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Question 1

FMQT in reference to an MSP’s ability to represent us in Parliament

Evaluate the effectiveness of Parliament in holding the Government to account

Answer 1

Held on Thursdays for a 45 minutes
+ MSPs can criticise the FM
+ Since FMQT is televised, FM feels the pressure
- FM doesn’t need to act on issues raised

Question 2

Committees in reference to an MSP’s ability to represent us in Parliament

Evaluate the effectiveness of Parliament in holding the Government to account

Answer 2

Groups of around 10 MSPs who meet on a regular basis to discuss a particular idea. There are mandatory and subject committees
+ Fair that conveners are chosen externally based on how popular a party is
+ Ministers can’t be in committees
- Party Whip system is prevalent

Question 3

Government Type in reference to an MSP’s ability to represent us in Parliament

Evaluate the effectiveness of Parliament in holding the Government to account

Answer 3

Minority governments have less than 50% of the seats, Majority have 50% or more of the seats. Coalitions are when a number of parties join together to get to more than 50% of then seats
+ Majority governments allow for almost all bills to become laws
+ Coalitions are good for cross-party politics
- Majority governments don’t allow for the views of non-governing parties and are thus seen as too powerful
- Coalitions don’t give us the manifesto promises we voted for
- Minority governments struggle to pass any laws without 50% of the vote

Question 4

Member’s Bills in reference to an MSP’s ability to represent us in Parliament

Evaluate the effectiveness of Parliament in holding the Government to account

Answer 4

Each MSP has two chances to put forward a bill that could become a law per parliamentary session
+ Allows for backbench MSPs to have a fair say even if they aren’t in the governing party
- Under majority governments, Member’s Bills are rarely passed
- Only 10% of all of the bills passed have been Member’s Bills

Question 5

Outsider Groups in reference to how groups/individuals can participate in politics

Analyse the ways in which individuals and groups in society can influence government decision making.

Answer 5

Outside Groups work outwith the government. This means that they sometimes break the law and insight violence to make their case

• They rely on the opinion of the public, who can’d do much to advance to political process
• Their tardiness often leads to them not being taken seriously by the government
• Some people are put off by the groups’ violence and anger

Question 6

Insider Groups in reference to how groups/individuals can participate in politics

Analyse the ways in which individuals and groups in society can influence government decision making.

Answer 6

Insider Groups are ones which have close links to the government. They don’t do as much marches/demonstrations as they don’t rely on the public’s opinion
+ Taken a lot more seriously by the government than Outsider Groups
- Their success is largely determined, not by the groups actions, but by how the group are perceived by the government (Countryside Alliance example)

Question 7

Voting in reference to how groups/individuals can participate in politics

Analyse the ways in which individuals and groups in society can influence government decision making.

Answer 7

Citizens above the age of 16 in Scotland (18 in the UK) are given the right to vote in elections.
+ This is a right denied to other people on the world (North Korea)
+ It is a direct way for citizens to influence the government
- Those who live in a safe seat feel it pointless to vote for another party
- Voting is not taken as seriously as it should be (turnout has never been more than 60% in SP elections)
- Voting Behaviour can be influenced by external factors such as the media (Telegraph readers are more likely to vote for the Conservatives)

Question 8

Joining a Political Party in reference to how groups/individuals can participate in politics

Analyse the ways in which individuals and groups in society can influence government decision making.

Answer 8

Citizens can join a political party which they identify with. They will give money to the party’s cause and election campaigns
+ Party Members get to choose the candidate who stands for an area
+ Party Members get to choose the party leader and, in some case, the Prime Minister (July 2016 when Theresa May became the PM after being elected by the party members)
+ Party Members of the opposition party show, in a collective voice, that they actively disagree with the way the country is run (Labour are the biggest Party in Europe, with 540,000 party members)
- In between elections, Party Members cannot do much to make a large impact on the decision making of the country

Question 9

Choice in reference to how AMS gives fairer representation

Analyse the ways in which an electoral system you have studied allows the views of the electorate to be represented.

Answer 9

AMS provides greater choice as voters are give two ballots and can ensure their representation by splitting their vote
+ More representative of people who identify with a party but not a candidate (or vice versa)
- Not as much choice as STV

Question 10

Government Type in reference to how AMS gives fairer representation

Analyse the ways in which an electoral system you have studied allows the views of the electorate to be represented.

Answer 10

Most likely, the AMS voting system gives a coalition government (when two or more parties come together to get their total amount of seats above 50%). Minority governments are also sometimes produced (when the leading party has less than 50% of the seats)
+ Coalitions are good for cross-party politics
+ Majority governments don’t allow for the views of non-governing parties and are thus seen as too powerful
- Majority governments allow for almost all bills to become laws
- Coalitions don’t give us the manifesto promises we voted for
- Minority governments struggle to pass any laws without 50% of the vote

Question 11

Proportionality / Smaller Parties in reference to how AMS gives fairer representation

Analyse the ways in which an electoral system you have studied allows the views of the electorate to be represented.

Answer 11

As AMS is a form of PR, it is undoubtedly better for giving a more proportional result and is fairer on smaller parties
+ More of the population are represented in the Parliament
+ Voter turnout should be higher if people feel as though their vote makes a difference
+ Smaller parties have a higher chance of getting elected (Green Party example)
- First vote carries the pitfalls of FPTP
- Smaller Parties are often extremists which can hinder the democratic process

Question 12

MSP / Constituency Link in reference to how AMS gives fairer representation

Analyse the ways in which an electoral system you have studied allows the views of the electorate to be represented.

Answer 12

A weak link is created under AMS as each individual is represented by 8 MSPs, and thus the electorate are less likely to know each of the 8 well
+ More chance of a citizen being able to go to a representative of their favoured party with a problem
- People don’t know who their representatives are (Labour voters in Central Scotland and Richard Lenoard example)

Question 13

Impact of Age on Voting Behavior

To what extent are some factors more important than others in influencing voting behaviour?

Answer 13

Younger people are more likely to vote Labour, while older people are more likely to vote Conservative
Link is explained by the fact that young people tend to be less wealthy and more reliant on the state, while older people are likely to be affluent and less willing to want high taxation
> Older people are more likely to vote so Conservatives have more of a chance
> 69% of those aged 70+ voted Conservative in the 2017 GE
> 64% of those aged 18-24 voted Labour in the 2017 GE

Question 14

Impact of Social Class on Voting Behavior

To what extent are some factors more important than others in influencing voting behaviour?

Answer 14

Social Class refers to the amount of social exclusion a person faces. Historically, those of a lower social class voted Labour, while the upper classes voted Conservative. 
> This foundation has been established from the creation of the two parties but has changed due to partisan dealignment
This is when voters break the traditional voting stereotypes and vote in an unorthodox manner (Margaret Thatcher)
> 72% middle class voted Conservative in 2017 GE
> Link is clearly strong but its influence has deteriorated over the last few decades

Question 15

Impact of the Media on Voting Behavior

To what extent are some factors more important than others in influencing voting behaviour?

Answer 15

By law, some forms of media are allowed to be bias (eg. newspapers). Other forms, such as TV, are forced to be unbaised. There are two main forms - Old and New media.
> Newspaper readership is in serious decline
> More and more people (particularly youths) are choosing new media such as social media
> New media was very influential in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum
> Despite its decline, newspapers have a tight grip on some readers. In the 2017 GE 77% of Telegraph readers (right-wing paper) voted Conservative, while 82% of Guardian readers (left-wing paper) voted Labour.

Question 16

Impact of a Party Leader’s Image on Voting Behavior

To what extent are some factors more important than others in influencing voting behaviour?

Answer 16

The image of a party leader is of the upmost importance in elections. Over the years there have been many instances where a party leaders image has been tainted in scandal or strength, and this has had a massive impact on there vote count
> Tony Blair’s “New Labour” appealed to the centrists and encouraged people all over the political spectrum to vote Labour. This led a massive majority in 1997
> Often, it is the relationship between a Party Leader and the media which can change election results
> Jeremy Corbyn’s antisemitism row has had a bad effect on his credibility as a leader
> Theresa May lost her majority in the 2017 GE partly because she didn’t show up at the Leaders Debate on the TV

Question 17

Capitalist Economics as a Reason for Income Inequality

There are many reasons for income inequality.
Discuss

Answer 17

In the UK, we are run by a Conservative Government. The Conservative approach is Individualistic in that it primarily helps those at the top of the economic ladder, with lower taxation on the highest earners.
> This means that those who are the poorest in society are often struggling to fend for themselves
An example would be Universal Credit, which is a change to the Social Security system whereby 6 of the most sought after benefits are rolled into the one umbrella term.
+ This has been very effective in making it easier for people to claim
- This has led to a change to the availability of some benefits, causing many of those JAM’s to go without income they desperately need

Question 18

Employment Status as a Reason for Income Inequality

There are many reasons for income inequality.
Discuss

Answer 18

Many people in the UK are either unemployed or have a severely low income. As of now the minimum wage stands as low as around £8.20 p/h for an over 25 year old.
> The unemployment rate in the UK is 4% but this changes dramatically in poorer areas
+ The NMW gives those who are unemployed an incentive to work as they know that they are guaranteed a basic hourly rate and are less likely to face exploitation
- Many people say that the rate is to low (hence why the Living Wage was created)
- Those earning the NMW receive enough income so that they do not qualify for the “best” benefits and thus could be earning more by not working

Question 19

Poor Education as a Reason for Income Inequality

There are many reasons for income inequality.
Discuss

Answer 19

A good education is key to ensuring that a person leads a life which allows them to be free of economic burden. There is a direct correlation between the quality of education a person receives and the amount of money they earn as an adult.
> This can be seen when observing that those who go to university consistently earn significantly more then those who don’t (eg. Doctors earn on average £90,000)
> Those who have a bad education tend to end up in more menial labour
> Menial labour tends to pay a lower wage and has less chance of promotion

Question 20

Geography as a Reason for Income Inequality

There are many reasons for income inequality.
Discuss

Answer 20

Studies show a clear link between where a person lives and how much social exclusion they face. Those living in poorer areas are most likely to be poor themselves.
> It has been shown that those living in inner city areas and small ghetto-like towns lead less privileged lives
> In Parkhead (inner city Glasgow) the SIMD decile is 1 compared to Anderston (suburb of Glasgow) which has a SIMD decile of 10
> Often those living in these poor areas turn to drugs and other bad lifestyle choices and find themselves in worse poverty
> In areas where crime is high people are more likely to have there possessions stolen from them which can increase their poverty index

Question 21

Poverty as a Reason for Health Inequality

There are many reasons for health inequality. Discuss

Answer 21

It is clear that those with the poorest health live in poverty. This can be manifested through poor housing, high crime areas etc.
> Life expectancy for a man in Glasgow (city of mass social deprivation) is just 68 whereas the national average is 77
Poor housing can have a detrimental effect on both physical and mental health
> Physically, damp housing conditions can trigger severe respiratory problems (more so in young people)
> Mentally, people live in fear of going outside as they see a high risk of crime
> This has physical impacts too, as is limits one ability to exercise

Question 22

Government Policy as a Reason for Health Inequality

There are many reasons for health inequality. Discuss

Answer 22

The government have made moves to reduce the amount of health inequality in the country, but many believe these have had very little effect. The UK Conservative Government’s ideology is that it the responsibility of the individual to ensure they keep in good health
> This can be seen through the lack of anti-obesity legislation in the UK (until very recently)
- Although there have been massive improvements in this area, many believe that this has come too late and that this is the reason we have the highest obesity rates in Western Europe
In Scotland, MUP is criticized as many believe it has had very little effect on the drinking habits of Scots.
- They claim that is has only made it harder for sensible drinkers to enjoy a drink in their homes
- Problem drinks such as Buckfast wine have not changed in price since the legislation

Question 23

Smoking as a Reason for Health Inequality

There are many reasons for health inequality. Discuss

Answer 23

It is an indisputable fact that smoking is the cause of many life-limiting diseases such as cancer and COPD. It has been reported that it causes 80% of lung cancer deaths and that it costs the UK government around £4 billion per year.
> Many would argue that smoking is not as much a choice, and that smoking can be caused by the socialization factors surrounding a person.
> Many believe that the Scottish Governments banning of 10 packs has only worsened the problem as people now buy (and smoke 20 packs) more frequently

Question 24

Alcoholism as a Reason for Health Inequality

There are many reasons for health inequality. Discuss

Answer 24

Alcoholism is a massive problem in the UK, and is the cause of many fatal problems in the body including liver failure and blood poisoning. It is seen as the second biggest cause of preventable death in the UK and it has been revealed that there are 137 alcohol related hospital admissions every single hour.
> It’s cause can be derived from a range of social factors such as the “Glasgow Effect”.
This is the belief that a socially deprived area like Glasgow embraces a culture that endorses bad lifestyle choices.
> Can be seen when observing that Glasgow has above average rates of alcoholism death per 100,000 people

Question 25

NMW / Living Wage as a solution to inequality

To what extent have government policies been effective in reducing social and economic inequalities?

Answer 25

Introduced by Tony Blair’s “New Labour” government in 1999 to give the unemployed an incentive to work. Rate currently stands at £8.20 p/h for a over 25 year old
+ It was very effective in tackling the amount of exploitation of workers (primarily in the private sector) making a fairer working environment for all
- Many believe that the rate is too low and that people simply cannot afford to live off of such a basic rate
The Living Wage is the Conservative approach to tackling income inequality
+ People believe that it is actually possible to live off this rate
- However many believe that neither the NMW nor the NLW is enough to lift people out of poverty
- Also the NMW is a legal requirement while the NLW is optional so businesses can get away with paying the lesser alternative

Question 26

Equality Act 2010 as a solution to inequality

To what extent have government policies been effective in reducing social and economic inequalities?

Answer 26

This legislation made it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of their race, religion, sex etc.
+ This was a massive leap forward for the equality of people from minorities (ethnic or otherwise)
- However, racial inequality continues to be a problem in the country
- UK unemployment rate for White Adults is 4.6% compared to that of those from a ethnic minority which is 8%, nearly double

Question 27

Social Security as a solution to inequality

To what extent have government policies been effective in reducing social and economic inequalities?

Answer 27

Benefits are used as a means of helping citizens through financial hardship so that they can find employment or a more stable means of income to escape the cycle of poverty. 
- This is a very temporary fix and does not always help in the long term
Universal Credit (UC) is a change to the benefits system whereby six of the most important benefits are rolled into the one umbrella term
\+ Many praise it as it makes it easier to apply for benefits
- It has changed some of the eligibility of some benefits so that now many people are going without the income that they desperately need

Question 28

MUP as a solution to inequality

To what extent have government policies been effective in reducing social and economic inequalities?

Answer 28

The SNP Scottish Government introduced a minimum pricing of alcohol, at 50p per unit.
+ Has been effective in encouraging people to go out for a drink instead of perhaps binge drinking in their homes
- The act has not achieved its basic intention of simply cutting the drinking rates in Scotland
> Alcoholism has become, more and more, a class-based issue and is affecting the poorest of our society much more than those at the top of the economic ladder

Question 29

The World Health Organisation (WHO) as an International Aid

To what extent has international aid been effective in reducing the issue of Underdevelopment in Africa?

Answer 29

The WHO aim to provide emergency help to people and countries in crisis. Often they work after a natural disaster such as an earthquake. They constantly work to fight against diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis. In doing this they provide mass immunizations. They were pivotal in the Ebola outbreak of 2014 and set up camps to treat people.
+ Life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa is increasing
+ Infant Mortality rate has decreased
- Problem is still very much prevalent
- Africa is behind the average immunization rates for protection against measles

Question 30

UNICEF as an International Aid

To what extent has international aid been effective in reducing the issue of Underdevelopment in Africa?

Answer 30

UNICEF work with children and mothers and try to give the needy the tools to better their lives and work to eradicate the issue. They work to improve hygiene, education, and water sanitation. They have provided 2.5 billion doses of immunization against diseases and have produced a basic set of rights for all children across the world to tackle exploitation.
+ Increase in the amount of African children in schools
+ Most notably in Tanzania where there has been a 12% increase in primary school enrollment
- Still 25 million Sub-Saharan children without daily education

Question 31

Mary’s Meals as an International Aid

To what extent has international aid been effective in reducing the issue of Underdevelopment in Africa?

Answer 31

Mary’s Meals is a charity who aim the help the issue by tackling hunger in the poorest areas of the world. They provide 1 meal per day in a place of learning. In 2002 they started by feeding around 200 children in a school in Malawi, and now feed over 1 million children daily across 12 countries.
+ The tackle both education and starvation, two of the MDG’s
+ Every day they feed more and more people
- 25% of Sub-Saharan Africans are hungry
- 33% of the worlds hungry live in Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 child dies every 10 seconds from hunger in the continent

Question 32

OXFAM as an International Aid

To what extent has international aid been effective in reducing the issue of Underdevelopment in Africa?

Answer 32

OXFAM are a non-governmental organisation (NGO) who aim to fight poverty, provide vital food and water, and close the gap between rich and poor. They often operate as a pressure group to the UK government, urging them to spend more money on aid to countries such as Malawi and Zimbabwie where poverty in immensely high. They also provide emergency responses after disasters and emergencies.
+ As an NGO, they tend to look more specifically at the one issue and so are more effective in dealing with that
+ OXFAM is currently helping 1 million people in Zimbabwe who are at risk of Cholera and food shortages
- 80 richest people in the world have the same combined wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest
- As an NGO, OXFAM has a very high running cost

Question 33

War as an effect of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals

Analyse the effects of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals and Families

Answer 33

Many African nations are involved in civil wars. Many of these are caused by small rebel groups called factions trying to influence the government by use of direct action such as violent protest. The Sudan Civil War went on for almost half a century.
> This claimed the lives of many people and left families broken
> Families are left without a stable source of income as the earners are often called upon to fight
> Women are left without male protectors in these areas and can often be the subject of rape and abuse
> Women trying to provide for family without a stable income sometimes feel forced into entering prostitution rings

Question 34

Poor Education as an effect of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals

Analyse the effects of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals and Families

Answer 34

The cause of this is often that a country is in serious debt and thus cannot afford to provide essential schools for young people. This affects the poorest in the continent as schools are rare in the rural poorer areas.
> According to UNICEF, 25 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa miss out on a daily education
> This explains the literacy rate of only 64% in Chad
> This means that they will struggle to find a job and will struggle to provide for themselves or their families.
> Uneducated Africans who manage to find a job are often the subject of exploitation from employers
Those who are educated fall victim to the “Brain Drain” which is when the educated people of a developing country leave and find work in more affluent areas of the world
> There are currently more Ethiopian doctors working in Chicago than in Ethiopia

Question 35

Poor Health as an effect of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals

Analyse the effects of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals and Families

Answer 35

Africa is sadly a continent home to many of the worlds worst diseases and illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
> Because of this, people are dying early which brings down the life expectancy of the continent as a whole significantly
> Often those who are fighting the diseases have to take time off work which means that families are left without a stable source of income
> Because many of those who become ill are uneducated, they spread diseases around a lot faster, which leads to a larger epidemic overall

Question 36

Debt as an effect of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals

Analyse the effects of Underdevelopment in Africa on Individuals and Families

Answer 36

Because of the undeniable abundance of poverty in Africa, many countries have received bail-outs from much larger, more developed nations.
> Although this fixes the problem short term, loans have to be paid back, which can mean austere times for individuals living in countries
> This causes prices of essentials to rocket meaning that citizens have to live on slender means
> Also countries cannot provide essential provisions such as healthcare, education etc. as money is being used to pay back debt
> In Zambia 7.35% of GDP was spent on repaying debt while half of this went towards education, so children saw their future made much more difficult because of debt