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Citizenship gsce > Theme B > Flashcards

Theme B Flashcards

1
Q

What are the key principles of the labour party?

A
  • Formed to represent the working classes
  • Create public education service
  • Increase taxation of the richest members of society
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2
Q

What are the key principles of the Liberal Democrats?

A
  • Represent the middle ground between the two wings
  • Increase taxes to fund NHS
  • Reinstate university grants for poorest students
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3
Q

What are the key principles of the Conservative party?

A
  • Protect British culture and promote private ownership
  • Increase in privately owned sectors such as transport
  • More selective schools
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4
Q

List three features of someone who is eligible to stand as a candidate for an MP

A
  • Over 18
  • British/Irish/commonwealth
  • Able to pay £500 deposit
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5
Q
A
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6
Q

What is representative and direct democracy?

A
  • Representative democracy involves the public voting for someone to make decisions on their behalf (general elections)
  • Direct democracy is where everybody votes on each decision (referendums)
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7
Q

What are two advantages and two disadvantages of representative democracy?

A
  • Adv: Every citizen can choose who represents them; a local MP is aware of the needs of citizens
  • Disadv: Mostly take place every 5 years, limiting input; many MPs vote with their party, rather than to benefit their people
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8
Q

List two advantages and two disadvantages of direct democracy

A
  • Adv: give government clear direction as to what should be done; most democratic way to make a decision
  • Disadv: media can influence the decision of many people; if results are close people may become unhappy
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9
Q

When are general elections held?

A
  • Typically they are held at least every 5 years
  • Can occur if there is a majority ‘vote of no confidence’ in the current government
  • Can occur at any time if there is a 2/3 majority vote in Parliament
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10
Q

Give two features of someone who can vote

A
  • Members of Parliament
  • Over 18
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11
Q

Give two features of someone who cannot vote

A
  • Members of House of Lords
  • Convicted prisoners
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12
Q

Why do some people say that >16 should be allowed to vote?

A
  • It is their future that will be decided by the votes
  • They are mature enough and more educated than previous generations
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13
Q

Why do some people say that >16 shouldn’t be allowed to vote?

A
  • Too immature
  • Not legally recognised as an adult
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14
Q

What are some features of the FPTP voting system?

A
  • Each constituency elects one candidate to be an MP
  • Candidates standing are listed on a ballot paper, where the voter will put a cross on who they want to vote for
  • Candidate with the majority vote wins
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15
Q

What are some advantages and disadvantages of FPTP?

A
  • Adv: Simple and easy to understand; results are quickly calculated up
  • Disadv: Encourages tactical voting in the hopes of not ‘wasting’ a vote; less likely that a smaller/independent candidate will be in power
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16
Q

What are some features of proportional representation?

A
  • Seats are awarded bases on % vote won
  • Parties have a list of candidates
  • Candidates given seats based on party popularity
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17
Q

What are some advantages and disadvantages of proportional representation?

A
  • Adv: Fewer votes wasted ; fairer to minority and independent candidates
  • Disadv: MPs may have no links to constituency; allows extremist parties to get into power
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18
Q

What is a majority Government?

A
  • This is when a party receives over half of the 650 available seats in the House of Commons, which is essential for laws to be made as they need 50% vote to go through
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19
Q

What is a coalition government?

A
  • This is when a party does not reach a majority vote, and so may decide to form a majority with the help of another party
  • May be difficult to pass laws as parties will often have different ideologies
20
Q

What is the role of the Monarch in the formation of Government?

A
  • They appoint the government
  • Reading the state opening at Parliament
21
Q

Give two differences between Government ministers and civil servants

A
  • Government ministers represent a political party; civil servants are politically neutral
  • Government ministers head departments; civil servants work for the departments
22
Q

Give three examples of ministerial departments

A
  • Department for health
  • Department for education
  • Ministry of defence
23
Q

What is the executive?

A
  • This is drawing up and proposal of new laws
24
Q

What is the legislature?

A
  • This is the making and changing of new laws, with the help of the House of Lords, who vote and scrutinise
25
Q

What is the judiciary?

A
  • The is the application of new laws, as they are put into practice
26
Q

What is the monarchy?

A
  • They remain politically neutral, whilst giving royal assent to each law that has been made
27
Q

What are three roles of the House of Commons?

A
  • Debating, examining, proposing and passing new laws
  • Working in select committees to scrutinise new laws and the work being done
  • Prepare questions to be answered on Prime minister Question Time
28
Q

What are three roles of the House of Lords?

A
  • Debate, propose, scrutinise and pass new laws
  • Provide expertise in their designated areas
  • Work in select committees to scrutinise the work being done by the Government
29
Q

What are some roles of the Prime Minister?

A
  • To select a ‘cabinet’, who will head the governmental departments
  • Lead their party
  • Answer questions on question time
  • Set policies that line with their manifesto
30
Q

What are some roles of the cabinet ministers?

A
  • Propose new laws
  • Head departments
  • Direct and initiate policies
31
Q

What are some roles of the opposition and shadow cabinet?

A
  • Scrutinise the work of the Cabinet
  • Develop policies for their own party
  • Will get into cabinet if their party wins the next election
32
Q

What are some roles of MPs?

A
  • Party responsibilities involve developing manifestos and voting in line with party
  • Commons responsibilities involve voting for decisions and making and debating laws
  • Constituency responsibilities involve running surgeries and attending local events
33
Q

What are some roles of the speaker?

A
  • Chair debates
  • Keep order as MPs speak
  • Suspend any MPs that act out of line
34
Q

What is the law making process?

A

**Green paper- law proposed by experts and interest groups
**White paper- law presented to the houses
**Parliamentary ping-pong- law bounced between houses as it is scrutinised, amended and shaped
**Royal assent- approved by monarch and put into legislation

35
Q
  • What is the British constitution?
A
  • What defines the laws and principles of the UK, with the key principal being Parliamentary sovereignty
  • Consists of: legislations; conventions and case law
36
Q

How does the Power of the Government make up the British Constitution?

A
  • Power is derived from the party with the majority of seats in the House of Commons
  • Scrutiny and debates go into making and shaping laws
  • The Government split into three distinct sectors, to ensure that laws are practiced equally nationwide
37
Q

What is the importance of the role of the opposition in the British Constitution?

A
  • Made up of MPs that are not in power
  • Responsible for scrutinise laws and monitoring work of the government
38
Q

What is an uncodified constitution?

A
  • This is a constitution that stems from a range of different sources and is not clearly outlined in one document
  • In Britain, it stems from: case law, legislations and conventions
  • Changing due to devolution, where each nation can legislate their own issues
39
Q

Give two advantages and two disadvantages of the uncodified constitution

A
  • Adv: flexible, allowing each Government to change laws; easy to add new laws, so it’s quicker to mirror changing values
  • Disadv: Citizens may struggle to understand; may be easier for controversial laws to be passed
40
Q

What is Parliamentary sovereignty?

A
  • This is the key principal of the British constitution, stating that the Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK
  • Future Parliaments can make their own laws, yet measures are in place to scrutinise and hold the Government to account.
41
Q

What is judicial review?

A
  • It involves a court proceeding where a judge reviews the lawfulness of actions taken by a public body
42
Q

What are some reasons for an action being overturned in judicial review?

A
  • Decision made beyond their legal power
  • Proper procedure wasn’t followed
  • Decisions was irrational and illogical
  • Action taken didn’t carry out the promise that was made
43
Q

What are some powers of Scotland’s Parliament and the other devolved bodies?

A
  • Laws around fishing
  • Laws around education
  • Laws around tourism and sport
44
Q

How has devolution led to changing relations between the different nations?

A
  • Led to calls for independence in Scotland
  • Further devolved powers in Wales
  • Multiple suspensions in the Northern Ireland assembly
45
Q

What are the two different types of taxes?

A
  • Direct taxes (taxes such as council tax), that have to be paid from a person to the a larger body and cannot be avoided
  • Indirect taxes (such as VAT or excise duties), which are paid on goods and services
46
Q

What are some of the roles of the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

A
  • Lead the treasury department
  • Raise revenue by increasing taxation or borrowing
  • Decide where the money in the central body will be spent
  • Set budgets for the different Governmental departments
47
Q

What are some debates in regards to taxes and where they are being spent?

A
  • Whether people who can afford private healthcare should pay for it?
  • Reducing costs of university fees to prevent the deterrence of the poorer students?
  • The role of charities to help poorer and suffering people?

Citizenship gsce (4 decks)

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