Democracy in Scotland Flashcards

Power & Decision Making

• Features of a democratic political society
• Devolved matters
• Role and powers of First Minister

Features of a Democracy

• Voting: Citizens in Scotland can vote from the age of 16 for Scottish Elections.
  • In 2021, over 4 million people in Scotland were registered to vote, with a turnout of 63.2%, the highest ever for a Scottish Parliament election.
• Freedom of Speech: People in Scotland are free to express their views without facing repercussions, except for hate speech or influencing harmful behavior.
  • Example: Citizens were divided over Nicola Sturgeon’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Right to Protest: Citizens have the political right to protest, allowing them to demonstrate against government decisions.
  • Example: During COP 26, around 100,000 people protested in Glasgow to demand more action against the climate crisis.
• Free Press: Media in Scotland can publish information, thoughts, and opinions without censorship.
  • Example: The Scottish Daily Express has published articles criticizing the SNP.

Devolved Matters

• Health
  • Health is devolved to the Scottish Parliament under the 1998 Scotland Act.
  • Scotland has poorer health indicators compared to the rest of the UK, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of smoking, alcohol misuse, and drug-related deaths.
  • Health accounts for around 17-18% of the Scottish Government's annual budget.
  • Example: Nicola Sturgeon set up the Louisa Jordan Hospital in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
  • In 2021, free dental care was introduced for everyone under 26.
• Education
  • Education is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
  • It is the third biggest area of Scottish Government spending at 11-12% annually.
  • The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is responsible for this area.
  • Example: John Swinney instructed the SQA to award grades based on teacher judgment alone after outrage over awarded grades following the cancellation of exams.
  • In 2024, Jenny Gilruth announced that the SQA would be scrapped and replaced with a new Qualifications body as part of the Governments education reforms.
• Income Tax
  • The power to set income tax was devolved to the Scottish Parliament following the Smith Commission.
  • Income tax funds public services like police, schools, and hospitals.
  • Scotland has 6 income tax rates/bands, while the rest of the UK has 3.
  • For 2025/26, Scotland has a starter rate (19%), basic rate (20%), intermediate rate (21%), higher rate (42%), advanced rate (45%) and top rate (48%).
• Social Security
  • Scotland has responsibility for 11 benefits, including Disability Living Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.
  • These benefits are relied on by 1.4 million people in Scotland and are worth around £3.3 billion annually.
  • Example: Scottish Child Payment, introduced in 2021 at £10 per week, doubled to £20 per week in April 2022, and is currently £27.15 in 2025/26.

Roles of the First Minister

• Accountable to the Scottish Parliament
  • The First Minister appears before the Scottish Parliament every Thursday lunchtime for First Minister’s Questions (FMQ’s).
  • MSPs have 45 minutes to ask questions.
  • Example: In May 2024, John Swinney was asked if his 2021 pledge to increase teacher numbers by 3,500 was still possible.
• Appointing the Cabinet
  • The First Minister appoints the cabinet.
  • Cabinet secretaries are in charge of specific portfolios.
  • Example: In May 2024, John Swinney appointed Jenny Gilruth as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

Powers of the First Minister

• Reshuffling the Cabinet
  • The First Minister can reshuffle the cabinet, changing who is in charge of different portfolios.
  • They can hire and fire cabinet secretaries based on their performance.
  • Example: In February 2024, Humza Yousaf reshuffled his cabinet, appointing Neil Gray after Michael Matheson resigned as health secretary.
• Setting the Government’s Agenda
  • The First Minister is responsible for setting the government's agenda.
• Head of the Government
  • The First Minister represents Scotland's interests domestically and internationally.
  • They can go on foreign visits and speak with other world leaders to promote Scotland.
  • Example: John Swinney attended the Tartan Week celebrations in New York in April 2025.

Political Rights

• Voting
  • The right to vote is a fundamental right in a democracy.
  • People can vote on a person, party, or issue in an election or referendum.
  • Example: In 2021, over 4 million people in Scotland were registered to vote, with a 63.2% turnout.
• Freedom of Speech
  • Citizens can express their opinions and criticize the Scottish Government without fear of repercussions.
  • Example: The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 addresses harmful and offensive comments.
• Right to Protest
  • People can gather in large groups to protest about something important to them.
  • Protests should be peaceful, and the police should be notified in advance.
  • Example: In July 2022, protesters blocked a busy road near Aberdeen using tractors to protest against rising fuel prices, which was not a responsible protest.
• Joining a Pressure Group
  • Pressure groups allow citizens to express their opinions and put pressure on decision-makers.
  • Members of pressure groups should not break the law.
  • Example: The Extinction Rebellion pressure group has had mass protests in Scotland but blocked roads in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Opportunities for Participation

• Voting
  • In Scotland, people need to be 16 to vote in elections, including council and Scottish Parliament elections.
  • The last Scottish Parliament elections were in May 2021, with 63% turnout, and the SNP won the most seats.
  • The last council elections were in May 2022, with 45% turnout.
• Sign a Petition
  • A petition sets out arguments for supporting or opposing something and asks citizens to sign if they agree.
  • Example: Ms. Hamilton launched a successful petition in 2020 to introduce ‘Anne’s Law’ to allow more rights for families visiting care homes. It was signed by more than 86,000 people and was put into practice by the Scottish Government in 2022.
• Protest
  • Protesting is a legal right in Scotland.
  • It can be an effective way of getting the attention of politicians and the government if conducted legally and respectfully.
  • Example: Climate activists organized a protest during the COP 26 summit, gathering over 100,000 people in Glasgow.
• Stand for Election
  • Individuals can stand for election on behalf of a political party or as an independent candidate.
  • At the last Scottish Parliament election in May 2021, 43 new MSPs were elected.
• Join a Political Party
  • Anyone in Scotland is free to join a political party.
  • Members can shape the policies of the party and stand for the party at elections or become involved in campaigning.
  • The SNP has over 125,000 members, and the Scottish Greens have around 7,500 members.

Campaign Methods

• TV Debates
  • Party leaders debate each other in front of a live audience, broadcast on TV before the election.
  • In 2021, the five main party leaders took part in TV debates.
• Manifestos
  • Manifestos list all the policies a party wishes to introduce if they win the election.
  • Parties include policies that reflect their ideology and that they think will be popular with voters.
• Leaflets
  • Parties deliver leaflets containing a snapshot of their policies in seats they want to win.
• Canvassing
  • Candidates or political party activists go door-to-door to speak to voters.
  • Example: Annabelle Ewing MSP went canvassing many times in 2021.
• Party Election Broadcasts
  • Parties broadcast a 3-minute clip on TV to talk about their policies and ideas.
  • Example: Scottish Greens used actor Cal MacAninch in their 2022 local election PEB.

Role of the Media in Campaigns

• Inform
  • The media keeps readers up-to-date with current issues, breaking news, and public affairs.
  • Example: BBC News regularly published news reports about rising energy bills throughout 2022.
• Educate
  • The media helps people understand complex issues and make informed decisions.
  • Example: During the 2021 Scottish Election, all parties used their Twitter platform to educate users on their party policies and promises.
• Persuade
  • The media can influence the way people think and encourage the public to vote a certain way.
  • Example: The Scottish National Newspaper announced in 2021 they were supporting the SNP.

Aims of Trade Unions

• Persuade
  • Trade unions speak on behalf of members to employers to improve their pay.
  • Example: During the coronavirus pandemic, UNISON Scotland began the ‘Pay up Now’ campaign.
• Legal Protections
  • Trade unions provide legal protections in the workplace, with representatives attending employer meetings.
• Improved Working Conditions
  • Trade unions improve working conditions, from hours worked to resources to abuse in the workplace.

Trade Union Methods

• Negotiation
  • Trade unions negotiate with management to improve working conditions, pay, and benefits.
• Lobbying
  • Trade unions lobby and engage with the Scottish Government and MSPs to represent their members' interests.
  • Example: USDAW worked with an MSP to raise awareness of a problem, leading to the Protection of Workers Bill in August 2021.
• Overtime Ban
  • Union members refuse to work more hours than they are contracted to.
• Go Slow
  • Union members take more time to do their job to affect productivity.
• Work to Rule
  • Union members work strictly to their contracts and do not take on any extra duties.
• Strike
  • Union members withdraw their labor completely.
  • Example: Scottish Water staff staged a two-day strike in April 2025 amid a continued dispute over pay.

Role of the MSP (Parliament)

• Debates
  • MSPs take part in debates in the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament to discuss problems and proposed new laws.
  • Example: MSPs debated smacking children before it was banned.
• Committees
  • MSPs join Scottish Parliament Committees to look carefully at the parliaments business.
  • Example: The COVID-19 Recovery Committee was created in June 2021.
• Ask Questions at FMQ’s
  • MSPs ask government ministers, including the first minister, important questions.
  • Example: Nicola Sturgeon takes questions every Thursday from MSPs.

Role of the MSP (Constituency)

• Attend Community Events
  • MSPs attend important events and promote local business.
  • Example: In 2019, MSP Ben Macpherson encouraged support for small businesses in Edinburgh.
• Hold Surgeries
  • MSPs hold local surgeries where people can speak to them about devolved and local issues.
  • Example: Annabelle Ewing holds surgeries across the Cowdenbeath area including Inverkeithing Civic Centre.
• Raise Constituent Concerns in Parliament
  • MSPs take constituent concerns to Parliament.
  • Example: In 2021, Annabelle Ewing demanded answers from the FM due to the issue of face-to-face GP access in Fife.

Reasons for Underrepresentation (Women & Ethnic Minorities)

• Lack of Role Models
  • A lack of representation in the top positions can make it difficult for women and ethnic minorities to see politics as an option for themselves.
• Sexism/Racism
  • Potential MSPs may face sexism and/or racism from the public.
  • Example: Ayrshire MSP Elena Whitham will stand down from her role as MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley following the Scottish Government elections in 2026 and said she was walking away from politics after just one term due to ‘personal and sexist’ abuse.

Purpose of Committees

• Inquiries
  • Committees gather evidence on an issue, learn important lessons, and make recommendations for the future.
  • Example: In 2020, the Education and Skills Committee opened an enquiry into why some schools are not teaching Modern Studies.
• Hold the Government to Account
  • Committees pay close attention to the work of the Scottish Government and question them on issues that are a concern.
  • Example: John Swinney explained what happened with the cancelled exams in 2020 and 2021 to the Education and Skills Committee.
• Scrutinise Legislation
  • Committees look carefully at proposed Bills by going line by line and discussing how it works.
  • The Health and Sports Committee reviewed the Organ Donation Bill.

Composition of Committees

• Membership from all Parties
  • Committees are made up of members from all the parties.
  • The more members a party has in parliament, the more members from that party on the committee.
• Leadership
  • The leadership of the committees is shared between the parties.
  • For most of the committees, the convenor (chair) is from the SNP.
• Scrutinising
  • The members of the committees will not be members of the government.
  • John Swinney as the First Minister will answer questions to a committee rather than ask questions for a committee.

Features of AMS

• Two Votes
  • People get to make two choices on who they would like to be represented by in the Scottish Parliament.
  • People in Inverkeithing would vote in the Cowdenbeath constituency and Mid Scotland and Fife region.
• Two Types of MSP
  • MSPs are either constituency MSPs or regional MSPs.
  • Everyone has 1 constituency MSP and 7 regional MSPs.
  • Annabelle Ewing is a constituency MSP for Cowdenbeath and Claire Baker is a regional MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife.
• More Proportional
  • The number of seats in parliament the parties get is much closer to the number of votes they win.
  • In 2021, the Conservatives got around 23% of the vote and around 24% of the seats.

Outcomes of AMS

• Coalition Government
  • No party has a majority of seats and makes a formal deal with another party.
  • The first two governments were a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2007.
• Minority Government
  • The largest party governs on its own and made deals with other parties on a vote by vote basis.
  • The SNP have run two minority governments where they have had to rely on the Greens to pass their budget in the 2016-2021 parliament.
• Fairer Representation
  • The number of seats a party gets is close to the number of votes they get.
  • In 2021, the Conservatives got around 23% of the vote and around 24% of the seats.

Advantages of AMS

• Fairer for Smaller Parties
  • AMS is fairer on smaller parties as it enables them to gain a percentage of seats equal to the percentage of votes they have gained by using PR in the second vote.
  • The Green Party gained 8 seats in the Scottish election despite never gaining any under FPTP.
• More Proportionate
  • AMS is more proportional as one vote uses FPTP and the other uses proportional representation.
  • In 2021, the SNP won 47.7% of the vote and this translated into 64 seats, or 49.6% of the seats available.
• Greater Choice
  • Voters have a greater choice within the AMS system because they have two ballot papers to complete.
  • People are more likely to be represented by a range of different political parties in parliament.
  • Annabelle Ewing is the constituency MSP for Cowdenbeath, but people are also represented by the MSP's for the Mid-Scotland & Fife Region, like Clare Baker.
• Coalitions
  • AMS usually creates coalition governments.
  • Coalitions can create consensus and agreement on policies.

Disadvantages of AMS

• Coalitions
  • AMS often creates coalition governments, which can be deemed as a weakness.
  • The electorate never votes for a coalition government on their ballot paper.
  • No one voted for the coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2007 for example.
• Too Complicated
  • AMS is more complicated for voters to understand as it features two votes.
  • In the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, 15,000 ballot papers were rejected.
• Tactical Voting
  • AMS can often lead to tactical voting, especially within the constituency ballot.
  • The result may not be a true reflection of the opinions of the country.
• Too Much Power for Smaller Parties
  • Smaller parties achieve too much power in AMS.
  • The Scottish Green Party helped pass legislation despite only having around 9% of the total vote.

Past Paper Questions

• Power and Decision Making
  • Describe, in detail, two devolved matters the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for. (2024)
  • Explain, in detail, why the first minister is very powerful. (2023)
  • Describe, in detail, two key features of democracy in Scotland. (2022)
  • Describe, in detail, two devolved matters the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for. (2019)
  • Explain, in detail, why the first minister is very powerful. (2018)
• Participation
  • Describe, in detail, two political rights individuals have in a democracy. (2024)
  • Describe, in detail, two ways which individuals can participate in election campaigns. (2023)
  • Describe, in detail, two rights individuals have in a democracy. (2019)
  • Explain, in detail, two reasons why political parties use the media during election campaigns in Scotland. (2019)
  • Explain, in detail, why many people in Scotland choose not to vote in elections. (2018)
  • Describe, in detail, two political rights that people in Scotland. (2017)
  • Explain, in detail, the reasons why some political parties’ election campaigns are successful during Scottish Parliament elections. (2017)
  • Describe, in detail, two ways political parties’ campaign in Scottish Parliament Elections. (2016)
• Influence
  • Explain, in detail, why either trade unions or pressure groups are influential within a democracy. (2024)
  • Explain, in detail, why the media is very influential within a democracy. (2023)
  • Describe, in detail, two methods used by the group you have selected to gain influence in a democracy. (2018) Trade Unions.
• Representation
  • Explain, in detail, why committees are an important part of the Scottish Parliament. (2024)
  • Describe, in detail, two ways MSPs represent their constituents. (2022)
  • Describe, in detail, two ways MSPs represent their constituents in the Scottish Parliament. (2018)
• Voting Systems
  • Describe, in detail, two features of the Additional Member System. (2023)
  • Explain, in detail, either the advantages or disadvantages of the Additional Member System. (2022)
  • Explain, in detail, the advantages of the Additional Member System. (2016)

Model Answers

• Describe, in detail, two key features of democracy in Scotland. (2022)
  • One key feature of a democracy is voting. In Scotland, those over 16 can vote for their MSP to represent them in the Scottish Parliament, and for their local councillors. For example, in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, 63% of the electorate turned out to vote.
  • Another key feature of a democracy is the right to protest. In Scotland, you have the right to protest something that the government is doing, and that you disagree with, as long as you inform the police and remain peaceful during your demonstration. For example, during COP 26 around 100,00 people protested in Glasgow to demand the Government take more action against the climate crisis.
• Describe, in detail, two ways political parties’ campaign in Scottish Parliament Elections. (2016)
  • One way that political parties can campaign during a Scottish Parliament election by canvassing. Canvassing gives parties the opportunity to go door to door to speak with the public in an attempt to increase voter awareness of the party. This may secure more votes for the party as the canvassers will outline and explain the party policies to be implemented once elected. For example, Annabelle Ewing MSP – who is the MSP for Cowdenbeath – went canvassing many times in 2021 – perhaps this helped her win.
  • Another way that political parties can campaign during a Scottish Parliament election by playing Party Election Broadcasts on TV. Every party standing for election is giving time to broadcast a 3-minute clip they create on TV – usually shown after news in the evenings. In their PEBs, parties will talk about their policies and ideas to try and win votes. PEBs will be effective if they are memorable, engaging, relatable, and showcase popular polices. For example, Scottish Greens used actor Cal MacAninch in their 2022 local election PEB to appeal to voters.
• Explain, in detail, why either trade unions or pressure groups are influential within a democracy. (2024)
  • One way that trade unions are influential is because they can have large memberships. This gives a trade union access to large amounts of resources for campaigning. For example, the EIS has over 60,000 members who pay annual memberships. This made them successful because it enabled the EIS to be successful in the campaign for improved pay for teachers.
  • Another way that trade unions are influential is because they can use industrial action to influence change. This makes them influential because the trade union members can vote to go on strike, or work to rule, which can cause significant disruption to employers and the general public, and make it more likely to influence the government or their employer to meet their demands. For example, Scottish Water staff staged a two-day strike in April 2025 amid a continued dispute over pay. Unison, which represents more than 1,000 staff, warned that emergency repairs and water quality checks will not be carried out during that time.