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PiXLGateway:ProgressionPolitics
ForStudentsStudyingAQAALevel
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ContentsIntroduction...........................................................................................................................................2
“Aweekisalongtimeinpolitics”..........................................................................................................3
Synopticthinking....................................................................................................................................6
10keyfactstolearnforthestartofthecourse......................................Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
©ThePiXLClubLtd.June2018...........................................................................................................11
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IntroductionWelcometoALevelstudy!Youwillquicklylearnthatpowerisattheheartofpolitics.Itdetermineswhogetswhat,when,andhow.Politicsisthestruggleoverscarceresourcesandthemeansthroughwhichthestruggleisconducted.
1 2Debateanddisagreementlieattheheartofthissubject–evenwhencompetingpoliticiansseemtobesayingthesamething.Itisasubjectofrivalviewsandonewithoutanyabsoluteanswers,soyouneedtotakeonthechallengeofconsideringdifferentviewpoints,perspectives,andopinions–andtothinkforyourself–sothatyoucanformulatepowerfulargumentsandexpressthemconvincingly.Moreover,youwillstudypoliticsnotasaneutralobserverbutasanactiveparticipant,developingyourpersonalopinionsasyouacquireastrongunderstandingofthefactorsshapingboththeBritishandAmericansystemsofgovernmentandpolitics.Youwillalsogaininsightintosomeofthegreatpoliticalideasthathaveshapedtheworldwelivein.ThisbookletisdesignedtohelpyoutostartthinkingasanALevelPoliticsstudentandincludestaskswhichwillsupportyouthroughoutyourstudies,includingassistingyouinpreparingforyourfinalexams.
1http://bentelevision.com/prime-minister-theresa-may-speech-britain-after-brexit-2016-a-vision-of-a-global-britain/http://lybio.net/jeremy-corbyn-queens-speech-2017/people/2http://lybio.net/jeremy-corbyn-queens-speech-2017/people/
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“Aweekisalongtimeinpolitics”
3Uniquely,Politicsisalivingsubjectsoyouwillseemuchofwhatyouarestudyinghappeninginthe‘realworld’.Itcanalsobeaveryfastmovingone,asWilson’sfamousquoteaboveindicates.Thismeansthatanytextbookis,tosomedegree,outofdatebythetimeitispublished.Thismaysounddaunting,especiallywhenthisispartofyourintroductiontothesubject,butitalsoprovidesyouwithagreatopportunity.Itispreciselybecausenobookcangiveyouthemostup-to-dateexamplesthatusingrecent/currentexampleseffectivelywillbehighlyrewardedbyexaminers.Consequently,youshouldbekeepinganeyeonAmericangovernmentandpoliticsduringYear1,whenyouarestudyingtheUK,andcontinuetofollowwhatishappeningintheUKduringYear2,whenthefocusofthecourseisontheUSA.Followingpoliticsinthemediashould,therefore,bearegularpartofyourindependentstudythroughoutthecourse.First,however,youneedtobeorganised.Onefileperexampaperisrecommended.Buyoruse‘homemade’dividersandlabelthemasfollows.Youwillthenbeabletofileyourexamplesintheappropriatesection.(Beawarethatsomeexampleswillberelevanttotwoormoretopics–moreonthislater.)Makeastartonthisnow,establishingagoodhabittocontinuethroughoutthecourse,sothatbytheendofthesummeryouwillhavefiledfiveexamplesplusyourreflectionsoneachone.Theexpectationisthatyouwillhavefiveexamplesintotal–i.e.itdoesnotmatterwhichtopicstheyrelateto.ThesummerisusuallyaquiettimeinthepoliticalworldbutBrexitissettoensurethatthisisnotthecasethissummer.Paper1o TheGovernmentoftheUK
Ø ThenatureandsourcesoftheBritishConstitutionØ ThestructureandroleofParliamentØ ThePrimeMinisterandcabinetØ Thejudiciary
3http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2016/04/a-week-is-long-time-in-politics.html
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o ThepoliticsoftheUKØ DemocracyandparticipationØ ElectionsandreferendumsØ PoliticalpartiesØ PressuregroupsØ TheEuropeanUnion
Paper2GovernmentandpoliticsoftheUSAandcomparativepoliticso GovernmentandpoliticsoftheUSA
Ø TheconstitutionalframeworkofUSgovernmentØ Thelegislativebranchofgovernment:CongressØ Theexecutivebranchofgovernment:PresidentØ ThejudicialbranchofgovernmentØ TheelectoralprocessanddirectdemocracyØ PoliticalpartiesØ PressuregroupsØ Civilrights
o Comparativepolitics
Ø ConstitutionalarrangementsØ TheexecutivesØ ThejudiciariesØ ElectoralandpartysystemsØ PressuregroupsØ Civilrights
InPaper3youwillalsostudyPoliticalideas’–the‘coreideologies’(liberalism,conservatism,andsocialism)andoneoptionalideology(outofanarchism,ecologism,feminism,multiculturalism,ornationalism).Themosthighlyrecommendedresourceofall(becauseitsucceedssowellinprovidingintelligentanalysiswhichisaccessiblywrittenwithoutbeingatalldumbeddown)ishttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politicsTrytheotherreading/listening/watchingrecommendationsbelow,withtheintentionofcontinuingwithwhatyoufindusefulandenjoyable.Fewsubjectscanoffersuchentertaininghomework.
o Thefollowingareallqualitynewspaperswhicharefreetoaccess:Ø https://www.theguardian.com/ukØ https://www.independent.co.uk/Ø https://www.telegraph.co.uk/
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Ø https://www.nytimes.com/Ø http://www.washingtonpost.com/Ø https://www.washingtontimes.com/
o TVandRadio,whichcanbeaccessed,respectively,viahttps://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayerandhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/radioandhttps://www.itv.com/hub/shows(Beawarethattheseprogrammesarenotallavailablethroughouttheyearandthatschedulesmaychange):Ø Monday–Friday:PMRadio417:00–18:00;NewsnightBBC222:30–23:15Ø Tuesday:TheMashReportBBC222:00Ø Thursday:QuestionTimeBBC122:45–23:45;ThisWeekBBC123:45–00:45Ø Friday:TheNewsQuiz/TheNowShow/DeadRingersRadio418:30–19:00;HaveI
GotNewsForYouBBC121:00–21:30;TraceyBreakstheNewsBBC121:30–22:00;MocktheWeekBBC222:00–22:30
Ø Saturday:TheWeekinWestminsterRadio411:00–11:30Ø Sunday:TheAndrewMarrShowBBC109:00–10:00;Pienaar’sPoliticsRadio510:00
–11:00;PestononSundayITV10:00–11:00,repeated22:20–23:20
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SynopticthinkingSynopticcanbebrokendowntosyn-,meaningtogether,and-optic,meaningvieworsight.Politicsisahighlysynopticsubjectand,asthespecificationadvises,“studentsmustidentifyparallels,connections,similaritiesanddifferencesbetweencontentstudied”.ThisisespeciallyimportantinComponent3,wherecomparisonswiththeUKneedtobemadewhenansweringexamquestionsontheUSA.Furthermore,thinkingsynopticallyaboutthetopicswithinComponents1and2,aswellasmakinglinksbetweenthetwocomponents,isaveryeffectivewaytodemonstrateahighlevelofunderstandingofPoliticsatALevel.Thismaywellsounddauntingbutsynopticthinkingisaskillthatcanbemasteredwithpracticeanditisalsoworthemphasisingthatyouarenotexpectedtostartthecoursewithanypriorknowledge:justthecommitmenttoacquiringit,includingthroughindependentstudy.ThetasksbelowwillgiveyousomeinsightintohowthisskillcanbeappliedtothemostrecentmajorpoliticaleventintheUK–thegeneralelectionof2017.Thiseventisstudied,toagreaterorlesserdegree,inallUKtopics.AtthetimewhenTheresaMaydecidedtocallthis‘snap’election,theConservativeshad331MPsandasmallmajorityoftwelve.Maybeganthecampaignwithanopinionpollleadindoublefiguresbutafterwardshadtodoa‘confidenceandsupply’dealwiththeDemocraticUnionistParty(DUP),whosetenMPscouldprovideamajorityincrucialvotesintheCommons–onthebudget(i.e.thesupplyofmoneyneededforthegovernmenttoimplementitslegislativeprogramme)andonanyvotesotherpartiesproposetobringthegovernmentdown(i.e.avoteof‘noconfidence’inthegovernment).
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The2017UKParliamentarygeneralelectionwasheldonThursday8thJune.Theelectionwascalledearly,underSection2(1)oftheFixed-termParliamentsAct2011,afterthePrimeMinisterannouncedherintentionon18thAprilforanelectiontobeheld.Votingwasheldinall650constituenciesacrosstheUK:533inEngland,59inScotland,40inWalesand18inNorthernIreland.TheelectionresultedinahungParliament,withnosinglepartywinninganoverallmajority.TheConservativeParty,ledbyPrimeMinisterTheresaMay,wonthelargestnumberofseatsandvotes,taking317seatsand42.3%ofthevoteacrosstheUK.TheConservativesgained20seatsbutlost33,leavingthemwith317,13fewerthantheywonin2015.
TheLabourParty,ledbyJeremyCorbyn,won262seats,and40.0%ofthevote,upfrom232seatsand30.4%ofthevotein2015.TheConservatives’shareofthevoteisthehighestforanysinglepartysincethe43.2%wonbyLabourin1997,andtheirtotalof13.6millionvotesisthesecondhighesttotalinUKelectoralhistory.
4http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf
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1. TheConservatives’shareofthevoteisthehighestforanysinglepartysincethe43.2%
wonbyLabourin1997,andtheirtotalof13.6millionvotesisthesecondhighesttotalinUKelectoralhistory.Why,then,isthe2017generalelectionresultseenassuchapooroutcomefortheConservativesingeneralandMayinparticular?
2. Maybeganthegeneralelectioncampaignwithanopinionpollleadindoublefigures.WhatdoestheoutcomeoftheelectionsuggestabouttheimportanceoftheconductoftheirrespectivecampaignsbytheConservativesandLabourandthenatureofthepoliciestheyofferedtotheelectorate?Note:ensurethatyouranswerreflectstheactualoutcomeoftheelection–i.e.thattheConservativeswonmorevotesandseatsthanLabour.
3. HowcertaincanMaybethatshewillbeabletowinvotesandsobeabletoimplementherlegislativeprogramme(onmattersotherthan‘confidenceandsupply’)?
4. Undertakeanindependentresearchtaskandwriteshortexplanationsoftheterms‘hardBrexit’and‘softBrexit’,whichcouldbeunderstoodbytypicalYear10students.
5. The‘confidenceandsupply’agreementwiththeDUPwillonlysucceedifConservativeMPssupportthepartyline.WhyisitavirtualcertaintythatConservativeMPswilldoso,evenonBrexit,despiteBrexiteersfearingthatthecountrywillnotgetthe‘hard’Brexitwhichtheyclaimiswhat“thepeoplevotedfor”andpro-EuropeanswhofearthedamagetotheUK’seconomythattheybelieveanythingotherthana‘soft’Brexitwilldo?
6. Collectiveministerialresponsibilityisaconvention(i.e.aprincipleofexpectedpractice)thatmembersofthecabinetmustpubliclysupportallgovernmentaldecisionsmadeincabinet,eveniftheydonotprivatelyagreewiththem.Iftheydonotdoso,itisexpectedthattheyeitherresignfromthegovernmentoraresackedbythePrimeMinister.BorisJohnson,theForeignSecretary,isthemostnotableexampleofacabinetmemberwhoisarepeatoffenderforbreakingthisconvention.ThishasmostfrequentlybeenontheissueofBrexit.a) WhatisrevealedaboutthestrengthandauthorityofMaythatshehasnotsacked
Johnson?b) WhatistheunderlyingreasonforyouranswertoQuestiona)?c) WhatisrevealedabouttheinfluenceofJohnsonwithinthecabinetwhenhe
criticisesgovernmentpolicyonBrexitoutsideofcabinetmeetings?
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7. Politicalcartooniststypicallycrafttheircreationswithgreatattentiontodetailandcanproduceworkwhichoffersconsiderableinsight.Lookverycloselyatthetwoexamplesbelowandexplainwhatcanbelearntabouteachcartoonist’sviewofthe2017generalelection.
CartoonAbyDaveBrown,TheIndependent5
CartoonBbyGeraldScarfe,SundayTimes6
5https://www.indy100.com/article/cartoonists-react-general-election-2017-theresa-may-hung-parliament-77812416https://www.slideshare.net/jeffreyhill/uk-general-election-2017-cartoons
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10keyfactstolearnforthestartofthecourseASwithanyALevelcourse,therearekeyfactsthatitisveryusefultolearnbecausetheycanbeexamplesthatillustratethepointsyouwanttomakeandprovidethebasisfromwhichyoucandevelopexplanationandevaluation.Youwillneedtolearnthefollowingkeyfacts,readyforatestinSeptember.Thetestwillreplicatetheinformationbelow–excepttherewillbegapsinwhichyouwillneedtowritewhatishighlightedhere.1. Namethepartyleader:
o Conservatives=TheresaMayo Labour=JeremyCorbyno LiberalDemocrats=VinceCableo SNP=NicolaSturgeono PlaidCymru=LeanneWoodo DUP=ArleneFostero Greens=CarolineLucasandJonathanBartley(Co-Leaders)o UKIP=GerardBatten
2. Inthe2016EUreferendum,Leavegained52%ofvotescomparedtoRemain’s48%.3. ‘Initiatives’occurinSwitzerlandandsomeUSstates,wherecitizensgathersignatures
onapetitionforapublicvoteonaproposednewlaw.Thesearesimilartoareferendumbuttheyareinitiated(started)bycitizens,notbyanationaloraregional/stategovernment.
4. Inthe2017generalelectiontheConservativeswon49%ofseatswith42%ofthevotes.5. Inthe2017generalelectiontheLiberalDemocratsgained1.8%ofseatswith7.4%of
thevotes.6. Turnoutinthe2017generalelection(at69%)wasthehighestin25years.7. Foreverytenyearsolderavoterwas,theirchanceofvotingToryin2017increasedby
aroundninepointsandthechanceoftheirvotingLabourdecreasedbyninepoints.The
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tippingpoint,thatistheageatwhichavoterwasmorelikelytohavevotedConservativethanLabour,was47.
8. Ahungparliamentisaparliamentinwhichnosinglepartyhasmajoritycontrol.Eithera
minoritygovernmentoracoalitionwillthenresult.9. Anelectoralmanifestoisadocumentproducedbyapoliticalpartyatelectiontimes,
statingwhatpoliciesitintendstoimplementifitgainspower.10. Anelectoralmandatereferstotheauthoritytogoverngrantedtothewinningpartyat
anelectionbyvoters.Themandatesuggeststhatthegovernmentmayimplementthemeasuresinitselectionmanifesto.
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©ThePiXLClubLtd.June2018ThisresourceisstrictlyfortheuseofmemberschoolsforaslongastheyremainmembersofThePiXLClub.Itmaynotbecopied,sold,ortransferredtoathirdpartyorusedbytheschoolaftermembershipceases.Untilsuchtimeitmaybefreelyusedwithinthememberschool.Allopinionsandcontributionsarethoseoftheauthors.Thecontentsofthisresourcearenotconnectedwith,orendorsedby,anyothercompany,organisationorinstitution.PiXL Club Ltd endeavour to trace and contact copyright owners. If there are any inadvertent omissions orerrors in the acknowledgements or usage, this is unintended and PiXL will remedy these on writtennotification.