A Level Politics Help

[Stoo82]

I say the same about a governement. The Democratic idea of a Head of State, because all countrys have them is to keep the government in check and to stop government undermineing democracy.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

On Radio 4, Mark Steel argued that the monarchy should be decided by a weekly national lottery here

Some interesting points.

 

[Wozza]

I got an A-Level in Government and Political Studies despite attending just two lectures (gave up on evening course but had already paid for exam so did it anyway). Didn't even see a syllabus.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

PS And the Huguenots were let in after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes - something that's in James' favour. My ancestors were some of the people who came over from France and settled in Sussex.

Where they glassblowers by any chance? Reason for asking is that the Huguenots set up an industry in Sussex when they arrived from France and one of the last - John le Carrie - is buried in our local churchyard in Alfold.

 

[Gwylan]

Where they glassblowers by any chance? Reason for asking is that the Huguenots set up an industry in Sussex when they arrived from France and one of the last - John le Carrie - is buried in our local churchyard in Alfold.

Don't think so. Our family ended up in Amberley but there's a bit of a gap between them leaving France and ending up in Sussex - somewhere along the line the name got anglicised and we have no idea when this happened.

 

[bhaexpress]

Keep them, they're good for the tourist trade. However, do away with the Civil List, let them live off their earnings.

 

[strings]

I have to agree with the general sentiments on here. Get rid of the 'civil list' hangers on, but keep the Royal family. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of a president type character.

Interestingly, I had never thought about the 'tourism income' of the royal family until I read this thread.

 

[Dandyman]

Don't think so. Our family ended up in Amberley but there's a bit of a gap between them leaving France and ending up in Sussex - somewhere along the line the name got anglicised and we have no idea when this happened.

Hugenots made a major contribution to the British textile industry. Courtlaud, Dormeuil, etc - would that include any of your family?

 

[bigc]

I have to agree with the general sentiments on here. Get rid of the 'civil list' hangers on, but keep the Royal family. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of a president type character.

Interestingly, I had never thought about the 'tourism income' of the royal family until I read this thread.

Surely we could save money and get someone to dress up as them?

It works for the tourists at Hampton Court with Henry VIII...

 

[Gwylan]

Hugenots made a major contribution to the British textile industry. Courtlaud, Dormeuil, etc - would that include any of your family?

If it did, we haven't seen any of the money

 

[coventrygull]

I say the same about a governement. The Democratic idea of a Head of State, because all countrys have them is to keep the government in check and to stop government undermineing democracy.

Wasn't there a civil war in Algeria after the miltary didn't like the outcome of an election? The monarchy would only step in if they saw their position threatened

 

[User removed 4]

Whilst we're on the subject of saving public money, I was reading that £87 million a year is spent privately educating the children of the Military top brass.

Can anyone else confirm that and explain why ... ?

Its not just the top brass, its a subsidy open to all ranks though i suspect you'd only be able to afford it as an officer or c/sgt and above, its because you move to a different place every three years or so in the armed forces , some people prefer some continuity in their childrens education, considering some of the things we spend public money on i would say this is money well spent, wouldnt you agree ?

 

[drew]

Well, personally I am happy to keep the monarchy as in reality they have no political power. They perform ceremonial duties and, at the end of the day, don't cost us a penny. Income from the Crown Estates last year was £230m which goes straight into the treasury who then cough up about £40m for the civil list.

The monarch provides our country with heritage which the likes of the USA can only dream about. It also means that you cannot buy your way into the position of Head of State as they do in the US. The Queen isn't perfect (and Charles less so) but they are streets ahead of the likes of GW.

 

[drew]

Keep them, they're good for the tourist trade. However, do away with the Civil List, let them live off their earnings.

Good idea, rip up the Civil List agreement. The monarchy then gets the income from the crown estates and we lose out to the tune of about £190m a year.

 

[coventrygull]

Well, personally I am happy to keep the monarchy as in reality they have no political power. They perform ceremonial duties and, at the end of the day, don't cost us a penny. Income from the Crown Estates last year was £230m which goes straight into the treasury who then cough up about £40m for the civil list.

The monarch provides our country with heritage which the likes of the USA can only dream about. It also means that you cannot buy your way into the position of Head of State as they do in the US. The Queen isn't perfect (and Charles less so) but they are streets ahead of the likes of GW.

Where did the crown estates come from? Stolen from the peasants.

 

[User removed 4]

Where did the crown estates come from? Stolen from the peasants.

beat me to it !

 

[Highfields Seagull]

The monarchy is contrary to any aspiration we might have as a society to be a meritocracy.

 

[drew]

Where did the crown estates come from? Stolen from the peasants.

Not a very good arguement otherwise you sink to the level where all property ownership is theft. Who gave the land to the peasants in the first place? Who decided who had the nice bit of land next to the river and who ended up with the shitty scrubland.

 

[skipper734]

In The beginning nobody owned the land. In a tribe you need a leader, so a chief was elected or he was the biggest bloke.
Tribes amalgamated, so the chiefs fought amongst themselves to see who would come out on top. He was called the King and owned all the land, some of which he gave away to the chiefs who had helped him become King.
So the land was slowly given away initially by the King, but inherited and divided up and inherited again and again. Till we get to the situation where the peasants owned no land and never had, but the King kept a little bit for himself.
So how was it stolen from the peasants?

 

[drew]

The monarchy is contrary to any aspiration we might have as a society to be a meritocracy.

Can you give me an example of either a successful meritocracy or one that comes close (and doesn't involve power purchased by wealth)?