropolitan boroughs which cover large urban areas outside London. (Greater Manchester, Merseyside South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, West Yorkshire)

The shire counties are legally known as non-metropolitan counties. 34 counties are subdivided into metropolitan districts and cover much of the country, though mainly the rural areas.

Unitary authorities are single-tier structures which perform the functions of both county and district councils. They are defined either as counties consisting of a single district or districts or a county, such as Berkshire that has no county council.

5. What are the administrative units in Scotland?

Scotland has a legislature, the Scottish Parliament with a government and the Scottish Executive. Below the national level Scotland has 32 council areas which are unitary authorities. Below this uniform level of subdivision there is a varying level of area committees in the larger rural council areas and many small community councils throughout the country, although these are not universal. Scottish community councils have fewer powers than English parish councils or Welsh community councils.

6. What is so peculiar about geographical and administrative division of Northern Ireland?

At present Northern Ireland has the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive established under the Good Friday Agreement. When the devolved institutions were suspended, executive government in Northern Ireland was administered directly by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and laws made in the United Kingdom Parliament, known as direct rule in contrast to devolution.

There used to be 52 counties which are no longer used for local government purposes. Instead there are 26 districts which are unitary authorities. They have different geographical extents even in the case of those named after the counties from which they derive their name.

7. What is the system of government in the USA?

The United States is a representative democracy. All government power rests ultimately with the people, who direct policies by voting for government representatives. The principle of limited government is basic to the Constitution. Many Americans feared that government power could become concentrated in the hands of a few. Several features were created to guard against this possibility: 1) the federal organization of government; 2) the separation of powers among dif­ferent branches of government; and 3) a system of checks and balances to restrict the powers of each branch.

In the United States, each branch has a separate function.

The function of the legislative branch is to make laws. The legislative branch is made up of representatives elected to Congress. Congress is comprised of two groups, called houses: the House of Representatives (the House) and the Senate.

Lawmakers from all of the states are elected to serve in the House of Representatives. The number of representatives each state sends to the House depends upon the number of districts in each state. Each district chooses one representative. The number of districts in each state is determined by popula­tion.

The Senate is the smaller of the two bodies. Each state, regardless of population, has two senators.

Each house of Congress is engaged in making laws, and each may initiate legislation. A law first begins as a "bill." Once a bill is introduced, it is sent to the appropriate committee. When a bill is in committee, members study it and then send it to the Senate or House chamber where it was first introduced. The Senate may reject a bill proposed in the House of Representatives or add amendments. Then the bill is sent to the president for his signature. At this point, the bill becomes a law.

The executive branch of government is responsible for administering the laws passed by Congress. The president of the United States presides over the executive branch. The president appoints secretaries of the major departments that make up the president's cabinet, he represents the country abroad, entertains foreign leaders, and addresses the public, he appoints foreign ambassadors and makes treaties with other nations.

In the United States, the president and legislature are elected separately, housed separately, and they operate separately. This division is a unique feature of the American system.

The third branch of government is the judicial branch, which is headed by the Supreme Court. Under the Supreme Court, there are many state and federal courts. An important function of the judicial branch is to determine whether laws of Congress or actions of the president violate the Consti­tution.

8. What is the difference between a commonwealth and a state?

At the Declaration of Independence the United States consisted of 13 states, former colonies of the United Kingdom. In the following years the number of states has grown steadily due to expansion to the west, conquest and purchase of lands by the American government and division of existing states to the current number of 50 United States.

Four of the states bear the formal title of commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In these cases commonwealth is merely a historically based name and has no legal effect. Somewhat confusingly two U.S. territories Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas are also referred to as commonwealths. They do have a legal status different from the states and both are unincorporated territories.

9. How can the economic role of the government of the uk be defined?

The UK has a mixed economy and so, as a result, government regulate economy by some activities. It does control the economic performance. Broadly speaking political choices made by electorates influence government to perform four functions.

The first is production of services which private are either unwilling to produce or for some reason are not allowed to produce. (For example, the government funds the construction of interstate highways, vaccination programs, schools etc)

The second function is the allocation of resources. This aim will be reflected in the choice of taxes levied on goods and services.

The third function is to intervene in the distribution of income generated by private market transactions in order to conform with some acceptable criterion of equity, for example, minimum income guarantee.

The fourth function is the stabilization of the economy by attempting to reduce fluctuations, unemployment and prevent thefts and frauds.

10. What are the economic functions performed by the government in the uk?

The UK has a mixed economy and so, as a result, government regulate economy by some activities. It does control the economic performance. Broadly speaking political choices made by electorates influence government to perform four functions.

The first is production of services which private are either unwilling to produce or for some reason are not allowed to produce. (For example, the government funds the construction of interstate highways, vaccination programs, schools etc)

The second function is the allocation of resources. This aim will be reflected in the choice of taxes levied on goods and services.

The third function is to intervene in the distribution of income generated by private market transactions in order to conform with some acceptable criterion of equity, for example, minimum income guarantee.

The fourth function is the stabilization of the economy by attempting to reduce fluctuations, unemployment and prevent thefts and frauds.

11. How does the US government participate in economic activity?

Although the market system in the United States relies on private ownership and decentralized decision-making by households and privately owned businesses, the government does perform important economic functions.

The government passes and enforces laws to protect the property rights of individuals and businesses. It restricts economic activities that are considered unfair or socially unacceptable.

In addition, government programs regulate safety in products and in the workplace and provide public assistance to some members of society coping with economic hardship.

There are some products that must be provided to households and firms by the government, because they cannot be produced profitably by private firms. For example, the government funds the construction of interstate highways, vaccination programs, and schools.

Other kinds of goods are produced and consumed in private markets, but the government attempts to decrease the amount of these products. They are alcohol, tobacco, drugs.

What is more, the government makes it possible for markets to function more efficiently by clearly defining and enforcing people’s property or ownership rights to resources and by providing stable currency and a central banking system.

12. What is the role of the government in production and distribution of certain goods and services?

The government has a large and important role to play in adjusting some production patterns in the U.S. economy. There are some products that must be provided to households and firms by the government, because they cannot be produced profitably by private firms. For example, the government funds the construction of interstate highways, vaccination programs, and schools.

Other kinds of goods are produced and consumed in private markets, but the government attempts to decrease the amount of these products. They are alcohol, tobacco, drugs.

13. What is the role of the Federal Reserve System?

Federal Reserve System is a central banking system in the U.S. Its primary purpose is to regulate the flow of money and credit in the country. The Federal Reserve was established in 1913 to maintain a sound and stable banking system throughout the United States and to promote a strong economy.

The Federal Reserve System has several functions. First, it serves as a bank for banks: many transactions between banks are processed through the Federal Reserve System. Second, the Federal Reserve System acts as the government's bank. The tax system processes incoming and outgoing payments through a Federal Reserve checking account. The Federal Reserve also buys and sells government securities. The Fed even issues the U.S. currency, although the actual production of the currency is handled elsewhere. Third, the Federal Reserve System acts as a regulatory agency. The Fed polices the banking industry to make sure that things run smoothly and that the rights of consumers are protected. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve System is meant to be a primary resource during a banking panic or financial crisis.