Intro to Britain Transformed

First Past the Post (FPTP) (2)

The name of the UK voting system

Used to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons

Constituencies (2)

The UK is currently divided into 650 areas of constituencies

The candidate who receives the most votes in the area is the first past the post and gets a seat in parliament

Majority Government

If a party wins over half the seats in an election (currently 325), they can form a majority government

Majority Government: Passing Laws (2)

Having a majority of politicians in parliament makes it easier to pass laws they want

The bigger the majority, the easier it is to pass laws

Coalition Government (2)

If no party wins a majority, the biggest party may instead form a coalition

They team up with another party to gain a majority, but must find ways to work together

National Goverment

During times of crisis e.g. World War II, parties form a National Coalition made up of multiple parties to govern the country together

Minority Government (2)

Sometimes when no party wins a majority, the biggest party decides to govern with a minority

They govern with a minority of politicians, and instead rely on other MPs to vote for their laws because they like them

Minority Government: Weak government

It is very difficult to govern effectively or for long with a minority government

Inflation (2)

The general level of prices is going up

More money is needed to pay for goods (e.g. bread) and services (e.g. a haircut)

Inflation: Economy (2)

A small amount of inflation can be a good thing - it shows a country’s economy is growing

Too much is a bad thing as people lose trust in the value of money or strike for more pay

Unemployment Level (2)

The amount of people actively seeking work who cannot find any

High unemployment levels signals a failing economy

Unemployment level: Relevant context (2)

Britain saw high unemployment during the Great Depression - 2.5m by 1931

After WW2, all main political parties committed to achieving full employment

Currency (2)

The British currency is the pound or sterling

Governments want to ensure their economy is doing well so people buy and trade with their currency

Currency: Decline (3)

Throughout 1918 - 1979, the value of the pound declined

Governments were forced to de-value it

This made it worth less against other currencies like the dollar, which meant people could export cheaper British goods

Trade Union (2)

An organisation made up of workers from a certain industry or business (e.g. teachers may join a Teacher’s Trade Union)

They fight for workers’ rights and pay

Trade Union: Course Context

Typically, Trade Unions are closely linked with the Labour Party, which was set up to represent the working class

Strike

A refusal to work organised by a trade union as a form of protest, typically to gain better pay or working conditions

Strike: Economy (3)

Strikes are damaging to an economy

Working days are lost and important products are not produced and services not provided

Striking was widespread in Britain in the late 1960s and 1970s and drastically weakened the power of government