Politics exam notes

UK Politics Notes

Contents Overview

  • Component 1: Part 1 UK Politics

    • Chapter 1: Democracy and Participation (Page 2)

    • Chapter 2: Political Parties (Page 24)

    • Chapter 3: Electoral Systems (Page 48)

    • Chapter 4: Voting Behaviour and the Media (Page 67)

  • Component 1: Part 2 Core Political Ideas

    • Chapter 1: Conservatism (Page 87)

    • Chapter 2: Liberalism (Page 106)

    • Chapter 3: Socialism (Page 123)

  • Component 2: Part 1 UK Government

    • Chapter 1: The Constitution (Page 144)

    • Chapter 2: Parliament (Page 163)

    • Chapter 3: Prime Minister and Executive (Page 181)

    • Chapter 4: Relations Between Institutions (Page 204)

  • Component 2: Part 2 Non-Core Political Ideas

    • Chapter 1: Anarchism (Page 225)

    • Chapter 2: Ecologism (Page 246)

    • Chapter 3: Feminism (Page 267)

    • Chapter 4: Multiculturalism (Page 286)

    • Chapter 5: Nationalism (Page 304)

  • Component 3: Part 1 Government and Politics of the USA

    • Chapter 1: US Constitution and Federalism (Page 326)

    • Chapter 2: Congress (Page 347)

    • Chapter 3: US Presidency (Page 369)

    • Chapter 4: The Supreme Court and Civil Rights (Page 391)

    • Chapter 5: Democracy and Participation (Page 413)

    • Chapter 6: Comparative Approaches (Page 442)

  • Component 3: Part 2 Global Politics

    • Chapter 1: The State and Globalisation (Page 471)

    • Chapter 2: Global Governance: Political and Economic (Page 489)

    • Chapter 3: Global Governance: Human Rights and Environmental (Page 517)

    • Chapter 4: Power and Developments (Page 537)

    • Chapter 5: Regionalism and the EU (Page 560)

    • Chapter 6: Comparative Theories (Page 578)

Chapter 1: Democracy and Participation

  • Definition of Democracy: Rule by the people; involves citizens in decision-making, either directly or indirectly.

  • Different Forms of Democracy:

    • Direct Democracy: Individuals express opinions directly (e.g., referendums). Originated in Ancient Athens.

    • Representative Democracy: People elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf.

Features of Direct and Representative Democracy

  • Direct Democracy:

    • All express opinions themselves.

    • Equal weight to all votes.

    • Encourages active participation and genuine debate.

  • Representative Democracy:

    • Citizens elect representatives.

    • Elections are free and fair.

    • Safeguards for minority opinions; can be held accountable.

Advantages and Disadvantages

  • Direct Democracy:

    • Advantages: Equal voting; encourages participation.

    • Disadvantages: Impractical in large states; susceptible to manipulation.

  • Representative Democracy:

    • Advantages: Practical in complex societies; accountability through elections.

    • Disadvantages: Can lead to decreased participation; potential for unrepresentative elite dominance.

Chapter 2: Political Parties

Role and Functions of Political Parties

  • Represent views of people; encourage participation; formulate policies; provide ministers.

Characteristics of UK Political Parties

  • Major Parties: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats.

  • Emerging Parties: SNP, Greens, UKIP.

  • Challenges Facing Parties: Funding issues; ability to represent diverse population.

Party System Dynamics

  • Trends in Membership:

    • Decrease in UK-wide party membership.

    • Rise in alternative forms of political engagement (pressure groups, social movements).

Chapter 3: Electoral Systems

Overview

  • Electoral systems' role in democracy: convert votes to seats; provide representation.

  • Different systems include First Past the Post (FPTP), Additional Member System (AMS), Single Transferable Vote (STV).

First Past the Post (FPTP)

  • Advantages: Simple; usually leads to strong government; exclusion of extremist parties.

  • Disadvantages: Leads to misrepresentation of votes; can result in minority rule; limited voter choice.

Other Voting Systems

  • AMS: Used in Scotland and Wales, combines FPTP with proportionality.

  • STV: Proportional representation, allows ranking of candidates.

  • Supplementary Vote (SV): Used for elected mayors; allows for first and second preferences.

Impact on Political Representation

  • FPTP favors larger parties; AMS and STV better represent smaller parties.

  • Voter choice broader under proportional systems; tactical voting minimized.

Chapter 4: Voting Behaviour and the Media

Elections Overview

  • Importance of general elections; examine voters' motivations and the effects of party policies, leadership, and economic conditions.

Case Studies

  • 1979: Thatcher's first election; marked the end of the post-war consensus.

  • 1997: Blair's landslide victory for Labour; emergence of Liberal Democrats as a third party.

  • 2010: First coalition government since 1945; Cameron's Conservatives become partners with Liberal Democrats.

Factors Influencing Voting Behaviour

  • Class: Still significant but diminishing; now more fluid.

  • Gender and Age: Specific trends; older individuals tend more toward Conservative, while younger tend to support Labour.

  • Region and Ethnicity: Geographic and ethnic patterns continue to influence voting decisions.

  • Media Impact: Transition from print to digital media; influence of televised debates and social media.

Assessment Questions

  • Evaluate effectiveness of referendums and electoral systems on UK democracy.