Party Systems

Question 1

What is a one-party system?

Answer 1

only 1 party allowed to operate
associated with highly authoritarian regimes-not democratic
dictatorship

Question 2

What is a dominant-party system?

Answer 2

Only 1 party has a credible chance to be in power
There is lack of accountability and competition

Question 3

What is a two-party system?

Answer 3

Only 2 parties have a realistic chance of forming a gov
2 parties win the vast majority of the votes
Duopoly

Question 4

What is a three-party system?

Answer 4

2 dominant and 1 smaller

Question 5

What is a multi-party system?

Answer 5

several parties competing for votes and power
tend to be less stable
common in Europe

Question 6

During most of 20th c what was British politics dominated by?

Answer 6

Political duopoly as a result of class-based voting

Question 7

What system makes it hard for minority parties to gain power?

Answer 7

FPTP

Question 8

in 1983 what was the vote share and seats for LP and the Liberals?

Answer 8

LP 27.6% 209 MPS
L 25.4% 23 MPs

Question 9

Where do minority parties find success?

Answer 9

local elections more multiparty

Question 10

When did 2 party dominance at Westminster begin to be challenged?

Answer 10

1980s when the Social Democrat Party was established, 1988 LDs

Question 11

In 2024 what % of vote and how many seats did the LDs win?

Answer 11

12% with 72 seats won

Question 12

What else has facilitated the decline of the duopoly?

Answer 12

Partisan dealignment

Question 13

Which party achieved its electoral breakthrough in 2015 GE?

Answer 13

SNP following its high profile campaign in 2014 Scottish independence referendum

Question 14

In 2015 what % of vote and how many seats did the SNPs win?

Answer 14

50% vote in Scotland
56 seats in Westminster

Question 15

What suggests that the UK has now entered a two-and-a-half party model at Westminster?

Answer 15

Lib Dem coalition and SNP breakthrough in 2015

Question 16

What suggests there’s still a duopoly?

Answer 16

2017 SNP lost 21 seats and LP and CP secured their highest share of the popular vote since 1970 GE

Question 17

What was the vote share and number of seats for SNP in 2019 and 2024?

Answer 17

2019 45% in Scotland 48 MPs
2024 3% in Scotland 9 MPs

Question 18

In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by Reform?

Answer 18

14% 5 seats

Question 19

In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by LDs?

Answer 19

12% 72 seats

Question 20

In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by GP?

Answer 20

7% 4 seats

Question 21

What do regional assemblies encourage?

Answer 21

multiparty democracy

Question 22

Where are multi-party systems the norm?

Answer 22

Devolved regions where proportional representation systems are used

Question 23

Has the UK now become a multiparty democracy? YES

Answer 23

-devolved assemblies, power shared by more than 2 parties. Since 2007 SNP has either governed as a single party or with other political parties
-Lib Dem coalition 2010, 2017 DUP CP support
-UKIP won only 1 seat in 2015 but shifted CP in a more Eurosceptic direction, GP influenced environmentally aware policies

Question 24

Has the UK now become a multiparty democracy? NO

Answer 24

-every GE since 1992 most seats always LP/CP
-2019 89% parliamentary seats won by CP/LP
-Supports for LD collapsed and 2019 only 11 seats
-FPTP protects LP/CP duopoly
-Party funding