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
2
Q
DEVOLVED MATTERS: HEALTHCARE
A
- 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
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.
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
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.
6
Q
ROLE OF FM: APPOINTING
A
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
