A Level -Comparing Civil Rights - Theoretical Approaches

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Comparing US and UK Civil Rights

This study guide summarizes the provided text, focusing on three theoretical approaches to understanding the similarities and differences in civil rights between the US and UK.

I. Theoretical Approaches:

We will analyze US and UK civil rights using three lenses: structural, rational, and cultural. (Refer to Chapter 12 for detailed explanations of each theory).

II. Structural Theory: The Role of Political Institutions:

This approach emphasizes the impact of institutional differences on civil rights.

• Constitutional Differences: The US has an entrenched constitution, providing stronger protection for civil liberties than the UK's flexible constitution. The US Constitution holds ultimate sovereignty, with the Supreme Court playing a crucial role in defining civil rights. In contrast, the UK Parliament is sovereign, ultimately determining citizens' rights.
• Campaign Finance: The US has significantly more lenient campaign finance rules, leading to greater influence of pressure groups on elected officials compared to the UK.

III. Rational Theory: The Role of Individuals Acting Out of Self-Interest:

This theory highlights the actions of individuals in shaping civil rights.

• Individual Sparks: Landmark cases often stem from individual infringements of rights (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade).
• Leadership: The US civil rights movement benefited from powerful leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., a figure lacking in comparable stature in post-war UK movements.
• Political Choices: Both US and UK politicians have played key roles, sometimes expanding (e.g., Kennedy, Johnson, 1967 UK Abortion Act) and sometimes restricting (e.g., Bush, Blair, Trump) civil liberties.

IV. Cultural Theory: The Role of Shared Ideas and Culture:

This perspective emphasizes the influence of shared beliefs and cultural values on civil rights.

• Shared Values: Both nations value individual liberty (reflected in the US Bill of Rights and UK Human Rights Act) and the rule of law. A culture of pluralism allows for advocacy by pressure groups.
• Cultural Differences: The US exhibits greater suspicion of government control (e.g., larger anti-lockdown protests). Far-right groups pose threats in both countries, but the scale is arguably larger in the US, culminating in events like the January 6th Capitol insurrection.
• Religion: The more prominent role of religion in US culture makes issues with religious implications (e.g., abortion) more contentious. Conservative religious groups in both countries often oppose liberal policies on same-sex relationships and abortion.
• Social Issues: Both US and UK cultures present challenges for women and minority groups, though with variations. Misogyny, racism, microaggressions, homophobia, and transphobia persist (e.g., "bathroom wars" in the US, J.K. Rowling controversy in the UK).

V. Key Differences Summarized:

Feature	USA	UK
Constitution	Entrenched, Supreme Court power	Flexible, Parliament sovereign
Campaign Finance	More lenient, greater pressure group influence	More regulated, less pressure group influence
Leadership	Strong figures (e.g., MLK)	Less prominent national figures
Religious Role	More prominent, greater influence on policy	Less prominent, less influence on policy
Government Trust	Generally lower	Generally higher
Extreme Groups	More significant threat, larger scale violence	Significant threat, smaller scale violence