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N5 Modern Studies > Democracy in Scotland > Flashcards

Democracy in Scotland Flashcards

1
Q

DEVOLVED MATTERS: EDUCATION

A
  • in charge of funding for schools and how the school system works
  • EG. university is free in scotland
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2
Q

DEVOLVED MATTERS: HEALTHCARE

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  • in charge of national services such as dentists and GPs, but can also implement any rules or funding that impacts the health of the nation
  • EG. prescription medicine is free in scotland
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3
Q

DEVOLVED MATTERS: ENVIRONMENT

A
  • in charge of monitoring and regulating Scotland’s environmental impact, and how we can improve this.
  • EG. set targets in 2019 to have the country at net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
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4
Q

ROLE OF FM: ACCOUNTABLE

A
  • through FMQs every thursday at 12, opposition leaders and backbench MSPs question the government’s actions.
  • EG. “After expressing such confidence in the SQA, why is it now being scrapped?” Douglas Ross, June 2021
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5
Q

ROLE OF FM: REPRESENTING

A
  • meets with world leaders to discuss issues affecting scotland and give our country a voice in international affairs.
  • EG. visited China in 2018 to discuss climate change and human rights issues.
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6
Q

ROLE OF FM: APPOINTING

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  • can appoint people to key cabinet posts, as well as fire/force people to resign if she feels they should.
  • EG. Derek McKay was forced to resign from his role as Finance Secretary after he sent grooming texts to a minor.
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7
Q

WORK OF MSPS OUTSIDE: HOLD LOCAL SURGERIES

A
  • constituents can attend surgeries to discuss important matters or ask their local MSP any questions/advice.
  • EG. in 2019, Fiona Hyslop did a surgery tour around the local smaller villages such as Torphichen and Bridgend.
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8
Q

WORK OF MSPS OUTSIDE: ATTEND LOCAL EVENTS

A
  • may visit important local occasions or demonstrations to show they are invested in the community/make themselves publicly known.
  • EG. Fiona Hyslop attended WLCollege’s graduation.
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9
Q

WORK OF MSPS OUTSIDE: CONTACT WITH CONSTITUENTS

A
  • MSPs reply to questions or concerns expressed to them by constituents, through letters or emails.
  • EG. these tend to go to constituency MSPs like Fiona Hyslop, but could also go to regional MSPs like Alice Johnstone.
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10
Q

WORK OF MSPS INSIDE: VOTE ON LAWS

A
  • MSPs have the opportunity to vote on whether they agree or disagree with each proposed new law or amendment.
  • EG. could vote for or against free period products being provided across Scotland, proposed by Monica Lennon.
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11
Q

WORK OF MSPS INSIDE: QUESTION TIME

A
  • every thursday at noon, opposition leaders are given the chance to question the government’s decisions recently.
  • EG. “After expressing such confidence in the SQA, why is it now being scrapped?” Douglas Ross, June 2021
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12
Q

WORK OF MSPS INSIDE: COMMITEE WORK

A
  • MSPs can become members of a committee, giving them the chance to look at specific topics and inquiries in more depth.
  • EG. could join the covid-19 recovery committee which was established in June 2021.
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13
Q

UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS: B.A.M.E.

A
  • the number of BAME MSPs needs to be proportionally equal to the number of BAME people in Scotland, so around 4/5%
  • EG. in 2021, we had 6 BAME MSPs, roughly 4.5% of parliament.
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14
Q

UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS: WOMEN

A
  • the number of female MSPs needs to be proportionally equal to the number of women in Scotland, so 51%.
  • EG. 2021, 58 female MSPs, but this needs to be roughly 65 to be accurate.
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15
Q

UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS: DISABLED

A
  • the number of disabled MSPs needs to be proportionally equal to the number of disabled people in Scotland, so 20%.
  • EG. 2016, there was only one openly disabled MSP, this number needs to be 26.
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16
Q

REASONS FOR UNDER-REPRESENTATION: SEXISM IN THE MEDIA

A
  • women are often treated differently to men, with their looks being valued more than their opinions/ideas.
  • EG. 2017, Daily Mail published a headline saying ‘Nevermind Brexit, who won Legs-it!’ alongside a photo of Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May.
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17
Q

REASONS FOR UNDER -REPRESENTATION: LACK OF ROLE MODELS

A
  • if there isn’t anyone that looks like you in parliament then it can be hard to be inspired to get involved, as politics is typically straight white men.
  • EG. 2016 only one openly disabled MSP.
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18
Q

REASONS FOR UNDER-RESPRESENTATION: LACK OF WORK/LIFE BALANCE

A
  • since MSPs spend so much time in parliament, they can be away from thier families for long periods of time.
  • EG. Aileen Campbell stepped down from her MSP position to spend more time with her sons.
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19
Q

***ADVANTAGES OF AMS: FAIRER REPRESENTATION

A
  • due to the way the votes are distributed, the number of seats a party gets is proportionally similar to the number of votes they receive.
  • EG. in 2021, the Conservative Party got 25% of the vote and arpund 25% of the seats.
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20
Q

***ADVANTAGES OF AMS: MORE CHOICE

A
  • AMS works by having voters select a local representative and then a party for their region, meaning people could select two separate parties.
  • EG. could vote SNP rep for local, then Green party for regional.
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21
Q

***ADVANTAGES OF AMS: STRONG LINK

A
  • voters are able to hand-select their representative for the local area, meaning they will be very familiar with the options and who their local MSP is without much difficulty.
  • EG. Fiona Hyslop is the MSP for the Linlithgow area.
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22
Q

***DISADVANTAGES OF AMS: COMPLEX TO UNDERSTAND

A
  • this election makes voters use two separate ballots to vote in two separate ways which can put people off voting as it seems complicated.
  • EG. in the first section you select a person but in the second section you select a party instead.
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23
Q

***DISADVANTAGES OF AMS: MAY BE CONFUSING

A
  • due to AMS voters end up with 8 different MSPs, which means they may be confused who they should go to for help/who represents them.
  • EG. in Prestwick they have MSPs from Conservative, Labour and SNP.
24
Q

***DISADVANTAGES OF AMS: MAY VOTE AGAINST MSP

A
  • since the first vote uses FTPT, or winner takes all, candidates need a majority to win, which is seen as unfair.
  • EG. Fiona Hyslop got less than 50% of the vote in 2021.
25
Q

***WHY PEOPLE PARTICPATE: KNOW THE IMPORTANCE

A
  • SG has a large influence on the lives of people in Scotland, so people get involved to ensure the right people are in power/making decisions.
  • EG. in charge of devolved matters like healthcare or education.
26
Q

***WHY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE: PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS

A
  • countries around the world have been turned into dictatorships/had rights taken away by those in power, so people vote to ensure the leaders are responsible.
  • EG. in recent years young people have allowed to vote, and gay people are able to get married.
27
Q

***WHY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE: CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

A
  • can influence who runs their government and who is making decisions on their behalf, may also join pressure groups or stand as candidates themselves so their opinions are heard.
  • EG. university in scotland is free
28
Q

***WHY PEOPLE DON’T PARTICIPATE: DON’T KNOW HOW

A
  • how to vote is not taught in the main education system, and not all students in Scotland study Modern Studies, so are not taught how.
  • EG. only half of those who can vote in scotland actually do, and most people are not members of a political party.
29
Q

***WHY PEOPLE DON’T PARTICIPATE: FEEL EXCLUDED

A
  • many disabled, women, BAME or LGBT people do not feel represented, so think politics just isn’t for them.
  • EG. only one openly disabled MSP in 2016.
30
Q

***WHY PEOPLE DON’T PARTICIPATE: WON’T MATTER

A
  • many people think that, due to the large number of votes cast, their opinion will not actually be heard and it isnt worth it.
  • EG. a small group of people have been protesting keeping nuclear weapons in scotland for decades but nothing has changed.
31
Q

RIGHTS/REPONSIBILITIES: RIGHT TO JOIN A PARTY

A
  • people are able to sign up and belong to any party (responsibility to support it by paying membership fees or helping campaign)
  • EG. more than 100,000 SNP members
32
Q

RIGHTS/RESPONSIBILITIES: RIGHT TO VOTE

A
  • are able to vote on a person, party or issue in an election to express their voice (responsibility to vote when they can)
  • EG. people over 16 in scotland could vote in the 2021 election.
33
Q

RIGHTS/RESPONSIBILTIES: RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH

A
  • able to express their opinions and even criticise the government without punishment (responsibility to not be hateful)
  • EG. certain songs cannot be sang at football games as they are classed as secretarian.
34
Q

STAGES OF AN ELECTION: DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT (1)

A
  • parliament closes and all MSPSs stop being MSPs unless they are re-elected later on.
  • EG. when parliament was dissolved in 2021, MSPs could only enter as members of the public.
35
Q

STAGES OF AN ELECTION: CAMPAIGNING (2)

A
  • people who want to be elected will try to convince locals to vote for them and promote themselves through leafleting and PPBs.
  • EG. Fiona Hyslop went around the Linlithgow area in 2021 encouraging people to vote for her, and later won the seat.
36
Q

STAGES OF AN ELECTION: ELECTION DAY (3)

A
  • citizens will cast their votes, the votes are counted and a winner is publicly declared.
  • EG. in 2021, SNP gained the largest number of votes in the election and were declared the winners.
37
Q

METHODS OF CAMPAIGNING: PPBs

A
  • similar to mini-adverts created by parties to display their opinions and policies to potential voters, played on TV.
  • EG. 2021, SNP PPB demonstrated that their party wanted Scotland to be independent.
38
Q

METHODS OF CAMPAIGNING: CANVASING AND LEAFLETING

A
  • candidates and other party members go around the local area knocking on doors, handing out leaflets that advertise their party and encouraging people to vote for them.
  • EG. in 2021, Fiona Hyslop went around the Linlithgow area asking locals to vote for her, and she later won the seat.
39
Q

METHODS OF CAMPAIGNING: PRODUCE A MANIFESTO

A
  • a collection of policies that a party has collected into one document, almost like a promise to voters on what they will do if they are elected.
  • EG. SNP manifest states that they will try to get a second scottish independence referendum as one of their key jobs in power.
40
Q

METHODS OF CAMPAIGNING: TAKE PART IN DEBATES

A
  • party leaders take part in public debates against opposition leaders, hoping that people will watch them and like them/their opinions more.
  • EG. Leaders Debate broadcast on BBC and STV with Nicola Sturgeon and other opposition leaders.
41
Q

REASONS FOR SUCCESS: HIGH NUMBER OF MEMBERS

A
  • more members means more guaranteed votes and more people actively campaigning for your party.
  • EG. SNP have over 100,000 members, who often volounteer to promote the party.
42
Q

REASONS FOR SUCCESS: THE RIGHT LEADER

A
  • a party’s leader is the face of the party and will often appear on the TV/media, so having a popular leader will increase support.
  • EG. Conservatives promoted Ruth Davidson in 2016 as she was more liked than the party as a whole.
43
Q

REASONS FOR SUCCESS: SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING

A
  • social media allows parties to reach a large number of potential voters, and having a huge following means people are regularly seeing the party’s policies.
  • EG. SNP has over 300k followers on twitter, and Nicola Sturgeon has 1.4 million.
44
Q

***ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL: VOTE

A
  • most important role during an election, where they need to choose the people and parties they want to run the country
  • EG. millions of people voted in the parliament election in 2021, which SNP won.
45
Q

***ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL: GET INFORMED

A
  • must pay attention to the campaigns so that they can fully understand the issues discussed and are ready to make a fair vote.
  • EG. can watch PPBs, leaders debates and read manifestos.
46
Q

***ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL: STAND AS A CANDIDATE

A
  • if nobody puts themselves forward as a candidate then there is nobody to vote for, so this action is vital (opinions can be heard)
  • EG. Fiona Hyslop candidate for SNP in Linlithgow in 2021
47
Q

ROLE OF PARTIES: CAMPAIGN

A
  • candidates and other party members go around the local area knocking on doors, handing out leaflets that advertise their party and encouraging people to vote for them.
  • EG. in 2021, Fiona Hyslop went around the Linlithgow area asking locals to vote for her, and she later won the seat.
48
Q

ROLE OF PARTIES: PRODUCE A MANIFESTO

A
  • a collection of policies that a party has collected into one document, almost like a promise to voters on what they will do if they are elected.
  • EG. SNP manifest states that they will try to get a second scottish independence referendum as one of their key jobs in power.
49
Q

ROLE OF PARTIES: RECRUIT/PROMOTE CANDIDATES

A
  • in scotland each party has to recruit people to represent them and these candidates must be popular to ensure votes, thus the promoting.
  • EG. Labour in Scotland have been trying to recruit more women recently, aiming for better equality.
50
Q

ROLE OF MEDIA: SCRUTINISE PARTIES

A
  • will have a deep look at the policies for each party and ask leaders/candidates difficult questions.
  • EG. newspapers like the Glasgow Times will interview leaders and publish the answers.
51
Q

ROLE OF MEDIA: PROVIDE A PLATFORM

A
  • media will give time to each party so they can try to directly reach voters and influence them, promoting themselves.
  • EG. 2021, most parties showed their PPB on the BBC
52
Q

ROLE OF MEDIA: PROMOTE PUBLIC CONCERNS

A
  • will gather views, questions or concerns from the public and then question the candidates on these publicly, making the public aware.
  • EG. in 2021, many leaders took part in the Leaders Debate on BBC and STV where Nicola Sturgeon and other opposition leaders answered questioned.
53
Q

WHY USE THE MEDIA: TO REACH MOST VIEWERS

A
  • broadcast media is the most popular form of media for voters, and polls have shown most people use the TV to get info in elections.
  • EG. each party makes a PPB that is shown on the BBC
54
Q

WHY USE THE MEDIA: TO REACH OLDER VOTERS

A
  • print media is allowed to be biased and is often used by the older generation, so parties use this to ensure those voters stay loyal.
  • EG. sun in scotland supports SNP
55
Q

WHY USE THE MEDIA: TO REACH YOUNGER VOTERS

A
  • social media is heavily used by young people so parties can encourage them to vote, and this is also free so they save money.
  • EG. Nicola Sturgeon has 1.4 million twitter followers

N5 Modern Studies (3 decks)

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