Busy, busy week ahead learning about Europe! Our Standards, An Explanation of Depth, and the Curriculum Materials I Will Be Using SS6CG5 The student will explain the structure of modern European governments. a.Compare the parliamentary system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), the federal system of the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany), and the federation of the Russian Federation (Russia), distinguishing the form of leadership and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms. When one compares the listed governments, only the type of leadership and the roles the citizen are assessable. In identifying the type of leadership, students should know the type of leader (monarch, president, prime minister, etc.) and how this person becomes the country’s leader. To identify the role of the citizen, students should determine what role the citizen actually plays in the government. For personal freedoms, students should understand those freedoms in terms of such things as freedom of speech and freedom of the press as understood in the United States The United Kingdom has a parliamentary system. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Germany is a federal republic. A federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Russia is a federation. A federation (federal) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. b. Describe the purpose of the European Union and the relationship between member nations. Students should have a basic understanding of what led to the creation of the EU. Describe the purpose of the EU and the role of the Euro. Explain the impact removing tariffs and lifting border controls has on a country’s economy. Describe the relationship between member nations. SS6E5 The student will analyze different economic systems. c. Compare the basic types of economic systems found in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia. Students should also be able to explain from their answers the basic questions of economics and approximately where on the continuum between pure market and pure command each economy falls. They should also be able to explain why the country is in that position on the continuum. United Kingdom (1) What to produce? The UK, similar to the US, is largely a service based economy but also has an extremely efficient agricultural sector. (2) How to produce? Industries have much freedom in the UK. There have been recent moves to partially-nationalize certain industries like banking. (3) For whom to produce? The private sector produces goods and services for domestic and international markets based on the market price system. Place on the continuum: The UK would be far to the market side of center on the continuum. Germany (1) What to produce? Germany is primarily an export-based economy focusing on manufacturing and commodities. (2) How to produce? German businesses are largely privately owned and independent. There are increasing amounts of government involvement in the financial sectors. There is also still an issue with updating the Eastern German economy to compete and operate on par with Western Germany. (3) For whom to produce? Germany survives largely based on their exports, which are determined by global markets. Western Germany still transfers billions of dollars to Eastern German states to help modernize and update factories and production lines. Place on the continuum: Germany would fall to the market side of the continuum, but fairly far away from the United Kingdom (back towards command). Russia (1) What to produce? The Russian government is still largely involved with many aspects of the economy and must approve any investment larger than 50 million rubles. (2) How to produce? Making large scale production changes in Russia is difficult due to the immense bureaucracy. There is a movement towards modernizing factories and agricultural equipment, but it is slow. (3) For whom to produce? Perhaps surprisingly, Russia has fairly low to moderate tax rates. Increasingly Russia is trying to allow for market interaction, but high tariffs and minimal protection of private property make this difficult. Place on the continuum: Russia is practically in the dead center of the continuum.
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April 2015
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