P1 T3: Electoral Systems

Question 1

3.1 KTD: Do elections enhance or hinder democracy? Give the arguments for the enhance side

Answer 1

• Govts are formed with leading member of winning party as PM, they are effective in removing unwanted govts e.g. 1979, 1997, 2024
• Vital channel of communication between govt and people (MPs & constituents), makes politicians publicly accountable and removable
  -Elections enable participation and therefore legitimacy, ‘consent’ to be governed is given
• During campaigns, key issues are explained and the electorate is educated

Question 2

3.1 KTD: Do elections enhance or hinder democracy? Give the arguments for the hinder side

Answer 2

• Elections are not always successful in forming govts, e.g. 2010, 2017, also FPTP can sometimes remove wanted govts, e.g. 1970 - more voted for Heath’s govt but Wilson’s Lab party got more seats
• Doesn’t ensure representation - FPTP, elections have limited choice - voters don’t choose nominations
• Low turnout (voter apathy) - not legitimate
• Can miseducate the public with ‘fake news’, parties claim others are lying

Question 3

3.1 Summarise First-Past-the-Post

Answer 3

The candidate with the most number of votes in a constituency wins the seat, roughly 70,000 people per constituency, the winning candidate needs a plurality of votes

Question 4

3.1 What is a plurality of votes? Give an example

Answer 4

Getting more votes than anyone else, not necessarily a majority. e.g. Sadik Al Hassan won North Somerset in 2024 with 35.6%

Question 5

3.1 What is a majority of votes?

Answer 5

Getting over 50% of the votes

Question 6

3.1 Define proportional representation

Answer 6

A voting system where the number of votes a party gets is proportional to the number of seats they win

Question 7

3.1 Why is FPTP controversial? Give examples

Answer 7

• Constituencies only get one MP - diversity of opinions is not represented
• Bad for parties with a large vote spread but not enough to win in a single constituency e.g. 2024 Reform - 14% vote, 5 seats
• Tactical voting means people don’t end up voting for their favourite - undermines democracy, e.g. 40% in 2024 considered voting tactically
• Leads to ‘wrong winner’ elections - 1974, Cons. won most votes, Lab. won most seats