DEMOCRACY IN SCOTLAND Flashcards
Features,devolved,resovled,role and powers of FM,Rights,responsibilities,opputunities,elections,campaigning,pressure groups,role of MSPS,reprsentation,purpose,AMS
FEATURES OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
FREE MEDIA
P-one feature of a democratic society is free media
E-this means using social media such as Instagram or Facebook, read a variety of newspapers to share opinions freely
E-for example the Scottish Sun or The National and discuss politics on TV debates or the political programmes such as Laura Kuenssenberg.
FEATURES OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
REGULAR ELECTIONS
P-one feature of a democratic society is regular elections
E-this means that holyrood and council elections happen every 4-5 years for people to have there say in whos running the country
E-In 2021 the MSP for Eastwood was Conservative Jackson Carlaw
FEATURES OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY#
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
P-one feature of a democratic society is having freedom of religion
E-this means the public are Free to choose religion or have none at all.
E- 1/3 Scots have no religion according to the census.
DEVOLVED POWERS OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
TOURISM-Investment in websites, transport links and adverts encouraging people to ‘Visit Scotland’.
EG-Renovating castles, building new attractions e.g. Bannockburn visitor centre.
HEALTH-Have own control of NHS Scotland.
EG-Baby boxes (2017)
EDUCATION-Scotland has its own Scottish Qualifications Authority delivering N4,5 and Higher rather than GCSE and A level.
EG-EMA for age 16+ in full time education with good attendance.
LAW & ORDER-Can set our own laws on devolved matters.
EG-Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Act 2018
RESOLVED POWERS OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERMENT
DEFENCE-UK Parliament makes decisions about British armed forces, their funding and their deployment.
EG-Scot Gov is opposed to the continued funding of the UK’s nuclear weapon system, Trident, which is based in Scotland. However, the UK Parliament has repeatedly voted for
its renewal.
IMMIGRATION-UK Parliament that legislates any new rules about who can enter and live the UK.
EG-Scot Gov strongly opposed plans by the UK Gov to send migrants arriving in the UK illegally to Rwanda where there have been reports of human rights violations.
THE CONSITUTION-This means that the system of rules that shape how the UK is run can only be changed in Westminster.
EG-Nov 2022 - the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the UK Gov that the Scottish Parliament did not have a legal right to hold a second independence referendum without the consent of the UK Parliament.
ROLES AND POWERS OF THE FM
HEAD OF THE SCOT GOV-Responsible for the development and setting the agenda for policies in Scotland.
EG-Humza Yousaf increased the police budget by £40million in 2023.
PROMOTING & REPRESENTING AT HOME & ABROAD-FM builds relationships with world leaders and allies and encourages support for Scotland.
EG-Sturgeon met with Joe Biden at Cop 26.
APPOINTS (HIRES & FIRES) OTHER MINISTERS-Can choose the best people for the jobs in cabinet as ministers of devolved powers including Deputy First Minister from MSPs within SNP.
EG-Humza Yousaf replaced Health secretary Shona Robinson with Michael Matheson.
CHAIRS SCOTTISH CABINET-Directs meetings where cabinet ministers consider and make decisions on the priorities/policies of the gov in devolved areas.
EG-SNP are currently debating banning disposable vapes and extending free childcare hours to 2 year olds.
RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS
P-RIGHT TO VOTE
E-You can vote in local and national elections.
E-In 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, voter turnout was 63.5%.
P-RIGHT TO PROTEST
E-Any Scot can join a political party, raise awareness on social media or take part in a protest.
E-Pressure groups such as Scottish CND, Bairns Not Bombs, etc. protesting.
P-RIGHT TO STAND AS A CANDIDATE
E-Scots over 18 can stand as a candidate themselves.
E-2021 the first female ethnic minority MSP, Pam Gosal, was elected to the
West of Scotland Region.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF INDIVIDUALS
P- RESPONSIBILITY TO USE VOTE WISELY
E- People died for the right.
E- Suffragettes and suffragists fought for women to have the right to vote.
P-ENSURE THAT WE PROTEST PEACEFULLY
E-Do not damage property.
E-2021 anti-lockdown protests in London became violent which should not have happened.
P-ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT BREAK THE LAW
E-Obey the law, serve on juries when requested and tell the truth when giving evidence.
E-Obey laws such as not buying alcohol or smoking under 18.
Roles of pressure group
P-COLLECTIVE ACTION MORE INFLUENTIAL THAN INDIVIDUAL
E-People who care deeply about an issue such as the environment can join a pressure group as it gives them a better chance to make a difference because their voices are contributing to wider calls for action.
E-Greenpeace have over 10k members. Scot Gov more likely to listen to 10k voices than 1.
P-BEST WAY TO INFLUENCE GOV BETWEEN ELECTIONS
E-Scottish Parliament elections every 5 years – within this time Gov may fail to meet promises made or change actions.
PGs allow citizens a greater chance of affecting changes to the law without having to wait on the next election.
E-‘On the Ball’ campaigners heavily criticised Scot Gov over their reluctance to support universal scheme for free period products as well as damning MSPs who would vote against the bill. Bill was eventually supported by Scot Gov and passed.
P-EASIER TO JOIN/COMMIT TO THAN A POLITICAL PARTY
E-Political parties have policies related to all aspects of public life, it is therefore unlikely that a citizen will agree with all or even most of these even if they feel strongly about a specific point.
As PGs focus on one issue, citizens may find it easier to commit to joining.
EScottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (SCND) are solely focused on the removal of nuclear weapons in Scotisland. While members may disagree on many other issues, they need only to agree strongly on this issue to feel comfortable being a member.
PRESSURE GROUPS-AIMS AND PURPOSE
P-SCRUTINISE GOVERNMENT AND POLICYMAKING
E-Hold the Scottish Gov to account when they break promises, fail to achieve targets or introduce policies which the group considers to be damaging.
E-‘On the Ball’ campaigners heavily criticised Scot Gov over their reluctance to support universal scheme for free period products as well as damning MSPs who would vote against the bill. Bill was eventually supported by Scot Gov and passed.
P-INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT AGENDA AND DECISION-MAKING
E-PGs will attempt to bring issues to the attention of Scottish Parliament so that they will be debated and acted upon.
E-TIE campaigned for LGBT equality and inclusive education to be delivered in Scotland’s state schools. They were successful in securing government support and funding after lobbying politicians.
P-INFORM THE PUBLIC
E-PGs will try to inform the public about their issue so that people can learn about it and may lend their support – handing out leaflets, talking to public or posting on social media.
E-Scottish CND hold street stalls in busy parts of Glasgow so that they can give leaflets and talk to the public about the issue of nuclear weapons in Scotland.
METHODS AND EFFECTIVENESS
PROTESTING
P-PROTESTING
E-Marching, gathering in large crowds and making their feelings known. Sometimes groups break the law when they do this but it can be effective as the media attention it attracts can also put pressure on the government to act.
E-After Extinction Rebellion organised protests to shut down cities and for students to walk out of class, the Scottish Government declared a climate emergency and changed some of its policies.
METHODS AND EFFECTIVENESS PRESSURE GROUP
LETTER WRITING
P-LETTER WRITING
E-Involves getting supporters and the public to write to the government or companies to try to get their support. It can be effective as it shows someone like an MSP how much people support the issue and they might not want to lose votes
E-Surfers Against Sewage organised a letter writing campaign about a bottle deposit scheme which the Scottish Government announced it would support.
ROLE OF THE MEDIA
P-INFORM US
E-This means to keep the public up to date on current affairs and breaking news.
E-For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic the First Minister gave a daily briefing through the BBC to make sure people were informed about the rules to keep safe.
P-INFLUENCE
E-This means to make us think in a particular way or encourage us to vote or a certain party.
E-For example, in the run up to the 2021 Scottish election the Daily Mail ran headlines warning voters of the SNP and supported the Conservative.
P-EDUCATE US
E-This means to help educate the public on party policies, new laws and complex issues of the day.
E-For example, in the 2021 election all of the political parties used Twitter to share their election manifestos to educate voters about their policies.
THE MEDIAS METHODS
P-RUNNING DEBATES (TV & BROADCAST MEDIA)
E-Though the broadcasters have to be balanced in their reporting they will organise leadership debates so that the people at home can hear all the views and make up their mind.
E-Nicola Sturgeon took part in the leaders debate on BBC which was watched by nearly 700,000 people.
P-FRONT PAGE HEADLINES (NEWSPAPERS & NEWS SITES)
E-Because the print media is allowed to be biased, it will often use its front covers to express an opinion in a sensationalist way and encourage the reader to join its point of view.
E-In the run up to the 2021 Scottish Elections, the Daily Mail ran headlines warning voters of the SNP and supported the Scottish Conservatives.
P-TARGETTED ADs (NEW MEDIA)
E-When media companies like twitter, Facebook and Instagram can use the data they learn about you to target you with adverts to make you think a certain way.
E-Certain issues can be targeted to younger voters, in the 2021 election the Green Party pushed an advert about climate action and 95% of the people who saw it were under 35.
IS THE MEDIA INFLUENCIAL
P-UNCOVERING SCANDALS
E-Often newspapers will look carefully at the government and try to find a scandal. This can be influential as it forces the government to act.
E-During the Covid-19 pandemic, the media repeatedly questioned Nicola Sturgeon about her advisor breaking the rules and she had to quit.
P-RUNNING OWN CAMPAIGNS
E-The media will sometimes run their own campaigns to support an issue that they think is really important and use their power to question politicians and influence public opinion.
E-The Daily Record had been running a campaign to decriminalise drugs which the SNP later supported.
ROLE OF MSPS-CONSTITUENCY
P-ATTENDING LOCAL MEETINGS
E-They must meet with other MSPs, councillors, local groups, businesses and PGs.
They must stay up to date with issues affecting their constituencies and look to be acting in the best interests of the constituents.
E-MSPs may also visit schools to meet pupils and teachers and discuss the importance of politics and how young people can become more engaged. In 2022, Jackson Carlaw visited St Ninian’s High School to speak to pupils about the work of an MSP.
P-HOLDING SURGERIES
E-Constituents can attend surgeries to discuss matters of importance with their MSP. The MSP can give one-to-one advice and state how they will help the constituents with their problems
E-Jackson Carlaw MSP often holds surgeries at Giffnock Library, where his constituents can come and discuss matters relating to Eastwood.
P-REPLYING TO CORRESPONDENCE
E-MSP must take time to reply to the correspondents sent by constituents.
These may be emails, tweets, phone calls, Facebook messages and letters.
E-Jackson Carlaw MSP may have an important issue brought to his attention by someone sharing a Facebook post or tweet with him.
ROLE OF MSPs-PARLIMENT
P-TAKING PART IN DEBATES
E-Issues concerning the country will be discussed at length with the hope of a resolution particularly if they are of direct concern to their constituents. This is an excellent way of ensuring any current issues are raised and discussed.MSPs debated whether 16 and 17 years should get the vote in the Independence referendum.
E-MSPs get the opportunity to vote at the end of a debate in support / opposition to the prosed motion.
P-COMMITTEE WORK
E-Most MSPs are members of at least one committee. Committees can scrutinise new laws or hold inquiries into current issues.
E-Inquiries have been conducted by committees in Scottish Parliament about the impact of Brexit and the government’s response to Covid-19.
P-VOTING ON PROPOSED BILLS
E-MSPs vote during decision time at parliament on matters that affect the Scottish people. This is when MSPs decide if a matter will progress to the next stage.
E-MSPs voted in favour of the Minimum Unit of Pricing on Alcohol.
REASONS FOR POOR REPRESENTATION
WOMEN-SEXISM
WOMEN-LACK OF ROLE MODELS
P-WOMEN - SEXISM
E-The way women are treated in politics, with the media more likely to focus on woman’s looks rather than their ideas, can be a big barrier to women’s participation.
E-For example, it was reported by the Sunday post that female political candidates are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience abuse online than men.
P-WOMEN – LACK OF ROLE MODELS
E-Politics has always been dominated by men while girls and women are often told their place is in the home. It can be off-putting for women if politics is seen as place that is not very welcoming for women.
E-For example, there has only ever been one female First Minister, with most other parties in the parliament led by men.
REASONS FOR POOR REPRESENTATION
ETHNIC MINORITIES-RACISIM
ETHNIC MINORITIES-LACK OF ROLE MODELS
P-ETHNIC MINORITIES (HISTORICALLY) - RACISM
E- Racism may limit the number of candidates picked for an election but it can also put people off getting involved in the first place because of the abuse they face.
E- The only 2 MSPs in the 2016-2021 parliament – Anas Sarwar and Humza Yousaf gave an interview to the BBC talking about how racism and islamophobia has been getting worse and they regularly receive violent death threats.
P-ETHNIC MINORITIES (HISTORICALLY) – LACK OF ROLE MODELS
E-To those groups that have been marginalised if they look and don’t see people like them in politics then it can be very off putting. Being more likely to have already suffered abuse as a minority they may be very reluctant to put themselves in such a public position if they have not seen how others have survived it successfully.
E-There were only ever 4 MSPs who are from an ethnic minority group in the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament.
REASON REPRESENTATION IS GETTING BETTER
CRECHE FACILITIES-In the Scottish parliament women are encouraged to become MSPs as child care facilities are provided.
EG-crèche opening hours are
08.00 - 18.00 Monday to Friday.
P-ORDER OF NAME ON REGIONAL LIST
E-Using AMS as an electoral system benefits both women and ethnic minorities as the regional vote uses the list system to choose
MSPs. Therefore many parties will place women and ethnic minorities at the top of their lists so they are more likely to be elected.
EThe Scottish Labour Party has a rule that every second list of possible candidates who wish to stand for election must be all female. This ensures that 50% of their candidates are women.
P-HOLIDAYS MATCH SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
E-The Scottish Parliament holidays and school holidays in Scotland match this again is to encourage more women into parliament as they do not need to worry about childcare which is very expensive
E-The 2023-24 Scottish Parliament Christmas recess is between 23 December and 7th January which matches the school Christmas holidays.
COMMITTEES-PURPOSE AND ROLE
SCRUTINISE PROPOSED LEGISLATION
P-SCRUTINISE PROPOSED LEGISLATION
E-This means to look very carefully at proposed Bills by going line by line and discussing how it works.The committee will also gather evidence to support their decision on supporting or rejecting the Bill.
E-The Health and Sports committee reviewed the Donation Bill before recommending that all of Parliament supports it.
COMMITTEES PURPOSE AND ROLE
CONDUCT INQUIRIES
P-CONDUCT INQUIRIES
E-The committees will gather evidence on an issue, learn any important lessons and make recommendations for the future.
E-In 2020, the Education and Skills committee opened an enquiry into why some schools are not teaching Modern Studies.
COMMITTEES-PURPOSE/ROLE
Hold government account
P-HOLD GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT
E-This means to pay close attention to the work of the Scottish Government and question them on issues that are a concern.
E-John Swinney who was in charge of education for the government had to explain what has happened with the cancelled exams in 2020 and 2021 and how education continued during the Covid-19 pandemic to the Education and Skills Committee.
COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES
MADE UP OF MEMBERS FROM ALL PARTIES
P-MADE UP OF MEMBERS FROM ALL PARTIES
E-The more members a party has in parliament after an election the more members from that party are on the committee.
E-The SNP will have more members than the Conservatives because they won more seats in 2021.
