Political Systems: China, UK, and Brazil

Posted on Feb 16, 2025 in History

China’s Political System

China’s organizational principle is regarded as a democratic centralism system. The country is administratively divided into approximately 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 4 municipalities. There is a dominance of the Communist Party via the powers of the central government, but the control over local governments seems limited, as they are habitually able to act with relative impunity in various aspects.

Unicameral Legislature

This is represented by the National People’s Congress (NPC), comprising indirectly elected deputies who serve five-year terms. The NPC is charged with the responsibility to make decisions on national economic strategies, appoint and fire high-ranking senior state officials, and may also amend the country’s constitution, usually as influenced by the Communist Party Politburo.

Governance System

The governance system in China is also divided into two: federalism and centralism.

  • Democracy can be described as relatively low in China compared to the UK because of factors like media space and public criticisms, which seem more appreciated in the UK than in China.
  • Local officials are appointed by senior officials and then incorporated into party committees. Elections are used to pick chiefs and mayors at the village and town level, but the influence of the Communist Party still plays a significant role, whereby in most cases, it is the one that nominates them.
  • The central government seems relaxed in ensuring most of its orders and policies are fully enforced, therefore enhancing the culture of corruption in the system.
  • The UK publishes all of its information, while China does not.

The United Kingdom’s Political System

  • The UK does not have a written constitution to this day. Instead, the government decided to incorporate into the European Convention on Human Rights, which serves as a set of constitutional liberties.
  • The United Kingdom is a nation that does not have a written constitution; the restrictions upon the monarchy are imposed in the Magna Carta.
  • The United Kingdom has other documents like the Bill of Rights and the Act of Union, which united Scotland and England.
  • In the United Kingdom, the executive branch is divided into the chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II (since February 6, 1952).
  • The head of government, in other words, the Prime Minister, is David Cameron, and the cabinet is appointed by the Prime Minister.

Parliament

The Parliament in the United Kingdom consists of:

  • The House of Lords that consists of 760 hereditary peers and 380 created. The House of Lords is the “second chamber of the UK Parliament.”
  • The House of Commons that consists of 650 MP’s of which 523 are from England, 72 from Scotland and 18 from Northern Ireland.

Main Political Parties

The main political parties in the UK are:

  • The Labour Party, which was founded by the trade union movement, with one of its main goals being to establish welfare in Britain.
  • The Conservative Party, which in the past supported a strong Monarch, but the current main emphasis is on patriotism and family values.
  • The Liberal Party.

Brazil’s Political System

  • It presented a military dictatorship that started on April 1, 1964, and lasted until March 15, 1985.
  • The Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil was changed and ratified in October 1988.

Congresso Nacional

Also known as the Federal Senate. The Senate consists of “81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms” (Monarchy). The Chamber of Deputies consists of 513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.