ABSTRACT
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official title of the island nation of 57 million people. Northern Ireland is certainly the most disputed region of the United Kingdom with serious internal differences over whether it should remain tied to Britain or become integrated with Ireland. Great Britain is also a country where government is a defining characteristic of national life. During the Battle of Britain Prime Minister Winston Churchill embodied the spirit of resistance and national pride that developed among the British people. The Glorious Revolution firmly established Parliament as the governing power in Britain. The Great Reform Act of 1832 fits into the description of British politics as an evolutionary rather than revolutionary process. A policy consensus had been established around a central government that managed the economy, controlled vital natural resources, and provided extensive social welfare programs.
