Theme D Flashcards
Power & Influence
Opportunities for citizen participation
- Serving in society (magistrates and special constable)
- Local community (charities and volunteering)
Barriers to citizen participation
- Busy lives (work/family commitments)
- Lack of awareness/knowledge
- Apathy
What is direct action?
Action to bring about change, such as demonstrations or strikes
What is indirect action?
Making your case by persuasion rather than action
Examples of direct action
- Joining or starting a campaign or protest
- Boycotting companies
Examples of indirect action
- Join a political party
- Stand in election as MP
- Lobby politicians
- Join a pressure group
What is an interest group?
A group of people that tries to change public opinion or government policy to its own view or beliefs
What is digital democracy?
The use of online methods to support elections campaigns and voting.
What is beneficial about digital democracy?
- Cheaper
- Results are easier to collate
- More assessable
What is risky about digital voting?
- May deter older voters
- High security needed
Advantages of using social media to improve political participation
- Messages targeted to specific voters
- Allows the public to scrutinise the government
Disadvantages of using social media to improve political participation
- Libel/Slander could be spread
- Manipulation of public influence and opinion
Example of a democratic system outside the UK
Norway
Features of Norway’s system
- Most adult citizens can vote (registration is automatic),
Example of a non-democratic system
North Korea
Features of North Korea’s system
- No genuine elections (most ballots contain ne candidate),
Examples of public institutions
Schools/universities
Examples of public services
Police force
What is the purpose of public institutions and services?
To support citizens in their everyday lives
What are charities and voluntary groups?
Non-profit organisations that work to support causes or groups in society
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What are pressure groups?
A group of people that tries to change public opinion or government policy to its own view or beliefs.
What are trade unions?
Group of employees who join go maintain and improve their conditions of employment
Two examples of how citizens working together to attempt to change or improve their communities
-Open Britain (national campaign),
What was the Open Britain campaign?
-Campaigned against a no deal Brexit as it would damage the economy and harm relations w/ Europe,
What was the Hands Off HRI camapign?
-Campaigned to stop the closure of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary,
Key workplace rights
- A contract of employment
- At least national minimum wage
- Protection from discrimination
Example of why free media is important (Provide case study)
Exposure of the MP expense scandal of 2009
* Discovered that some MPs were claiming expenses for their own (cases false accounting and tax evasion)
Rights of the media
- Freedom of expression (Human Rights Act of 1998)
- Freedom of information (right to access government information)
What must the media respect? (Use case study)
People’s right to privacy
(The Leveson inquiry - followed criticism of the media for lack of respect for family of missing student Milly Dowler 2002)
Why may censorship occur?
- To protect national security
- Protect children
How does OFCOM protect children?
The TV watershed (no inappropriate content before 9 PM).,
How can individuals use the media to influence public opinion?
- petitions
- newspapers/articles
- magazines
How can pressure groups use the media to influence public opinion?
- Protests
- Demonstrations
- Stunts
Benefits of the UKs EU membership
- Free trade and apart of large market
- Financial support and infrastructure
- Provides more job creation and opportunities
Obligations of the UKs EU membership
- Have to give preferential treatment to other EU members in trade
What is the United Nations?
An international organisation founded after WW2 to avoid war and solve global issues through discussion.
How many countries are a member of the UN?
193
Benefits of UN membership
- UK is a permanent member so it can veto any decision is doesn’t agree with
Commitments of UN membership
-Have to pay a membership fee (UK is the 5th largest funder),
What is NATO?
Provides Military assistance
North Atlantic Treaty Organization was set up in 1949 to defend the Western world against the threat of Soviet aggression.,
Benefits of NATO membership
- Success in conflict more likely (alliances and sharing expert knowledge)
- Protection and security from other countries
Commitments of NATO membership
-Must send troops to serve under NATO command if another member is under threat (an attack on one is an attack on all),
What is the Commonwealth?
Made up of 53 countries once part of the British empire,
Benefits of Commonwealth membership
- Strong relationships w/ other countries
- Protects the environment
- Promotes economic, social and sustainable development
What is the World Trade Organization?
An international organisation of 164 members that deals w/ trade between countries,
Benefits of WTO membership
- Trade barriers for UK companies are reduced w/ other members
- Helps resolve trade disputes
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Which has higher moral authority: human rights of laws passed by government?
Human rights meaning they come ahead of the rights of a country to conduct its own affairs.,
What is humanitarian intervention?
Where one country or a group of countries acts to tackle abuses of human rights in another country.,
Example of humanitarian intervention
Between 1998 and 2008 the UK and NATO intervened in Kosovo to protect the rights of civilians in the civil war.,
What are the Geneva Conventions?
International treaties on treatment of others during war agreed on by most countries,
When does the ICC act?
When national courts are unable to deal with a case,
What is the International Court of Justice?
The ICJ is a UN organisation based in the Netherlands that aims to settle legal disputes between member states over things like land and resources.,
Why is the achievement of NGOs limited?
They rely on public support for funding instead of governments
What is mediation?
A neutral third party acts as a mediator and works with both sides in the dispute to facilitate a resolution,
What are sanctions?
A penalty for breaking rules in international situations.
What is the use of force?
- direct intervention
- setting up no fly zones
- supporting other fighters
What are no fly zones?
A territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly,
What are the aims of the EU
Encourage greater cooperation on issues i.e peace, security, trade
What is the role of the EU council
Help make EU law
What is the court of justice
decides whether the institutions of the EU are acting legally, and it settles disputes between them.
What are the aims of the council of europe
To protect human rights, demoncracy and rule of law
What are the aims of the WTO
- Promotes free trade by lowering tariffs and other barriers
- Sorts out trade disputes
What are the aims of NATO
Guarantee freedom and security of members by political and military needs
What is the impact of Brexit
- Removes some consumer rights
- Decides that it no longer wishes to maintain environmental protections
- Can control immigration differently
What are the key agreements to the Geneva conventions
- No use of chemical weapons
- Wounded should be cared for
- Civilians shouldn’t be cared for
Provide the name of three charities
- BBC in need
- World wildlife fund
- GOSH
Provide the name of three NGO’s
- Oxfam
- WaterAid
- Amnesty international
What is international humanitarian law
Protects citizens and can intervene in conflict is governments are abusing citizens
What does slander mean
Saying incorrect things about people.
What does libel mean
Writing incorrect things about people
What is advocacy
Publicly supporting an issue or proposal
What is ACAS
An organisation that tries to resolve disputes between employers and employees.
What is collective bargaining
Negotiating the terms of employment between an employer and a group of workers.
What is redundancy
When a person loses their job because the job is not needed.
What is a spin-doctor
Someone who is hired by politicians to make bad news sound better.
What is the editors code of practice
Guidelines for the media and journalists about the information they gather and how obtain and use it.
What is micro-credit
Making small loans to individuals to help them help themselves.
What are tariffs
Taxes to be paid on some imports or exports.
What is free trade
Trade between countries which is not restricted by things like high taxes on imports.
