Category Archives: Comparative

A Classical Liberal Defence of Constitutional Monarchy

Posted on 2017/07/20 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction: The Strange Americanism of Canadian Libertarians  Since 2011 when I attended one of the Institute for Liberal Studies’ Liberty Summer Seminars (LSS), I’ve noticed that Canadian libertarians often demonstrate a strange American streak, and that their understanding of constitutions and … Continue reading →

Posted in Monarchism v Republicanism, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Responsible Government, Separation of Powers | 5 Comments

Why Can’t Anti-Monarchists Get the Basic Facts Right?

Posted on 2017/07/04 by J.W.J. Bowden

I normally don’t bother responding any longer to these obligatory anti-monarchist op-eds that tend to appear each July, if only because the republican arguments remain constantly inaccurate — almost like a political science equivalent of Newton’s Laws. Most republican op-eds … Continue reading →

Posted in Monarchism v Republicanism | 3 Comments

The Cabinet Manual and Votes of Confidence under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act

Posted on 2017/06/12 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Cabinet Manual As Explanatory Guide The Cabinet Manual: A Guide to Laws, Conventions, and Rules on the Operation of Government has proven its worth, both within Whitehall and amongst the wider British public. On 9 June, once the results … Continue reading →

Posted in Confidence Convention, Confirmation Voting, Constructive Non-Confidence, Fixed-Date Elections | 5 Comments

Why The Finance Minister Is the Most Important After the Prime Minister

Posted on 2017/04/04 by J.W.J. Bowden

  Introduction If you asked Canadians, Britons, or Australians which minister is the most important after the prime minister, you would almost invariably get the same answer: the Finance Minister — known as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commonwealth Realms, Comparative, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Responsible Government, Separation of Powers | 3 Comments

How the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act Complicates Brexit and An Early General Election

Posted on 2016/06/27 by J.W.J. Bowden

Fixed-Term Parliaments Act Introduction Various British MPs like Jacob Rees-Mogg and journalists like Peter Hitchens have called for an early general election in the wake of Leave’s victory in the Brexit referendum and Prime Minister Cameron’s announcement that he will … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative, Confidence Convention, Confirmation Voting, Constitutional Conventions, Constructive Non-Confidence, Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Fixed-Date Elections, Reform | Leave a comment