Politics and Participation Flashcards
What is democracy?
Rule by the people. People get a say in how the country is run.
What are some characteristics of a democratic country?
Free and fair voting. Freedom of speech. Freedom of the press.
What is a representative democracy?
A system of government where people are elected to represent the public.
Eg: An MP.
What is a direct democracy?
A system of government where citizens take part in decision making.
Eg: A referendum.
What is an absolute monarchy?
A system of government where the royal family rules.
What is a dictatorship?
A system of government which is run by one person who has total control.
What is anarchy?
When there is no one in control/no form of government.
What is a theodicy?
A system of government where religious leaders rule the country.
What is Parliament?
Parliament is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Monarch.
What is the government?
The political party that won the election. The prime minister leads the government.
The Labour party is currently the government.
What does bicameral mean?
Having 2 chambers - the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
What is the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
House of commons = where MPs sit. House of Lords = where life peers sit.
What is a political party?
A group of people who share common ideologies and political beliefs.
What are some examples of political parties?
Conservative, Labour, Green party, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK.
What is the cabinet?
Senior MPs in the government who are secretary of states. (Run a government department).
What is the official opposition?
The largest political party that is not in power.
Conservative Party is currently the official opposition.
What is the role of the Prime Minister?
The head of the government.
The prime minister is Keir Starmer.
What is legislature?
The body that decides upon the laws. In the UK, Parliament is the legislature.
What is the civil service?
The people that carry out the work of the government.
What is the difference between a codified and uncodified constitution?
Codified = one document containing the structure and power of the government. Uncodified = Many different documents outlining the constitution.
What is the separation of powers?
System of checks and balances to ensure how part of the government has too much power. The Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary are all separate.
What is the judiciary?
The system of courts and judges.
What does sovereignty mean?
The person/organisation that has the most power.
In the UK, Parliament is sovereign.
What is devolution?
The transfer of power to a lower level.
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have devolved governments.
What is local government?
Lowest tier of the government. Councillors represent us in the local government.
Eg: Haringey council.
What are reserved powers?
Powers of the UK central government located in Westminster.
What is a general election?
When citizens vote for their representative in Parliament - their local MP.
Who can stand for election?
Must be 18, a British citizen, and you cannot stand for more than one constituency.
Who cannot stand for election?
If you work for the civil service, police, in the armed forces, a judge, or in the House of Lords.
What is voter turnout?
The amount of people that vote in elections.
What are some reasons people do not vote?
Voter apathy (lack of interest), lack of education on politics, belief that participation won’t make a difference.
Who can and cannot vote in UK elections?
Can vote: British citizen, over 18s who have registered to vote. Cannot vote: under 18s, member of House of Lords, prisoners.
How can voter turnout be increased?
Compulsory voting
Eg: fines. Electronic voting. More education in schools to engage younger people.
What are some reasons to lower the voting age to 16?
It is 16 in Scotland and has been positive there. Young people should get a say in matters that impact them. Will encourage younger people to take an interest in politics.
What are some reasons to not lower the voting age to 16?
Lack of knowledge/experience of the real world. Not mature enough yet to make important decisions. Teenagers are very impressionable and are likely to just vote for what their parents do.
How does the government get its money?
Through taxes.
What is a constituency?
A geographical area consisting of around 70,000 people. One MP represents each constituency.
What is the voting system for general elections?
First Past the Post.
What are the positives and negatives of First Past the Post?
Positives: creates strong governments. Simple and easy to understand. Negatives: Doesn’t favour smaller parties. Isn’t proportional to the amount of votes cast.
What are 3 proportional representation voting systems?
Additional member system, Supplementary vote, Single transferable vote.
What are some key beliefs of the Conservative party?
Lower taxes, traditional family values, more freedom to spend your money, less rules for businesses.
What are some key beliefs of the Labour party?
High taxes, more support from the government, more funding for public services.
What is the difference between frontbench MPs and backbench MPs?
Frontbench MPs = most important, members of the cabinet. Backbench = MPs that don’t have an extra responsibility.
What is the role of the Speaker in the House of Commons?
To keep order in the House of Commons.
What is the role of a whip?
To ensure MPs are voting with the party line.
What is the role of the black rod?
Controls access to the House of Lords. Ceremonial role.
