Assessment on Living in Britain - Assignment Example

 Assessment on Living in Britain Week One Summary I found the lecture notes on Week One very informative. I can now place Britain on the world map and describe her important geographical features and significant events. For instance, I learnt that Britain is similar to the UK; that Britain is a political distinction that covers Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales; and that this is why Britain is commonly referred to as The Four Nations. The Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales (PPT 1, slides 1-16). On the other hand, the British Isles consist of Shetlands, Orkneys, Anglesey and The Isle of Man, among others. I learnt about important dates in the Britain’s history. The Scottish referendum on independence occurred on 18/9/2014 in which more than 85% of the population voted, but the referendum push for Independent Scotland did not carry the day (PPT 2, slides 5-6). Britain is a very democratic nation with diverse economic activities. In brief, the UK is a united nation and diverse in terms of its geography and geological features. Britain has vast economic features and boasts of various resources including minerals and energy. The Four Nations are united especially during elections and major events, a fact that has made the UK be a major decision-maker in not only Europe, but the world. It has constantly changing establishments and systems. Initially deriving its economy from agriculture, the perception on land use and other industries are now constantly changing. Perhaps I now understand Britain better. Week Two Summary For Week Two I learnt that historically, the populations that once made up Britain included the Romans, the Celts, the Vikings, the Normans and the Anglo-Saxons. The Celts occupied Britain about 2000 years ago. They belonged to the Iron Age; no records about them exist to date. The Romans lived in Britannia, which is the present-day Wales and England. Latin was the Roman language. They were a great people who had a unique culture and way of life. They left little to be remembered about save for their ornamental and medieval architecture that can be witnessed in Chester, Lancaster and Gloucester. The Anglo-Saxons lived in Britain in the 5th century. They mainly influenced the spread of Christianity; emanating from Rome during this time. The Vikings lived in Britain in the 8th century. They came from Scandinavia. At the end of the 10th century, England was a great kingdom mainly endorsing the Germanic culture. The Normans lived in Britain during the medieval time. Britain culture then was influenced by Western Europe (PPT 2, slides 1-14). The social stratification consisted of peasants, lords and nobles. The Anglo Saxons had a major influence on the English language; in fact, most of the English language today is derived from their influence. From 1536, Wales and England had a unified system of government. Through the Act of Union (1707), England, Scotland and Wales came together to form the Great Britain. From the 19th century onwards, Britain underwent massive changes in political structure, economy, cities, and industrial revolution. This was due to the Victorian influence. Additionally, there was the question of class systems and warfare, major changes in the family structure, and other values. Laws for gender equity amid others were enacted. Concisely, the people of Britain are diverse, and share borrowed and assimilated cultures. They have undergone major transformations in culture, language and traditions. Week 3 Summary I found the topic of Family Values very interesting. For instance, the British family values are quite different from ours. They have welfares to take care of the needy. They are no longer conservative; they are more liberal. My country creates job opportunities for the needy, as well. Perhaps Britain is the first large country to set up welfare programs where the needy and the jobless in the society are taken care of. They have had social security systems since the end of the 16th century. I find this very mindful of any government. Perhaps Britain is among the few countries with high employment, health services and family allowances. The significant elements of the British Welfare system are health, education, children, housing and social security. Britain, just like any other country is faced with challenges such as unemployment, divorce, separation, and child neglect. While the system is not exactly on the breaking point, it is without one of the best in the world, and one that I would wish to see in my country. The state believes in funding charities for economic empowerment. Like any country, Britain is now faced with changing dynamic and family structures; single parentage is on the rise, the institution of marriage is experiencing problems; divorce rates are high; 49% of mothers are in employment (PPT 3, slides 2-12). While these factors may be different from other countries, issues such as divorce and separation are rampant in almost every society. Overall, Britain is concerned with family values and does everything possible to ensure that her citizens live comfortably. Week 4 Summary British government values education; their education system is such that schools are divided into independent and state schools. This is different from my country. They value education and ensure that children are taken o school from an early age. Prior to their current education system, the British had practiced what they called English Education. Then there was a bias in the education system where the privileged in the society went to the best schools. Education and exams were compulsory. With time, the education system became more liberal such that even free schools were started for the less privileged in the society. I find their state of education today similar to ours in that children from five have a compulsory education requirement (PPT 4, slides1-17). The stages of schools also share a similarity with our education system, save for the vocational study. What I find unique is that their “private” schools are actually public schools in the sense that they do not pay schools; those in independent schools pay fees. Their school organization is a little different from our school organization. Test and exams are conducted at different stages. Britain’s higher education is perhaps one of the best, having gone through many transformations and come of age. The instructor-student ratio is currently 1:16. Week 5 Summary I leant that politically, the British people have been conservative. They have had major transformations in politics, starting from monarchies; then aristocracy; then London-based Parliament; and then currently the Parliamentary democracy. Following referendums in 1997, the Scottish Parliament was created. Devolution of Wales and Scotland meant that they now have more independence in legislative and executive issues. However, sovereignty of the Britain was still centered at Webminster. Traditionally, the UK has been lead with a Prime Minister, with the dominant political parties being the Labor Party and the Conservative Party (PPT 5, slides 1-18). The Act of Union saw the Wales and England come together. Britain has undergone major political revolution; that saw paradigm shift from monarchy to the parliamentary system that has bought in its wake democracy and inclusivity. Political parties became more organized though changes in legislation and reduced restrictions on political parties. In fact, Britain is among the first countries to discard inequality laws in voting; for instance suffrage, which allowed women equal voting opportunities. In a nut shell, Britain like any other country has had its ups and downs in politics; has struggled with issues of inequality and the caste systems, to be today one of the more united, economically and politically stable in the world. Read More