Unit 1

Question 1

-What are some strengths of representative democracy?

Answer 1

• Representatives may use superior knowledge and judgement in decision making
• Ensures representatives represent interests from across society
• Running the country is complex, cannot all be decided by referenda
• Public’s demands often oversimplified and needs workable programmes

Question 2

-What are some weaknesses of representative democracy?

Answer 2

• Participation often low (65% in 2010, up to 70% in 2017)
• Socio demographic makeup of commons etc not a true reflection of society as a whole
• Very little different between main parties
• Rep. democracy doesn’t necessarily reflect all different views in society
• Minority views often marginalised

Question 3

What are some strengths of direct democracy?

Answer 3

• Helps make a decision legitamate
• “government by consent”
• Public more likely to accept result
• Prevents unpopular decisions
• Helps govt. make a decision
• “entrenches” the decision

Question 4

What are some weaknesses of direct democracy?

Answer 4

• Issues often oversimplified
• Referendums are expensive
• Referendums are used to show resentment for government
• Tyranny of majority
• Turnout often low (AV 42%, brexit up to 72%)

Question 5

What are some methods of political participation?

Answer 5

• Join a pressure group
• Sign petitions
• Join a party
• Stand for office
• “Active citizenship”

Question 6

What is legitimacy?

Answer 6

The degree in which the state or government can claim the right to exercise power.

Question 7

What are some characteristics of “socialist labour”?

Answer 7

• “old labour” fights on left of party
• Focus on renationalisation of UK industries and higher taxation
• More aggressive on tax avoidance / regulating business
• Generally less internationalist
• Anti global interventionist

Question 8

What are some methods to improve the democratic process?

Answer 8

• Votes at 16
• Compulsory voting
• using the internet
• Elected HOL
• Greater devolution of power to regions and mayors
• Recall MP’s who misbehave

Question 9

What are some key Labour 2017 policies?

Answer 9

• Scrap tuition fees
• Nationalise England’s water companies
• Reintroduce 50p rate of tax on highest earners
• End to zero hours contracts
• Expanding free childcare
• Hire 10k new police officers, 3k new firefighters
• Bring railways back into public ownership
• Raise money from tax avoidance programme

Question 10

What are some key 2017 Conservative policies?

Answer 10

• Real terms £8bn/yr extra NHS spending by 2022/23
• Scrap triple lock for double lock
• Net migration below 100,000
• Scrap free school lunches (replace with breakfast)
• Extra £4bn into schools by 2022
• Means tested winter fuel payments
• People with more than £100k assets have to pay for social care
• Cut corporation tax to 17%
• Increase national living wage by 2020

Question 11

How does the AV system work?

Answer 11

• UK divided into constituencies
• 1 MP per constituency
• Party nominates 1 MP per constituency
• Voters vote in order of preference
• First preference votes counted
• If noone receives 50%, least popular eliminated
• Their second preference votes redistributed
• Continues until one candidate >50%

Question 12

What is a sectional pressure group?

Answer 12

• PG’s that represent a section of society
• Represent interests of people grouped by: Age, race, faith, professions or shared connections
• E.g. NFU (farmers), NUT (Teachers)

Question 13

What is a Promotional pressure group?

Answer 13

• PG’s that represent a specific issue
• Cause/issue not linked to a specific group
• E.g. Greenpeace / RSPB

Question 14

What is an insider Pressure group?

Answer 14

• PG’s directly involved in policymaking and amending
• Give evidence to select ctee’s, sponsor an MP’s bill
• E.g. TUC, CBI

Question 15

What is an outsider pressure group?

Answer 15

• PG’s that are outside policy making and amending
• Protest to put pressure on govt.
• E.g. Greenpeace