Elsewhereonthiswebsite,IhaveoutlinedtheAmericanpoliticalsystemandtheBritishpoliticalsystem.Assomeonewhoisintenselyinterestedinpoliticsgenerally,andBritishandAmericanpoliticsmostespecially,IamfascinatedbysomeofthedifferencesbetweenthepoliticalscenesonthetwosidesoftheAtlantic.Inevitably,I'moversimplifyingsomewhat,butthefollowingdifferencesstrikemeasinstructive:

　　1.Perhapsthemostfundamentaldifferenceistheconstitution-orthelackofone.TheUnitedStateshasawrittenconstitutionwhichisverydifficulttochange.TheUKdoesnothaveasingledocumentcalledtheconstitutionbutinsteaditsconstitutionalprovisionsarescatteredovervariousActsofParliament,anyofwhichcanbechangedbyasimplemajorityintheParliament.

　　2.IntheUnitedStates,theflagholdsspecialplaceinthepoliticalheartofthenationandpeoplesingtoit.InBritaintheflagisrarelyprominentatpoliticalevents.

　　3.IntheUSA,bluesignifiesstatesheldbytheDemocraticParty,themoreleft-wing.IntheUK,blueidentifiestheConservativeParty,themoreright-wing.

　　4.IntheUSA,redsignifiesstatesheldbytheRepublicanParty,themoreright-wing.IntheUK,redidentifiestheLabourParty,themoreleft-wing.

　　5.IntheUnitedStates,theDemocraticandRepublicanPartiesabsolutelydominatefederalandstateelectionswithindependentssecuringonlysmallproportionsofthevote.IntheUnitedKingdom,thetwomainpoliticalparties-ConservativeandLabour-winasmalleranddecliningshareofthetotalvote,withagrowingsharebeingtakenbythelikesoftheLiberalPartyandtheUKIndependencePartyatnationallevelandbythelikesoftheScottishandWelshNationalistPartiesatthedevolvedlevel.

　　6.InAmerica,theterm'conservative'meansreallyright-wing,especiallyonsocialissues.InBritainthename'Conservative'meansmainstreamright-wing,especiallyoneconomicissues.

　　7.InAmerica,theterm'liberal'generallymeansquiteleft-wing.InBritain,thename'Liberal'meansbroadlycentrist.

　　8.IntheStates,itisconsiderednecessaryforapoliticiantoemphasizetheirpatriotism.InBritain,itisassumedthatanyonewhowantstorunfornationalofficecaresforhisorhercountry.

　　9.IntheStates,virtuallyeverypoliticalspeechseemstomentionGod,especiallyinthefinalcall"GodblessAmerica".InBritain,nopoliticianmentionsGodandnonewouldthinkofinvitingHimtoshowaspecialpreferenceforhisorhernationstate.

　　10.IntheUS,politiciansfrequentlyrefertotheirpositiononsocialissueslikeabortionandhomosexuality.ABritishpoliticianwouldthinkitunnecessaryandinappropriatetotalkaboutsuchissuesunlessasked.

　　11.IntheUS,politiciansconstantlytalkabouttheproblemsandtheaspirationsofthemiddleclass.IntheUK,politicianstendtotalkmoreontheneedsoftheworkingclass.

　　12.SomanypoliticalspeechesintheUSincludethephrase"myfellowAmericans".InBritishpoliticalterminology,thereissimplynoequivalentphrase.

　　13.FewAmericanpoliticalspeechesmakemuchuseoffactsandfigures.ManyBritishpoliticalspeechesusefigurestohighlightproblemsandmakecomparisonswiththepoliciesortheperformanceofone'sopponents.

　　14.TheAmericangeneralelectioneffectivelylastsalmosttwoyear