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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