Contents

UNIT 1 :Politics in the UK

Democracy and Participation

• Current systems of representative and direct democracy

  • • • • • Democracy

          • The Functions of Elections-

          • direct democracy 

          • Representative Democracy. 

          •  The  Similarities and differences between direct democracy and representative democracy.

          •  Advantages and Disadvantages of direct democracy

          • .The advantages and disadvantages of Representative Democracy

          • The Case for Reform Democratic Deficit and Participation Crisis

          • What has been done to reform the system?

          • Should the voting age be reduced to 16?

          • Should voting be made compulsory

• A wider Franchise- History of voting rights UK. 

  • • • • • The history of voting rights

          •   Sufferagists and Sufferagettes 

• Pressure groups and participation.  

  • • • • • Types of Pressure Groups

          •  Cases studies of Pressure Groups

          •  Think Tanks

          •  Lobbyists

          • How pressure groups exert influence

          • Are pressure groups becoming more significant?

          • Are Pressure Groups good for democracy?

Rights and Participation. 

• The History and development of Rights in the UK

• How well are Rights protected in the UK?

• The Human Rights Act

• Case study Liberty

• Case study Amnesty

Political Parties

• Political Parties- functions and funding

• Old Labour New Labour

• One Nation Conservatism  

• The New Right 

• Party Systems  

• Left Wing / Right Wing

• Consensus and Adversarial Politics

•  UK Political Parties The main three

  • • • • • The Conservative Party

          • The Labour Party

          • The Liberal Party 

• Minor Parties

• UK Political Parties Today.

  • • • • The role of Parties, campaigns and leaders in electoral success

        • The development of a party system

        • Do political parties help or hinder representative democracy? 

 Electoral Systems

• The function of elections

• Election Maps

• · First Past the Post  (FPTP), 

• Additional Member System(AMS)

• Single Transferable Vote(STV) 

• Supplementary Vote (SV).

• Regional List

• Alternative Vote and AV+

• Electoral Reform 

•  The advantages and disadvantages of Electoral Reform

• Different Voting Systems used in the UK

• Evaluation of why different voting systems are used in the UK

•  The effect of different voting systems 

• The 2019 Election result using different voting systems 

Voting behaviour and the Media

• Voting Behaviour

  • • • • • Class dealignment

          • Partisan Dealignment

          • Issue Voting

          • Tactical Voting

          • Governing competency

          • Turnout/Disillusion and Apathy

          • Manifesto & Mandate 

• Case Studies of  Elections 

• Short term factors which explain election results

• Influences on voting: Class

• Gender, Age, Ethnicity and Region

• The Influence of the media

• Media Bias

• Media theories: 

 Core Political Ideas 

• Conservatism

  • • • • • Main ideas of Conservatism

          • The history of Conservatism 

          • Differences and conflict within Conservatism                                                                               

          • Important Conservative thinkers

• Liberalism

  • • • • • Main ideas of Liberalism

          • Differences and conflict within Liberalism

          • Important Liberal thinkers

• Socialism

  • • • • • Main ideas of Socialism

          • Differences and conflict within Socialism

            • To what extent do socialists agree on the economy?

            • To what extent do socialists disagree about equality? 

            •  To what extent is there more to unite than to divide social democracy and the third way? 

            • To what extent do socialists disagree about the economy? 

            • To what extent do socialists agree about common humanity? 

• • • • • • Important Socialist thinkers

UNIT 2 :Governing the UK 

The UK Constitution

• The UK Constitution and its sources

• The Constitution since 1997                           

  • • • • • • • Constitutional Monarchy  

              • House of Lords Reform

              • Freedom of Information Act

              • Electoral Reform

              • Human Rights Act

              • House of Commons Reform

              • The Supreme Court

              • Fixed term Parliaments

• • • • Labour Reforms 1997-2010

      • Coalition Reforms 2010-15

      • Reforms (changes) since 2015

• Devolution

  • • • Devolution Introduction

      • Devolution in England

      • Devolution in Scotland

      • Devolution in Wales

      • Devolution in N Ireland

      • Developments in devolution

• Should the Constitution still be reformed?

  • • • Are the constitutional reforms started in 1997 finished?

      • Should England have a Parliament

      • Arguments for and against a codified constitution

Parliament

• The structure and organisation of Parliament -Commons and Lords.

• The Functions of Parliament

  • • Legislation How laws are made

    •  Representation 

      • How to become an  MP 

    •  Scrutiny and Oversight 

    •  Recruitment and training of ministers 

    •  Legitimacy 

• How well does Parliament fulfill its functions?

  • • • • • • • • How effective has parliamentary scrutiny been during the COVID-19 crisis? 

                • Scandals  & standards in Public Life

                • Revolving-door syndrome 

                • House of Commons Reform 

Geoffrey Cox  Should MPs have second jobs?

Owen Patterson How effective are Parliamentary standards?

              Case study Revolving door UK Greensill and David Cameron

• The powers of the Lords and Commons compared

• In what ways is the Lords becoming more important?

• Impact of the Lords 

• House of Lords Reform

  • • • • • Hereditary Peers 

• How laws are made in the UK -The legislative process

• The relationship between the Government and Parliament

  • • • The Role of Backbench MPs

        • How to become an  MP 

      • The Role of Select Committees

        • Parliamentary Standards 

      • The role and significance of the opposition

      • Ministerial questions and Prime Minister's Questions

      • The evolving House of Lords

      •  House of Lords Reform 

      •  Impact of the Lords. 

      • House of Lords Scandals 

      • What factors shape the relationship between Parliament and the Government?

      • How important are Votes of No Confidence? 

Prime Minister and Executive

• The powers and organisation of the Executive

  • • • • Initiation of Legislation

        • Prerogative Powers

        • Secondary Legislation

        • The factors governing the prime minister's selection of ministers

        • Factors which influence a PMs relationship with the Cabinet

        • Limitations on the power of PMs

        • PM Government or Cabinet Government

        • The Core Executive Model

        • Cabinet Committees

        • The changing cabinet 

• What are Ministerial and Collective Responsibility? 

• The Cabinet and the Prime Minister

• Are PMs becoming more presidential?

  • • Case Study Mrs Thatcher

    • Case Study Tony Blair 

    • Case study David Cameron 

    • Case Study Boris Johnson

    • Case Study Liz Truss  

    • Case Study Rishi Sunak 

Relations Between the Branches

• The Supreme Court influence and power

  • • • • The UK Courts System

        • The Human Rights Act

        • The role of the Supreme Court UK

        • Judicial Review

        • Appointment of Members of the Supreme Court

        • Judicial Independence

        • Judicial Neutrality

        • The influence of the Supreme Court on the Executive and Parliament

        • precedents 

        • Ultra Vires

• The relationship between the Government and Parliament

  • • • • Party Discipline and Elective Dictatorship

        • Parliament's influence over legislation

        • Parliament's effectiveness at Scrutiny

        • Has it become harder for the government to control Parliament?

        • Impact of Brexit 

        • Parliament's ability to remove governments

• The EU and the UK

  • • • • European Courts

        • The Development of the EU

        • The impact of the EU on the UK

        • How the EU works

• The location of sovereignty in the UK

Nationalism

• Key ideas of nationalism

• Different types of Nationalism

• Nationalist Thinkers

• Recent Developments in Nationalism 

• Nationalism & Human Nature

• Nationalism: The State & Society

• Nationalism & The Economy

Feminism 

• The History of Feminism 

• The Main Ideas of Feminism 

• Different types of feminism 

• Conflicts within Feminism 

• Significant Feminist Thinkers 

Unit 3 : Comparative USA / UK

US Constitution and Federalism

• The nature of the US Constitution

• The principles of the US Constitution and their effectiveness today

• The Main Characteristics of US federalism

• Federalism in Action  

• Interpretations and debates around the US Constitution and federalism

• Vagueness and Silence in the Constitution 

• The Supreme Court as referee 

• Gridlock 

• Is the constitution too rigid? 

• UK  & US Constitutions Compared

Congress

• The structure of Congress:

• How Congress Works: Videos 

  • Congressional Committees 'The engine room'

  • Factors affecting voting behaviour in congress

  • House and Senate size and elections

  • The powers of the House and Senate compared

  • Incumbency

  • The Speaker 

  • Gerrymandering

  • Lobbyists

  • Pork Barrel

  • Parochialism

  • Partisanship

  • Filibuster

  • Rules Committee

  • Representation

  • Oversight

  • Congressional Committees 'The engine room'

  • Mid Terms

• The Functions of Congress:

  • Legislation

  • Representation

  • Oversight

   The January 6th Committee 

• Interpretations and Debates

  • Is Congress the broken Branch? 

  • Lobbying the Senate

  • Lobbying the House

  • Pork barrel

  • Power without Persuasion: Ways around Congress 

• Comparison: Parliament & Congress

US Presidency

• Formal sources of presidential powers as outlined in the US Constitution and their use

• Informal and implied power 

  • • • • • Electoral mandate

          • Executive orders 

• The growth and development of the Presidency

• The Presidency: in action. Limits and relationship with the other branches

  • • • • The relationship between the president and the Supreme Court

        • The relationship between the presidency and Congress

• Interpretations and debates of the US Presidency

How effectively have recent presidents achieved their aims?

• Is the Presidency Imperial or Imperilled?

• Who runs foreign policy, the president or Congress?

• • • • • The Imperilled Presidency 

        • unitary presidency 

        • Has Trump changed the Presidency? 

        • Theories of Presidential Power

• The Institutional Presidency: Vice Presidency, Cabinet and Executive office.

  • • • • Vice Presidency

        • The US Cabinet

        • The Executive Office of the President

• Comparison: PM and President

US Supreme Court and Civil Rights

• The nature and role of the Supreme Court

  • • • • • Judicial Review

          • Dissenting Opinions are letters to the future 

          • Case study  the Roberts Court 

• The Appointment process for the Supreme Court

• Case study  Ketanji Brown Jackson 2022

• The Supreme Court and Public Policy

  • • • • • Abortion 

          • Marriage 

          • Health

          • Immigration

          • Gun Control 

• The protection of Civil Liberties and Rights in the USA today

• Race and Rights in Contemporary US Politics

  • • • • • Case study The decline of Affirmative Action

• Interpretations and debates of the US Supreme Court and civil rights

  • • • • • Originalism

          • Strict and loose constructionalism 

• Comparison: UK and USA Supreme Court

• Comparison: Civil Rights UK & USA

Elections, Parties and Pressure Groups

• How elections work in the USA

• The main characteristics of American election campaigns 

• The Electoral College

• The Invisible Primary

• the nominating process

• Primaries and caucuses

• National Party Conventions 

• How important is the pick for Vice President 

• TV Debates  

• The advantages and disadvantages of the nominating process

•            Case study 2020 Primaries & Caucuses 

• Elections and the Constitution 

  • • Case Study US Election 2020

    • The War Room Documentary of the 1992 US Election

    • What happens at Party Conventions BBC

    • Candidates for 2020 short film and article

    • Are midterm elections a referendum on the president?

    • Strengths and weaknesses of the nominating process

    • Wider Reading: Why did Trump win 2016 by Anthony Bennett

    • Congressional Elections Focus on mid terms and recent congressional trends

• Direct Democracy

  • • • • • • Recall 2021 Gavin Newsom

            • US states vote to protect reproductive rights 

• Midterm Elections -2022 Midterm Elections  

• Key ideas and principles of the Democratic and Republican parties.

• Party realignment and dealignment

• Party Decline and Party Renewal

• The importance of presidential debates

• The role of campaign finance

• The role of incumbency

• How important are minor parties

• Voting behaviour,turnout and gerrymandering

• split-ticket voting  

• Party Factions USA 

•  Party  Policies

• How important are minor parties

• • • • • • •  ideological polarisation

            •  Tea Party movement

• Interest Groups in the USA

• Lobbyists 

• Are US Interest Groups good for democracy?

• Revolving-door syndrome

• Iron Triangles and Agency Capture

  • • Case Study AFL-CIO

    • Case study American Civil Liberties Union 

    • Case Study Policy Group The League of Conservation Voters (LCV)

    • Case Study: The  Federalist Society and the Supreme Court 

    • PACs and Super PACs

    • Limits and constraints on Interest Groups USA 

    • Funding 2016 Election

    • The Role of Campaign Finance  

    • Lobbying the Senate

    • Lobbying the House

• Interpretations and debates of US democracy and participation

  • • The Party Decline Debate

    • Party identification-Turnout & Gerrymandering

    • Has Trump changed the Presidency?  & impact on the Republican Party

    • Are interest groups good for democracy 

      • • • Best Congress money can buy documentary

          • Jack Abramoff

          • Lobbyists 

• UK  & US Constitutions Compared

• Comparison: Parliament & Congress

• Comparison: PM and President

• Comparison: UK and USA Supreme Court

• Comparison: Civil Rights UK & USA

• Comparison: Elections UK & USA

• Comparison: Pressure Groups UK & USA

• Comparison: Parties UK and USA

Comparative Approaches UK and USA

 Unit 3 Global Politics   

 The State and Globalisation

 The state: nation-states and national sovereignty 

History of the Nation-State 

Globalisation 

 Global Governance: Political and Economic  

Theories of Global Governance 

 The United Nations UN 

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 

The International Monetary Fund 

The World Bank 

The World Trade Organization (WTO) 

 Global Governance: Human Rights and Environmental 

Human rights

Origins and development of international law and institutions 

Problems and Controversies in Human Rights 

Environmental 

The G7 ,G8 & G 20  -World Economic Forum & Trans-Pacific Partnership

Power and Developments 

The use and effectiveness of types of power

 Differing Significance of States in Global Affairs

 Polarity

Consideration of changing nature of world order since 2000

Different systems of government

 Development and spread of liberal economies, the rule of law, and democracy

Impact of world order on conflict, poverty, human rights and the environment.

Regionalism and the EU 

Developments in Regionalism 

Different Forms of Regionalism

• Case Study: African Regionalism

• Case Study: Asian Regionalism

• Case Study: Regionalism in the Americas

Debates about and the reasons and significance of regionalism  

Development of regional organisations, excluding the EU

Factors that have fostered European integration and the major developments through which this has occurred

The ways and extent to which regionalism addresses and resolves contemporary global issues

 Theories of International Relations  

Realism Theory

Significant Realist Thinkers

Liberalism Theory

Key Liberal Thinkers 

Marxism, neo-Marxism and critical theory 

SOCIAL THEORY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

Poststructuralism 

Feminism

Postcolonialism 

Debate: Relative and Absolute gains 

Essay Plans & Advice

• How to write essays

• Source Question: Electoral Reform

• How to answer an Edexcel source question on voting behaviour

• How to answer a source question Edexcel UK politics, papers 1 and 2