Effective Participation Essay

Question 1

effective - voting: knowledge

Answer 1

• UK politics offer range of political parties people can join, fund, campaign for and even stand as a candidate if selected by party
• these parties include, Conservatives, Labour, SNP, Liberal Democrats, Green
• citizens can influence decision making by voting for one of the parties in elections
• UK citizens over 18 can vote in general elections every 5 years to elect UK parliament

Question 2

effective - voting: evidence

Answer 2

• most recent general election in 2019, resulting in conservative majority government
• scottish citizens over 16 can vote in regular elections to scottish parliament
• most recent regular election in 2021 resulted in SNP entering cooperation agreement with scottish greens

Question 3

effective - voting: analysis

Answer 3

• as a result of voting, these governments now have a political mandate to carry out their manifesto pledges to enact change

Question 4

ineffective - voting: knowledge

Answer 4

• one problem with voting in UK elections with FPTP system, is it often results in safe seats where voters denied real choice

Question 5

ineffective - voting: evidence

Answer 5

• safest seat in 2019 election was Liverpool Walton, where labour won 85% of vote
• this can lead to supporters of other parties feeling as if they wasted their vote
• can cause voter turnout and low turnout rates

Question 6

ineffective - voting: analysis

Answer 6

• this limits voters ability to influence change as it leads to voters of smaller parties, like greens, having to vote tactically and not for their preferred party

Question 7

voting: evaluation

Answer 7

• can be argued voting best way to participate
• however, safe seats & tactical voting make real democracy much harder to achieve
• and resulting votes not being representative of what public truly wants

Question 8

effective - pressure groups: knowledge

Answer 8

• people can join pressure groups to influence government decision making
• insider pressure groups have close working relationship with decision makers
• british medical association, represent health professionals, often invited to give evidence to committees about health related bills considered by parliament

Question 9

effective - pressure groups: evidence

Answer 9

• BMA lobbied for opt out system of organ donation
• in 2019, uk government passed organ donation, deemed consent, act
• all adults automatically assumed to be a donor unless specified otherwise

Question 10

effective - pressure groups: analysis

Answer 10

• shows the government consult BMA as they are a respected group who offer expertise to make a positive difference

Question 11

ineffective - pressure groups: knowledge

Answer 11

• some outsider pressure groups limited in ability to influence as government does not consult closely with them
• either they cannot offer expert advice, or they are protest group who are at odds with government
• outsider groups often resort to direct action style methods, i.e. street protests and civil disobedience, sometimes violent/unlawful

Question 12

ineffective - pressure groups: evidence

Answer 12

• in 2019, Extinction Rebellion, who campaign for environmental causes, received negative publicity
• due to a man in bristol was unable to reach his fathers bedside before he passed because Extinction activists were blocking a main road trying to highlight need for climate action

Question 13

ineffective - pressure groups: analysis

Answer 13

• some people associate pressure group’s cause with its methods, and turn hostile to such groups who could be considered a negative, disruptive influence on UK politics, which limits their influence

Question 14

pressure groups: evaluation

Answer 14

• argued that pressure groups effective way of participation, as seen with BMA’s success, however many pressure groups seen as protest groups, as their cause doesn’t align with government at the time