Introduction Flashcards
Conflict
Competition between opposing forces based on the existence of different opinions, wants and needs
Politics
The activity through which people make, uphold and revise the general rules under which they live
Political power
A has power over B to the extent that she can get B to do something they would not otherwise do
Government
A set of institutions through which the general rules of society are made and enforced
Authority
The right to influence the behaviour of other based on an acknowledged duty to obey
Legitimacy
Rightfulness, in that it (a government) is a rightful government
Constitution
Rules that govern the government itself, and the country
Cabinet
Where the leader of the largest party (the Prime Minister) has the power to invite members of the HOC and HOL to sit with them, to initiate policy and laws
Separation of powers
Each unit of government should be separate, i.e.
- Executive (make law)
- Legislative (implement law)
- Judiciary (apply law)
The core features of a Liberal Democracy
- Free, fair regular elections with universal suffrage
- Competition for power
- Guaranteed civil liberties and Human Rights
- Constitutional government
- A free media
- Mixed economy (private/public enterprise)
Consensus politics
An overlap of ideological positions between two or more political parties
Sovereignty
The principle of absolute and unlimited power
Parliamentary Sovereignty
Parliament as the most powerful institution in the UK
Pluralism
A theory suggesting political power within society does not only rest with the electorate or the governing elite, but is distributed amongst a number of groups representing widely different interest within society and competing with each other
Elitism
A theory which suggests that political power within society rests with a small group who gain power through wealth, influence
Executive
Initiates and implements law
Legislative
Makes law (checks legitimacy of executive)
Judiciary
Applies the law (checks legitimacy of legislative)
Nationalised
Take something out of private ownership and put it into state ownership
Briefly summarise the UK government since 1945
A mixture of 2 radical governments, and consensus politics:
> 1945-1951 = Clement Atlee (Labour radical)
> 1951-1979 = Consensus politics
> 1979-1990 = Margaret Thatcher (Conservative radical)
> 1990-1997 John Major (Thatcherism - more radical conservatism)
> 1997-2011 = Consensus politics
a) Who was in power 1945-1951?
b) What party did they stand for?
a) Clement Atlee
b) Labour radical
What years was Labour radical Clement Atlee in power for?
1945-1951
How would you sum up the political years 1951-1979?
Consensus politics
a) Who was in power 1979-1990?
b) What party did they stand for?
a) Margaret Thatcher
b) Conservative radical
a) Who was in power 1990-1997?
b) What party did they stand for?
a) John Major
b) Conservative radical
What term is often used to describe the years 1979-1997 politically?
Thatcherism, due to Margaret Thatcher’s rule until 1990 by Conservative radicalism
What years was Conservative radical Margaret Thatcher in power for?
1979-1990
What years was so-called “Thatcherism”?
1979-1997
What years was Conservative radical and “Thatcherist” John Major in power for?
1990-1997
How would you sum up the political years 1997-2011?
Consensus politics
What happened during Atlee’s radical Labour government 1945-1951?
- Welfare state introduced (look after disadvantaged ‘from cradle to grave’ through NHS, Wider benefits)
- Nationalisation/state ownership of key industries (coal and railways)
- Greater state intervention
- Public spending and taxation
- A more socially just society
What does nationalisation say about major national assets?
They should benefit all of society and not just the few
What were the two key elements of ‘Thatcherism’?
- A form of liberalism (emphasis on free market and the self-reliant individual)
- Conservatism (restoration of order authority and discipline through privitisation, attack on union power, attempting to reduce overall taxation, deregulation)
A key element of ‘Thatcherism’ is Conservatism, meaning the restoration of order authority and disciple. How was this achieved?
- Privitisation
- Attack on union power
- Attempting to reduce overall taxation
- Deregulation
What 3 key points summarise the impact of EU membership on UK Politics?
- A growing body of legislation is now made by the EU rather than Parliament
- European Law is now higher than UK statute law with the result that Parliament is no longer sovereign
- The HOL is no longer the highest court of appeal (European court of justice)
Globalisation
The concept that our lives are increasingly shaped by events beyond our borders (i.e. impact of media/transport)
What are the 3 types of globalisation we can experience?
Economic; Cultural; Political
Explain what is meant by each of the 3 types of globalisation.
> Economic = Absorption of national economies into single global economy (multinationals)
Cultural = Erosion of national cultures.
Political = Growing importance of international bodies.
Explain what is meant by economic globalisation.
Absorption of national economies into single global economy (multinationals)
Explain what is meant by cultural globalisation.
Erosion of national cultures.
Explain what is meant by political globalisation.
Growing importance of international bodies.
