Compare and contrast the British and American political systems Essay

Compare and contrast the British and American political systems - Essay Example The best ways are by comparing different political systems of societies from different geographical locations. Since the traditional and cultural values of each society are different, the thinking and the way of life would be very different if compared to one another. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) Therefore, a political system to one society is likely to be different if compared to another. At the same time, western society might be unfamiliar to the ways of the eastern society and vice-versa. Sometimes as time passes, there develops new theories of new political systems by great thinkers. So we see one political system being changed to another. (Harman, 2003, 99-105) This proves that it's impossible to take just one time frame as different political systems developed at different time lines. In each society they have adopted to a mutual understanding of what's right and what's wrong. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) For example: Howard Becker suggests "social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders." (Harman, 2003, 99-102) Therefore at times, we see revolutions that bring about a whole new political system, even though sometimes althea promises that was to come with the new system vanishes somewhere. Politics cannot be pinned down to a single aspect of life, it occurs throughout society, it involves every aspect of our lives, but it is especially concentrated in the modern nation state. It is the nation state that "establishes sovereign jurisdiction within defined boundaries...the state commands ultimate power in that it stands above all other associations and groups in society; it's laws demand the compliance of all those who live within its boundaries." (McWhi rter, 1994, 36-42) In politics there is a phrase that says, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. What it means is that everyone who comes by political power becomes corrupted morally from the opportunities that this power brings with it. This really applies to most people since they shape their morality in line with social pressure. In other words, at first they are scared of society's disapproval and punishment and therefore avoid immorality, however, when power makes them strong, it decreases social pressure and as a result they become corrupted. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) Religion is undoubtfully a big influence in society but it has declined in countries like the US and UK in the past century. Capitalism is thought to be behind the reason for the decline in organised religion in the US and UK. Each of the three political systems noted above is a type of democracy. The exact nature of that democracy can vary considerably however. In 1996 an estimated 117 countries were on record as being democracies (Sussman 1996, 118-125). Even in countries as similar as the United States and Great Britain this is often the case. The way the United States views representative democracy varies in some ways from the way this concept is viewed in the United Kingdom. This variance is obvious in numerous aspects of government, especially in terms of overall governmental structure. Democracy is indeed a grand and glorious concept,