NZ political system

Question 1

What are the defining characteristics of NZs political system?

Answer 1

Remoteness, smallness, youthfulness, simplicity.

Question 2

Advantages of remoteness?

Answer 2

Political autonomy- free to make political decisions without foreign interference. Secure borders from any terrorist attacks. Clean environment.

Question 3

Disadvantages of remoteness?

Answer 3

Dependence on trade can lead to vulnerability from larger powers and/or economies. Cost of transport of exports and imports, trade barriers and competition. Lack of influence regarding global issues. Elected to UN Security Council. Psychological impact on youth leads to brain drain.

Question 4

Advantages of Smallness?

Answer 4

Greater sense of intimacy and accessibility between the public and the politicians. Creates a greater sense of national community as everyone is connected eg. watch the same news- media. This makes the government more responsive. Egalitarian society.

Question 5

Disadvantages of smallness?

Answer 5

The aging population leads to a smaller work force. Doesn’t actually stop disengagement, only delays it.

Question 6

Youthfulness.

Answer 6

TOW was only signed in 1840- NZs founding document. First election was in 1853. The first political party was the Liberals in the early 1890’s. The signing of the Statute of Westminster was in 1947. Ban of nuclear ships and testing in 1984 was a defining moment in NZ independence.

Question 7

Simplicity.

Answer 7

No written constitution. No second chamber, no federal structure and no separate executive.

Question 8

What are the 7 points of the Westminster Model?

Answer 8

1. A representative democracy rather than a participatory democracy.
2. A unitary state rather than a decentralized state (regional governments).
3. Strong executive.
4. Sovereign Parliament rather than a constitution.
5. Single party government rather than a coalition.
6. Plurality elections (FPP) rather than proportional elections (MMP).
7. Two party system rather than a multi-party system.
   All the opposites to the Westminster model are part of the pluralist model.

Question 9

What three points does NZs system have?

Answer 9

NZ is a unitary state. It has a strong executive and it is a sovereign parliament.

Question 10

Representative Democracy.

Answer 10

Political decisions are made by a representative body that on behalf of the public.

Question 11

Participatory Democracy.

Answer 11

The public actively takes part in the decisions surrounding political and social agenda. usually through referendums.

Question 12

Pluralism.

Answer 12

This is the idea that power is widely distributed. Everyone has equal access to government and the government itself is responsible for mediating the competition and making decisions by consensus. Fairness.