Citizenship AQA Paper 1 Key content Flashcards
Concept of democracy
A system of government by the entire population
or a majority of eligible citizens, usually through elected representatives
democracy key features
Key Features:
- regular & fair elections
- electoral system w/ secret ballot
- results = views of the people & accountable
- any citizen can stand
- media report freely
- candidates campaign = w/out fear of intimidation/bribery
- judiciary separate & can be used to hold gov. accountable
Different forms of democracy
- Liberal
- direct
- Representative
Liberal Democracy
- a system of government based on representative democracy
- linked to freedoms and rights for citizens.
- USA, UK and EU follow this type of democracy
Direct democracy
- a system of government where all citizens take part in decision making.
- A modern example of this is the use of referendums.
Representative democracy
- A system of government where citizens, elected to represent others in an assembly.
- A UK example would be an MP or a councillor
Values underpinning democracy
- Rights
- Responsibilities
- Freedoms
- The Rule of Law
- Equality
Rights
These are our legal, social and ethical entitlements and all citizens enjoy them equally.
This structures how government operates, the law and morality of society
e.g. Human Rights, children’s right
Responsibilities
the state or fact of having to do something.
We have duties as citizens of a society.
E.g. pay taxes, obey the law, be called for jury service, conscription during war
These are not optional and underpinned by the law.
Freedoms
the ability to act, speak or think as one wants.
E.g. freedom of choice, freedom of the press, freedom of movement
Rule of Law
everyone must obey the law not matter who they are e.g. gender, class, wealth, religion.
Equality
This is how society treats its members.
There should be equal treatment for all.
There is legislation protecting different groups e.g. Sex Discrimination Acts 1975 and 1986;
Power of government
- propose new laws
- set policy agenda
- establish priorities for how country overned
- take action and make decision regarding a wide range of areas
Balancing power
- checks and balances using institution (Judiciary, Legislature, Executive)
role of parliament
- represent the people of the country when new laws are being made, by debating the
proposed bill. Parliament - debates current issues
- scrutinises the work of government through select committees & the questioning of ministers.
- Every Government department has a select committee that oversees its work.
role of Prime minister
- appoint people to run the government department
- along with cabinet forms executive branch
- the leader of His Majesty’s Government
- esponsible for the policy and decisions of the government.
- oversees the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies.
role of cabinet
The Cabinet is the team of 20 or so most senior ministers in the Government who are
chosen by the Prime Minister to lead on specific policy areas such as Health, Transport,
Foreign Affairs or Defence.
sovereignty of Parliament
– Only Parliament can make and change laws.
the roles of the legislature
- Another name for Parliament which can make laws.
This can be done through the House of Commons or House of Lords.
= all MP’s and Peers - hold executive to account
roles of the opposition
the largest political party in the House of Commons that is not in government.
- The leader of this party takes the title Leader of the Opposition.
- The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of the Government
role of political parties
- representation
- recruit and train leaders
- educate the public and facilitate debates
role of the monarch
- head of state
- appoint the Prime Minister, and all the other ministers (Kinda)
to open new sessions of parliament
give royal assent to bills passed by parliament, signifying that they have become law. - (mainly ceremonial)
role of the judiciary
- protecting human rights
- interpreting and applying the law enacted by Parliament
role of the police
One of the main duties of a police officer is to protect people and property. They are usually assigned areas
to patrol (this can include entire jurisdictions), emergency call response, law enforcement and arrests,
reprimanding and, testifying in court cases.
role of the civil service
The Civil Service is based upon three core principles:
1. Impartiality – Civil Service serves the Crown and not a specific government.
2. Anonymity - They should not be identified or associated with specific policies.
3. Permanence – the stay in post when a government leaves office.
They serve whichever government is in power
why is the Uk consitytion described as unwritten
no single written document called the British constitution
Thre are constitutional laws and conventions
why is the Uk Constitution described as uncodified
Range of documents containing aspects of the constitutional arrangements (like the magna carta)
They are not linked or identified as constitutional
advantages of an unwritten constitution
makes changing aspects of constitutional law easy, no different than any other type of law
disadvantage of an unwritten constitution
Give power to the government of the day to make any changes it wishes.
other countries like USA have formal written doc. & have laid out ways to make changes that
involve each state
advantages of an uncodified constitution
enables cchanges to be made easily, for example lowering voting age can be looked at isolation
from, say, changing the parliamentary boundaries
disadvantage of an uncodified constitution
it enables changes to be made piecemeal that could undermine existing constitutional rights
when taken together
role of elected local gov
- responsible for social care
- provide some aspects of transport, housing, and education.
- They are also in charge of a range of neighbourhood services including
libraries and waste collection.
structure of elected local gov.
- International bodies UK belongs belongs
- Central Gov. in UK (parliament)
- Devolved National Bodies - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Regional bodies - Greater London, police etc.
- Unitary, County, Boroughs, Distrrct, Town/parish
role of councillors
- represent local community they are eleccted to serve
- represent political paty
- campaign for best interests of whole council aewa
- make representation to other bodies on behalf of their community & council
- hold surgeries in their local areas and deal w/ issues & problems raised by their constituents
- attend civic & community functions
- help decide on council policy
- hold counccil acountable through the use of ballot box
accountability of councillors
- local media report on work of local councillos
- by localism act 2011 required to follow local councils Code of Conduct, and failure will result in
sanction - political party hold them account for their work & can deselect them
- financial expenses claimed from the council by councillors are published
devolution
the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or
regional administration.
devolution -> local councils
most basic form of devolution. They have control over spending on things like education and bin
collection
devolution > mayoral regions i.e London/Greater Manchester
extra powers i.e policing/housing
devolution -> Scotland
Scotland Act 2012 = gave more powers to Scottish Parliaments
- Sits in Holyrood, Edinburgh
- 129 seats
- power over: health, housing and art
- used devolved powers to: ban smoking in public areas, abolish uni. tuition fees, impose a
minimum alcohol price and made NHS prescriptions free
devolution -> Wales
- National Assembly of Wales (NAW)
- sits in Cardiff
- 60 seats
- control over agriculture and transport and language
- 1993 made English = important to welsh = use of devolved pwr = Free NHS prescriptions
devolution -> Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Assembly (NIA)
- sits in Stormont, Belfast
- 90 Seats
- control over education, infrastructure etc
- use of powers: NHS presecriptions free, reduced maximum alcohol limit for driving, banned
sale and use of sunbeds for under 18s
relations between England, Scot, Wales, NI
Scotland may want independence
’ English votes for English laws’ debate
the position where English MPs cannot vote on matters which have been devolved to other parts of the UK, but Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs can vote on those same matters when the UK Parliament is legislating solely for England.
Who can stand for election
Must be at least 18 years old.
* British Citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland.
* You cannot stand for more than one constituency
who can’t stand for election
A Civil Servant; police; in the armed forces; a government nominated director
of a commercial company; a judge; peer in the House of Lords (including bishops
known as the Lords Spiritual.
candidate selection
This varies between political parties. The usual method is as follows:
* Local party will advertise in party journal for people to apply.
* They have to be on a list approved by the National party.
* Local party workers will then draw up a short list after interviewing potential
candidates.
* A ‘returning officer’ (a member of another local branch) will oversea the
procedure for the party.
* The potential candidates are invited to attend a meeting of party members.
* The send a leaflet to all party members asking for their vote.
Who can vote in elections
- A British Citizen or a member of the EU (not sure of EU past brexit) or Commonwealth living in the UK.
- Anyone 18 and over can register to vote.
- Not suffering any legal incapacity to vote.
who can’t vote in elections
Members of the House of Lords.
* People in prison
* Anyone found guilty in the last 5 years of illegal practices in connection with an election.
* Been detained under certain sections of the Mental Health Act.
Scotland voting age for local and Scottish Parliament
In Scotland the voting age for local and Scottish Parliament elections is 16.
Should the voting age be lowered?
- FOR *
- Scotlands positive experience led to voting age being lowered in Scotland
- young people should have a say in matters that directly affect them, such as tuition fees
- Research from Edinburgh Uni. found thatt some teens were initially doubtful of their own
abilities to make right decision but this led to them actively seeking out info to help inform
judgements. - lowering limit encourage civic-mindedness at an earlier age and establish an interest in political system
- AGAINST *
- rconomic issues that are often forefront of election campaigns are irrelevant to 16 yr old
- lack of experience in economics prevents young people from making a considered judgement
- 18-24 yr olds have lowest turnout of any ae group -> suggest 16yr olds wouldn’t be much better
- Teenagers who want to cast votes impressionable and easily influenced
How to participate in a democracy?
- Taking part in a campaign
- raisingg funds
- rraise awareness
- collect names on petition
- lobby or write letters
- meeting
- take part in direct action/protests
- Join a political party
- stand for election
Barriers to Participation
- language
- access tto education
- poor housing
- employment/unemployment
- state of health/disability
- lack of interest/apathy
- believe participation will not make a difference
- lack of faith in politicians and the political process
- lack of info/understanding
- issues personnally unimportant
- too busy
Young people and poltical participation
- citizenship education - intro curriculum subject in 2003
- young ppl get involved inn political protests via groups and organisation
- large number of young ppl do voluntary work & raise money for people in need
- young ppl often interested in ‘single issues’ i.e Uni fees
Response to voter apathy
- make postal vote or consider online voting (fraud concerns)
- votte over several days - inc. sat when ppl have more time to cote
- education about importance of voting and also policies of different parties
- changing voting system
Voter apathy
- membership of political parties in decline - particulary amongst young people
- young ppl often don’t vote in elections
- concerns over future of democracy
- involvement of citizens
- number of ppl vote in election decline since WWII
- political parties difficult to raise funds
- small groups of people or individuals have too much info on political processes
