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Aboriginal politics (historical)
Even though people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent constitute less than 2 per cent of Australia's population, their rights, status and circumstances have become major issues in ...
absolute privilege
The defence that a statement cannot be made the subject of an action for defamation because it was made in Parliament, in papers ordered to be published by either House of Parliament, in judicial ...
absolutism
A state-form typical of societies in the process of transition from feudalism to capitalism and in which power is concentrated in the person of a monarch, who has at his or her disposal a centralized ...
accountability
The requirement for representatives to answer to the represented on the disposal of their powers and duties, act upon criticisms or requirements made of them, and accept (some) responsibility for ...
Act of Parliament
A statute; what a parliament enacts when it makes laws. The terms ‘statute’ and ‘Act’ are interchangeable.
Act of Supremacy
(1534 and 1559)Enactments of the English Parliament, confirming respectively the supremacy of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I over the Anglican Church. Henry was styled “Supreme Head” of the Church but ...
Acts of Uniformity
A series of English laws intended to secure the legal and doctrinal basis of the Anglican Communion. The first (1549) made the Book of Common Prayer compulsory in church services, with severe ...
Andrew Fletcher
(1655–1716).Politician. Fletcher of Saltoun was taught by Gilbert Burnet, who later described him as ‘a most violent republican and extremely passionate’. He represented East Lothian at the ...
Balliol family
The recorded history of the Balliols extends over eight generations from about 1093 to 1364 when Edward de Balliol, the last representative of the main branch of the family, died. ...
Barons' war
(1215–17; 1264–67)Two civil wars fought in England between the King and the barons. The first began in June 1215 at Runnymede, King John, faced by the concerted opposition of the barons and Church, ...
Belfast
Is the second largest city in Ireland, and the economic and political capital of Northern Ireland. Although the Normans established a fort at Belfast in the 12th cent., a substantial town only ...
benevolence
General desire for the good of others, and disposition to act so as to further that good. Moral philosophers may be more or less optimistic about the intensity and scope of such desire, or its ...
borough
The word ‘borough’ (‘burgh’ in Scotland) has caused endless confusion. The Old English (Anglo‐Saxon) terms burg, burh, and byrig were used originally for fortified places. By 1086, however, Domesday ...
breach of statutory duty
Breach of a duty imposed on some person or body by a statute. The person or body in breach of the statutory duty is liable to any criminal penalty imposed by the statute, but may also be liable to ...
Budget process
Budgets are the fulcrum of modern government and budget-making processes provide the core structure of most modern states. As was famously said by Wildavsky (1974) budgets are about the ‘translation ...
buildings
1. civic and administrative;2. educational;3. industrial and commercial;4. defensive and military.1. civic and administrative;2. educational;3. industrial and commercial;4. defensive and ...
careen
Kǝˈrēnv.1 turn (a ship) on its side for cleaning, caulking, or repair.2 (of a ship) tilt; lean over: a heavy flood tide caused my vessel to careen dizzily.[...]
Central Government in English Common Law
As with the rest of the British constitution, the central government of today has attained its present form after many centuries of gradual development. The process can be roughly divided ...
citizenship
In political theory citizens, as opposed to subjects, are thought of as the free and equal participants in the democratic government of the body politic. See democracy, republicanism.
civil liability for breach of statutory duty
Broadly understood ‘breach of statutory duty’ describes any breach of a tortious duty created by statute. Some statutes, for example the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 and Part I of the ...
