英语国家概况论文(英国民主政治发展史).doc

英语国家概况学习论文 姓名：_____ 班级：_____ 学号：_____ The history of the democratic political development in the United Kingdom Abstract: As we know, the United Kingdom is arguably the oldest representative democracy in the world, its representative democracy originated one thousand years ago. Although the United Kingdom founded the modern political system so early, its establishment truly has experienced a very long process, some events have a significant impact on it. This long and unbroken history is still apparent in the United Kingdoms current institutions and culture. Generally speaking, the United Kingdom democratic political development is a compromise, progressive process. Key words: history; democratic political development; the United Kingdom The Monarchy and Divine Right of Kings In the United Kingdom,the oldest institution of government is the Monarchy,this dates back to the Saxons who ruled from the 5th century AD until the Norman Conquest in 1066.The present Queen,Elizabeth II, is directly descended from King Egbert, who united England under his rule in 829. The power of the monarchy was largely derived from the ancient doctrine of the divine right of Kings. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving the right to rule directly from the will of God. The king is thus not subject to the will of his people, the aristocracy, or any other estate of the realm, including (in the view of some, especially in Protestant countries) the Church. According to this doctrine, only God can judge an unjust king. The doctrine implies that any attempt to depose the king or to restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God and may constitute a sacrilegious act. The Magna Carta The Magna Carta, or Great Charter, is a document created for the purpose of limiting the powers of the monarch and preserving the basic legal rights of all free men in England. It was made after a rebellion in 1215 against King John of England, a corrupt, absolute m