- •Утверждено и рекомендовано решением
- •В качестве учебного пособия
- •Chapter I law Unit 1 Introduction to Law
- •Introduction to Law
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •The Aims of Law
- •In trouble with the law law-abiding my word is law
- •Unit 2 What Law Is
- •What Is Law?
- •Social Morality, Rules and Laws
- •Vocabulary
- •Chapter II sources of law Unit 3 Sources of English Law
- •Sources of English Law
- •The Principal Sources
- •Legislation
- •Judicial precedent
- •The Subsidiary Sources
- •Customs
- •Books of authority
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 4 Sources of Modern Law
- •Text a Historical and Political Background
- •Text b Common Law Systems
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text d Sources of American Law
- •Vocabulary
- •Text e Continental Systems
- •For You to Remember
- •Vocabulary
- •Chapter III constitutions Unit 5 The History of Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 6 British Constitution
- •The Nature of the Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 7 us Constitution
- •Founding of the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 8 The Constitution of the Russian Federation
- •The New Russian Constitution
- •Amendments to the Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter IV the system of government Unit 9 The British Government of Today
- •Text a The Governmental Model
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b The British Parliament
- •Vocabulary
- •The System of Government
- •Stages of a Government Bill
- •The House of Commons
- •The House of Lords
- •Making New Law
- •Text d The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 10 The American Government of Today
- •System of Government in the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 11 The System of Checks and Balances
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Checks and Balances
- •Unit 12 Law-making Process in the usa
- •Text a The Concept of Bicameral Legislature
- •Vocabulary
- •Federalism
- •State and Local Government
- •Three Branches of Government
- •Unit 13 The State System of Russia. The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Text a The State System of Russia
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Vocabulary
- •Chapter V law enforcement Unit 14 Law Enforcement Bodies
- •Text a Role of Government
- •Text b Role of Police Force
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 15 Enforcing the Law in Britain
- •Text a The English Legal System
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b The British Police
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Identify showing murder investigation found dead
- •Unit 16 Law Enforcement in the usa
- •Text a Protecting the Rights of the Accused
- •Text b Police Technology in the usa
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Federal Bureau of Investigation
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 17 Law Enforcement in the Russian Federation
- •Text a Law Enforcement of Today
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b Application of Law Enforcement
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter VI the courts Unit 18 The Court System of the uk
- •Text a Judicial Institutions
- •Text b Classification of the English Courts
- •Text c The Hierarchy of the Courts
- •Restrictions
- •Vocabulary
- •It is useful to know
- •For you to know
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text d Courts of England and Wales
- •Judicial organization
- •Unit 19 The u.S. Court System
- •Text a Understanding the u.S. Court System
- •State Courts
- •A Typical State Judicial System
- •Federal Courts
- •Text b Jurisdictions of the Federal and State Court Systems
- •The Federal Judicial System
- •9 Justices
- •12 Circuits
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text c The Miranda Warning
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 20 The Court System of the Russian Federation
- •The Court Structure
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b Jurisdiction of Courts
- •The Constitutional Court
- •Jurisdiction of the Courts of General Jurisdiction
- •The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text c The Courts of the Subjects of the Russian Federation
- •Text d The Arbitrazh Court of the Russian Federation.
- •Jurisdiction of the Federal Arbitrazh Circuit Court as the Court of the First Instance
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Opening remarks at Meeting with the Judges of the Russian Court
- •Contents
- •Legal English - 1
State and Local Government
Each state has its own constitution. Like the national government, state governments are divided into legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution gives certain powers to the federal government, other powers to the state governments, and yet other powers to both. For example, only the national government can print money, the states establish their own school systems, and both the national and the state governments can collect taxes.
Three Branches of Government
Within the national government, power is divided among three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
The legislative branch consists of Congress, which has two parts – the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress's main function is to make laws. There are 100 senators (two from each state) and 435 representatives (the number from each state depends on the size of the state's population).
The President is the head of the executive branch and the country. The executive branch administers the laws (decides how the laws should be carried out). In addition to the President, the Vice-President, and their staffs, the executive branch consists of departments and agencies.
There are now 14 departments, including Treasury, State, Defense, and Health and Human Services. Each department has different responsibilities.
There are state senators and representatives and state court systems. Just as the President is the leader of the national government, each state has a governor as its leader. Below the state level of government, there are county and city governments.
Two-Party System
The United States has two main political parties – the Democratic and Republican parties. Many other smaller parties play little if any role.
Voters elect the President, as well as senators, representatives, governor, etc. A voter can choose candidates from different parties (e.g., vote for Republicans for President and vice-president and a Democrat for senator), so the President does not have to be from the party that has a majority in Congress. In recent years, in fact, voters have tended to choose Republican presidents and Democratic congress people.
There are not clear differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. In general, the Republicans tend to be more conservative and to have more support among the upper classes, while the Democrats tend to be more liberal and to have more support among the working classes and the poor.
Comprehension questions
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Have there been many changes in the Constitution since it was written?
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What does “a federal system” mean?
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How many branches of power are there and what are their functions?
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What are the main political parties and how are the elections organized?
Unit 13 The State System of Russia. The Parliament of the Russian Federation
Before you read
Discuss these questions.
1 What is the meaning of the word combination “state system”?
2 What do we study state systems for?
3 Are state systems the same in different countries?
4 Can a state system of a particular country undergo changes?