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The Politics Shed- A Free Text Book for all students of Politics.

The Politics A level Shed
The Politics Shed
  • Welcome to the Politics Shed
    • Government & Politics A and AS Level
      • UNIT 1 Politics in the UK (Year 12 & 13)
        • Democracy and Participation
          • civil liberties
          • Democracy
          • democratic deficit
          • Franchise/Suffrage
          • Human Rights
          • Legitimacy
          • Lobbyists
          • Lobbyists
          • Participation crisis
          • Pluralist democracy
          • Representative democracy
          • Rights and Participation
          • Think Tanks
          • How well are Rights protected in the UK?
          • Abu Qatada
          • TPims
          • TPims
          • Case study : The Electoral Reform Society and voter ID
          • Case study : Liberty and vaccine passports
          • Case study : the 3million and local voting rights for EU citizens
          • Collective and Individual Rights
          • The Joint Committee on Human Rights
          • Hirst v UK
          • How effective are the judiciary at protecting civil rights in the UK (30) E
        • Electoral Systems
          • Different Voting Systems used in the UK
          • Electoral Reform
          • Evaluation of why different voting systems are used in the UK
          • First Past the Post
          • Referendums and how they are used
          • Regional List
          • Single Transferable Vote
          • Supplementary Vote
          • Thde case for and against using referendums
          • The effect of different voting systems
          • The function of elections
          • 2014 Independence Referendum Scotland
          • The 2019 Election result using different voting systems
          • Greater London Assembly
          • Michael Oakeshott
          • Elections Act 2022
          • Is Digital Democracy the answer?
          • STV in Scottish Local Elections
        • Political Parties
          • Advice on AS 30 mark Questions
          • Consensus and Adversarial Politics
          • Left Wing / Right Wing
          • Minor Parties
          • Old Labour New Labour
          • One Nation Conservatism
          • Party Systems
          • Political Parties- functions and funding
          • UK Political Parties in context
          • UK Political Parties in context
          • UK Political Parties The main three
          • The Conservative Party
          • UK Political Parties The main three
          • The Conservative Party
          • The Conservative Party
          • The development of a multi-party system
          • The election of 1997
          • The Liberal Party
          • The role of Parties, campaigns and leaders in electoral success
          • Exam Question Minor Parties
          • Conservative Party Factions
          • One-party systems
          • Two-party systems
          • Dominant-party systems
          • Multiparty systems
          • Case Study: Rwanda Bill and Conservative Party Factions
          • Party Agenda
          • Political Parties in the USA
        • Voting behaviour and the Media
          • Case Studies of Three Elections
          • Class dealignment
          • Governing competency
          • Issue Voting
          • Issue Voting
          • Long term Influences on voting: Class
          • Manifest & Mandate
          • Media Bias
          • Media theories : 'salience’ and ‘valance'
          • Partisan Dealignment
          • Question 1 A level Paper 1
          • Short term factors which explain election results
          • Tactical Voting
          • The Influence of the media
          • Turnout/Disillusion and Apathy
          • The Election of 1945
          • The Election of 1979
          • The election of 1997
          • The Election of 2017
          • The Election of 2019
          • Why Social Media is ruining political discourse
          • How to answer an Edexcel source question on voting behaviour
          • Case study Mr Bates v The Post Office
          • How the election affected policy-making
          • The Election of 2015
          • The Role of the Media
          • media Bias USA
        • Year 13 A2 Core Political Ideas
          • Conservatism
          • Liberalism
          • Socialism
          • Benjamin Disraeli
          • Collectivism
          • Common Humanity
          • Common Ownership
          • Debates about equality
          • Differences and conflict within Conservatism
          • Differences and conflict within Liberalsim
          • Differences and conflict within Socialism
          • Edmund Burke
          • Equality
          • Equality and Social Justice
          • Foundational Equality / Formal Equality
          • Friedrich Hayek
          • Human Imperfection
          • Human Nature
          • Important Conservative thinkers
          • Important Liberal thinkers
          • Important Socialist thinkers
          • Individualism
          • Keynsianism
          • Laissez Faire
          • Laissez Faire
          • Liberal Democracy
          • Libertarianism
          • Liberty
          • Main ideas of Conservatism
          • Main ideas of Liberalism
          • Main ideas of Socialism
          • Mechanistic Theory
          • Mechanistic Theory
          • Meritocracy
          • Michael Oakeshott 1901-1990
          • Mrs Whitehouse
          • Negative Freedom and Egoistical Individualism
          • Neo conservatism
          • Neo Liberalism
          • New Right
          • noblesse oblige
          • One Nation Conservatism
          • Organic Society
          • Paternalism
          • Positive Freedom and Developmental Individualism
          • Pragmatism
          • Pragmatism
          • Rationalism
          • Revolutionary Socialism
          • Robert Nozick
          • Social Class
          • Social Class
          • Social Conservatism
          • Social Democracy
          • Society
          • The Economy
          • The Social Contract
          • The State
          • The State: A necessary evil
          • Third Way
          • Thomas Hobbs
          • Tolerance
          • Tradition
          • Utilitarianism
          • Utilitarianism
          • Workers Control
          • Anthony Crosland
          • Ayn Rand 1905-1982
          • Beatrice Webb
          • Betty Friedan1921−2006
          • Conservative view of human imperfection
          • Edmund Burke
          • Friedrich Hayek
          • John Locke 1632-1704
          • John Rawls 1921-2002
          • John Stuart Mill 1806-73
          • Karl Marx
          • Mary Wollstonecraft 1759 1797
          • Michael Oakeshott 1901-1990
          • Neo Liberalsim
          • Neoconservatism
          • Robert Nozick
          • Rosa Luxemburg
          • The New Right
          • Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679
          • Populism
          • Modern Liberalsim
          • Origins of Liberalism
          • Origins of Socialism
          • To what extent do Conservatives agree about the role of the state?
          • Marx's Vision of Equality
          • In 2001 Roy Hattersley Objects to Blair's vision of meritocracy
          • Asset based Egalitarianism
          • Liberalism & Human Nature
          • government, the free market, the individual
          • Society
          • The economy
          • The debate about the nature of socialism
          • Anarcho-syndicalism
          • The history of Conservatism
          • Case study: Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks
        • Minor Parties
        • The Crisis of Democracy
        • Case study: The British Columbia Electoral Reform Referendum
        • Source Question: Electoral Reform
        • Conservative Party Factions
        • Do political parties help or hinder representative democracy?
        • Types of participation
        • Party Structures
      • How to answer an Edexcel exam question on socialism
      • How to answer a source question Edexcel UK politics, papers 1 and 2
      • How to write an essay on socialism and common humanity
    • Video Lessons
    • Democracy : What is democracy?
    • Lesson 1 Democracy
    • Knowledge check lesson 1 Answers
    • Lesson 2 A history of the Franchise
    • 2021 May Local and Regional Elections UK
    • Biden's 100 Days
    • Devolution and the Pandemic
    • Unit 3 Global Politics
    • Theories of International Relations
    • Significant Realist Thinkers
    • Realism
    • Liberalism
    • Key Liberal Thinkers
    • The State and Globalisation
    • The McDonaldization of Society
    • Jihad vs McWorld
    • Global Governance: Political and Economic
    • Debate: Relative and Absolute gains
    • The United Nations UN
    • How the UN is Organised
    • World Health Organisation
    • History of the UN
    • The state: nation states and national sovereignty
    • Globalisation
    • History of the Nation State
    • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
    • Global Governance: Human Rights and Environmental 1
    • Human rights
    • Problems and Controversies in Human Rights
    • Why did humanitarian intervention increase during the 1990s?
    • Environmental
    • The Tragedy of the Commons
    • Why is international cooperation so difficult to achieve?
    • Time Line of major initiatives on the environment
    • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
    • Theorists of Green Politics
    • The International Monetary Fund
    • The World Bank
    • The Bretton Woods' System
    • Permanent War Economy
    • The World Trade Organization (WTO)
    • Theories of Global Governance
    • The G7 ,G8 & G 20
    • Power and Developments
    • The use and eff ectiveness of types of power
    • Differing significance of states in global affairs and how – and why – state p
    • Superpowers
    • Great powers
    • Joseph Nye
    • Emerging powers
    • Polarity
    • Case Study in Soft Power: Vaccine Diplomacy
    • Unipolarity
    • Is China a Super Power?
    • Capabilities
    • The organisation and structure of UK Parties.
    • Bipolarity
    • Multipolarity
    • Consideration of changing nature of world order since 2000
    • Case Study America's War in Iraq
    • Power Relationships
    • Power Structures
    • 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
    • Different Forms of Regionalism
    • 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
    • Developments in Regionalism
    • Case Study: African Regionalism
    • Case Study ; Asian Regionalism
    • Case Study: Regionalism in the Americas
    • Federalism, Functionalism and Neo Functionalism
    • Is the |Euro a good idea?
    • The ways and extent to which regionalism addresses and resolves contemporar
    • State egoism and conflict
    • Statecraft and the national interest
    • International anarchy and its implications
    • Polarity, stability and the balance of power
    • Interdependence liberalism
    • Republican liberalism
    • Liberal institutionalism
    • Marxism, neo-Marxism and critical theory
    • SOCIAL THEORY AND CONSTRUCTIVISM
    • Poststructuralism
    • Feminism
    • Postcolonialism
    • Positioning Iraq in the Metanarrative of the ‘War on Terror’
    • Voting Behaviour
    • Case Study The European Political Community
    • Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
    • Lesson 3 Pressure Groups
    • The Security Council (UNSC)
    • Case study The Niger Coup and ECOWAS
    • Case study War in Ukraine
    • How to answer 12 Mark Question on Paper 3 US and UK Comparative Politics
    • How to write an essay on the WTO
    • ‘Evaluate the view that the EU has become a superpower, comparable with the
    • Edexcel A Level & AS Level
    • Essays, Exams and Advice.
    • AQA A Level
    • Government and politics of the UK
    • redress of grievances
    • Primus Inter Pares
    • Policy Making
    • Personal convictions of the prime minister/party leader
    • The Chartists
    • Palestine
    • Political Ideas AQA
    • Liberalism: Society and Economy
    • Classical Liberalism
    • Thomas Hill Green
    • To what extent do modern and classical liberals agree over the role of the
    • Marxism, class analysis and fundamental goals of socialism
    • Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics
    • typologies of pressure groups: USA
    • methods and tactics used by pressure groups to influence decision-making
    • Which are more powerful: pressure groups or political parties? USA
    • The Civil Rights movement USA.
    • freedom of speech
    • Evaluate the view that a trend away from globalisation and regionalism woul
    • Case study:Impeachment of AlejandroMayorkas
    • Lesson 5 Parties
    • Fischer v. U.S.:
    • How Congress Works: Videos
    • Case study: The US limits China's access to chip technology
    • Case Study: Taiwan
    • Case Study Sudan
    • Feminism and Globalisation
    • Is Globalisation over?
    • The creation of AUKUS as a reaction to China and BRICS
    • How to answer 24 mark core ideologies questions in Edexcel A-level politics
    • Trump turns away from soft power
    • Is an isolationist America a bad thing?
    • Does economic globalization promote prosperity and opportunity for all?
  • US Party structure & Organisation
  • The General Election 2024
  • Politics Podcast List
  • Contents
  • AQA Questions and Advice
  • AQAExplain and analyse three ways that the view of human nature is signific
  • Candidates and personal qualities US Elections
  • Media in US Politics
  • AQA 25 Mark essay Impact of the Judiciary 2022 Paper 1
  • Case Study Rishi Sunak
  • AP US Government and Politics
  • Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
  • Unit 5: Political Participation
  • 5.13 Changing Media
  • 5.12 The Media
  • 5.11 Campaign Finance
  • 5.10 Modern Campaigns
  • 5.9 Congressional Elections
  • 5.8 Electing a President
  • 5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes
  • The MAGA Movement
  • 5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policy Making
  • 5.5 Third-Party Politics
  • 5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt
  • 5.3 Political Parties
  • 5.2 Voter Turnout
  • 5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior
  • Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
  • 4.10 Ideology and Social Policy
  • School Vouchers
  • 4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy
  • 4.8 Ideology and Policy Making
  • 4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties
  • 4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data
  • 4.5 Measuring Public Opinion
  • 4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology
  • 4.3 Changes in Ideology
  • 4.2 Political Socialization
  • 4.1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics
  • Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
  • 3.13 Affirmative Action
  • 3.12 Balancing Minority and Majority Rights
  • TOPIC 3.11 Government Responses to Social Movements
  • 3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection
  • Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail
  • 3.9 Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy
  • 3.8 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused
  • Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
  • 3.7 Selective Incorporation
  • 3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety
  • 3.5 Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms
  • McDonald v. City of Chicago
  • TOPIC 3.4 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press
  • New York Times Co. v. United States (1971
  • 3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech
  • Schenck v. United States (1919)
  • 3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Religion
  • Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
  • Engel v. Vitale (1962)
  • 3.1 The Bill of Rights
  • Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government
  • 2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government
  • 2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable
  • 2.13 Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority
  • TOPIC 2.13 Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority
  • 2.12 The Bureaucracy
  • Issuing fines
  • Political Appointments US Civil Service
  • Case study: 'Drain the swamp'
  • civil service, and merit system
  • The federal bureaucracy
  • 2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch
  • 2.10 The Court in Action
  • 2.9 Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch
  • 2.8 The Judicial Branch
  • Marbury v. Madison (1803)
  • Federalist No. 78
  • Presidential Communication
  • Expansion of Presidential Power
  • Federalist No. 70
  • Twenty-Second Amendment,
  • Checks on the Presidency
  • Roles and Powers of the President
  • 2.3 Congressional Behavior
  • Divided Government
  • Shaw v. Reno (1993)
  • Baker v. Carr (1962)
  • 2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress
  • Number of chamber and debate rules that set the bar high for building major
  • Party leadership in Congress
  • 2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives
  • Congress: formality of debate
  • Passing a federal budget, raising revenue, and coining money
  • The Constitution, including such principles as the separation of powers and
  • Federalism in Action
  • United States v Lopez
  • Same sex Marriage and Federalism
  • Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism
  • Relationship Between the States and Federal Government
  • Ratification of the U.S. Constitution
  • Principles of American Government
  • Federalist No. 51
  • McCulloch v Maryland
  • Government Power and Individual Rights
  • Brutus No 1
  • Types of Democracy
  • Federalist 10
  • 1 Ideals of Democracy
  • Republicanism
  • popular sovereignty
  • Challenges of the Articles of Confederation
  • The Articles of Confederation
  • Constitutional Monarchy
  • Alternative Vote
  • House of Lords Scandals
  • How important are Votes of No Confidence?
  • How effective has parliamentary scrutiny been during the COVID-19 crisis?
  • Examine the ways in which the Supreme Courts in the USA and the UK differ i
  • Exam Papers
  • Paper 1 Questions 2019 -2024
  • Paper 1 Questions 2019-2023
  • Paper 3 USA Essay Questions
  • How to write essays
  • Unit 3 USA and Comparative Essays
  • Tufton Steet The UK's 'K' Street
  • June 2019
  • Mark Scheme 2019
  • Case Study Boris Johnson
  • Case Study Liz Truss
  • Reshuffle Sept 2021 Boris wields the axe
  • Site Map
  • 'Congress has become the least powerful branch of government' Discuss
  • 2016 US Elections results and significance
  • A wider Franchise- History of voting rights UK
  • current move to extend the franchise
  • Additional Member System
  • A gameable electoral system? The Additional Member System in Scotland
  • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • 1975 Referendum UK
  • Untitled page
  • AV Referendum 2011
  • Referendum in N Ireland 1998
  • North East Regional Assembly Referendum 2004
  • The EU Referendum 2016
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of the Amendment Process
    • The evolving House of Lords
  • Advantages and disadvantages of the electoral college
  • Issues in US Elections
  • Advice on A level Paper 2 Question 2 (30 marks)
    • 2016 Election
  • Affirmative Action
  • Fisher v Texas (2013)
  • America the Failed State?
  • An evaluation of the Constitution- Is it a successful experiment?
  • Anthony Giddens
  • Anti Colonial Nationalism
  • Appointment of Members of the Supreme Court
  • Are midterm elections a referendum on the president?
  • 2022 Midterm Elections
  • Are PMs becoming more presidential?
  • Are PMs becoming more presidential?
  • Are pressure groups becoming more significant?
  • social capital
  • corporatism
  • Are Pressure Groups good for democracy?
  • Insider and Outsider Pressure Groups
  • Case study: The National Trust
  • Case study Extinction Rebellion
  • Case study Act for the Act
  • Sock Puppet Pressure Groups
  • Are the constitutional reforms started in 1997 finished?
  • Are US Interest Groups good for democracy?
  • Limits and constraints on Interest Groups USA
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Arguments for and against a codified constitution
  • Case study Party-gate-A constitutional Crisis
  • The UKs Flexible Constituion has had its day. Bronwen Maddox FT
  • AS Question 2 Advice
  • Bipartisanship
  • Cabinet Committees
  • Campaign Finance
  • Case studies Major and Blair
  • Case study Bathroom Bills and ACLU
  • Case study gerrymandering
  • Case Study Gun Control
  • Case study John Major
  • Case study Marijuana
  • Case Study Mrs Thatcher
  • Thatcherism
  • Case Study Policy Group The League of Conservation Voters (LCV)
  • Case Study Policy Networks, professional lobbyists and politicians
  • Trumps First Term Selected highlights
  • Case Study Professional Group AFL-CIO
  • Case Study Social Policy
  • Case Study The Common Agricultural Policy
  • Case study The conservative agenda of the Roberts Court
  • Feminism
  • Feminism & Human Nature
  • Feminism and the State
  • Feminism and Society
  • Feminism and the Economy
  • The reserve army of labour
  • Is Barbie a feminist movie?
  • Significant Feminist Thinkers
  • bell hooks (1952– 2021)
  • Kate Millett (1934– )
  • Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986)
  • Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935)
  • The Main Ideas of Feminism
  • Different types of feminism
  • Conflicts within Feminism
  • The History of Feminism
  • Intersectionality
  • Equality feminism and Difference feminism
  • The Personal is Political
  • Case study ME TOO
  • Patriarchy
  • sex and gender
  • Sheila Rowbotham
  • The History of Feminism
  • Case study Jones v. Mississippi
  • Case study The decline of Affirmative Action
  • New Yorker : The Rise and Fall of Affirmative Action
  • Case study The Nevada Caucus 2016
  • Case study The nominations of Alito and Garland
  • Case study The Republican Invisible Primary 2015
  • Case study The struggle over Brexit
  • Case Study Theresa May
  • Case Study Tony Blair
  • Case Study: Fisheries Policy
  • Case Study: Hitler's racialist theories
  • Case Study: The 2016 nominations Democrat and Republican
  • Cases studies of Pressure Groups
  • Can’t pay, won’t pay
  • Changes since 2015
  • Charles Maurras (1868-1952
  • Chauvinistic Nationalism
  • checks and balances
  • Trump v the Courts 2025
  • Noncompliance
  • Case study: Congress can limit the Supreme Court.
  • Citizens United v FEC 2010
  • Civic Nationalism
  • Civic v Cultural
  • Coalition Reforms 2010-15
  • Collective Responsibility
  • Committees in Congress 'The Engine room'
  • holds and unanimous consent in the senate
  • Common Law
  • Comparative Approaches UK and USA
  • Comparative Models,
  • Congress
    • The powers of the House and Senate compared
  • The Party System in Congress
  • The Speaker
  • Case study the removal of Kevin McCarthy
  • Comparison: Parliament & Congress
  • Three major challenges legislatures face in the 21st century: executive dom
  • Congressional Committees 'The engine room'
  • House Rules Committee
  • Congressional Elections
  • Conservatism
  • Conservative Nationalism
  • Washington Post- Putinism
  • Constitution
  • constitution is flexible
  • Conventions
  • Criticisms of the Constitution
  • Culturalism
  • Current systems of representative and direct democracy
    • Should voting be made compulsory
  • Functions of democracy
  • Is Democracy in danger?
  • Problems with Democracy
  • DC v Heller 2008
  • Developments in devolution
  • Case study The Gender Recognition Bill and Devolution
  • The Sewel Convention
  • Devolution
  • The Impact of Devolution
  • Has devolution been a success?
  • Devolution
  • Devolution in England
  • The West Lothian Question
  • Devolution in N Ireland
  • Devolution in Scotland
  • Devolution in Wales
  • Different types of Nationalism
  • direct democracy
  • direct democracy
  • Direct Democracy USA
  • US states vote to protect reproductive rights
  • Dual Presidency Theory
  • Elections,Parties and Pressure Groups
  • Case Study US Election 2020
  • TV Debates
  • National Party Conventions
  • Comparison: Parties UK & USA
  • Comparison: Pressure Groups UK & USA
  • Comparison: Elections UK & USA
  • Why Biden won Atlantic Magazine
  • Primaries and Caucuses
  • Case study 2020 Primaries & Caucuses
  • Electoral Reform
  • Essay plan: 'Evaluate the view that the constituion no longer does the job for which it was intended' (30 marks)
  • European Courts
  • Evaluate the view :
  • Evaluate the view :That the US Constitution is anti democratic
  • Evaluate the view that the US is no longer a federal state'
  • EVEL English Votes for English Laws
  • Example AS Question on the Constitution
  • Example Vincent Viola and Scott Pruitt appointments
  • Executive Orders
  • Expansionist Nationalism
  • Factors affecting voting in Congress
  • The Bill of Rights
  • Factors which influence a PM's relationship with the Cabinet
  • Factortame
  • Federalism
  • Filibuster
  • Fixed term Parliaments
  • Formal sources of presidential power in the US Constitution
  • Unitary Executive Theory
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Garcia
  • Gender,Age,Ethnicity and Region
  • General Election 2019
  • Gerrymandering
  • Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)
  • Governing the UK
  • Anarchism
  • Anarchist thinkers and their ideas
  • Max Stirner (1806-1856)
  • Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865)
  • Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876)
  • Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921)
  • Emma Goldman (1869-1940)
  • Different types of anarchism
  • Collectivist anarchism
  • Case Study: Christiania Anarchist Commune
  • INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM
  • Anarchism: core ideas and principles
  • Anarchism : & Society
  • Anarchism: Rejection of organised religion
  • Anachism: Direct Action
  • Mutualism
  • Anarchism & Human Nature
  • Anarchism: Utopianism
  • Anarchism: Economic Freedom
  • Anarchy is Order
  • Anarchism: Liberty
  • Anarchism: Power & Authority
  • Proudhon
  • Bakunin
  • Rejection of the Government State
  • Grover Norquist's Tax Payer Protection
  • Gun control
  • Has it become harder for the government to control Parliament?
  • House and Senate size and elections
  • House of Commons Reform
  • Parliamentary Standards
  • Owen Patterson
  • Case Study:
  • House of Lords Reform
  • Hereditary Peers
  • How effectively have recent presidents achieved their aims?
  • The American Rescue Plan
  • How elections work in the USA
  • How important is the pick for Vice President
  • The main characteristics of American election campaigns
  • Elections and the Constitution
  • How flexible is the US Constitution?
  • The Necessary and Proper Clause
  • How important are minor parties
  • How laws are made in the UK -The legislative process
  • How the Constitution has changed
  • How the Constitution was written
  • How the EU works
  • How well does Parliament fulfill its functions?
  • Scandals
  • Back Bench Business Committee
  • Human Rights Act
  • Impact of the Lords
  • Case study The Rwanda Bill
  • Case study The Internal Market Bill
  • Case study The Illegal Immigration Bill
  • Case study The Crime and Sentencing Bill 2022
  • Inclusive v Exclusive
  • Incumbency
  • Individual Ministerial Responsibility
  • Ian Duncan Smith
  • The Crichel Down Affair 1954
  • Informal sources of presidential power and their use
  • Initiation of Legislation
  • Integral Nationalism
  • Interest Groups in the USA
  • social movements & Protest movements
  • A TYPOLOGY OF INTEREST GROUPS USA
  • COLLECTIVE ACTION AND FREE RIDING US Interest Groups
  • Internationalism
  • Interpretations & debates of the US Supreme Court & civil rights
  • Power of federal agencies Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentle
  • Case Study US supreme court in ‘crisis of legitimacy
  • United States vs Nixon
  • Texas vs Johnston (1989)
  • Supreme Court to rule if Trump can run for president
  • Bush v Gore
  • What are the chances of reforming the Supreme Court?
  • Shadow Dockets
  • Interpretations and Debates
  • How Representative is the US Congress ?
  • Represention and governance Discussion
  • Republican partisanship
  • Interpretations and debates around the US Constitution and federalism
  • Polarisation is dividing America State by State
  • Interpretations and debates of the US Presidency
  • Has Trump changed the Presidency?
  • Theories of Presidetial Power
  • The Impossible Presidency
  • The Imperilled Presidency
  • The Post Modern Presidency
  • Interpretations and debates of US democracy and participation
    • How important are minor parties
    • Two Party Dominance USA
  • Iron Triangles
  • Is Congress the broken Branch?
  • House votes to censure and remove Gosar from committees over violent video
  • Scandals Congress since 2010
  • Is the constitution too rigid?
  • Is the Presidency Imperial or Imperilled?
  • A short history of the Imperial Presidency (with examples)
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
  • John Hart Chapter on the Presidency
  • Judicial Activism
  • Judicial Independence
    • Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803)
  • When is Judicial independence threatened?
  • Judicial Independence
  • Judicial Neutrality
  • Judicial Restraint
  • Judicial Review
  • Judicial Review
  • The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022
  • The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022
  • Judicial Review
  • Key ideas and principles of the Democratic and Republican parties.
  • Values of the Republicans and Democrats
  • Party Factions USA
  • Key ideas of nationalism
  • Nationalism & The Economy
  • Nationalism: The State & Society
  • Nationalism & Human Nature
  • Kilmuir Rules
  • Labour Reforms 1997-2010
  • Labour Reforms 1997-2010
  • Legacy of Racism
  • Legislation
  • Legislation How laws are made
  • Legislative Committees (the committee stage)
  • Legislative Committees (the committee stage)
  • Legitimacy
  • Liberal Nationalism
  • Liberalism :Check List for Edexel Unit 1
  • Liberty
  • Limitations on the power of PMs
  • limited government
  • limited government
  • Lobbying the House
  • Geoffrey Cox
  • Lobbying the Senate
  • Lobbying the Senate
  • Lobbyists
  • Case study: Elon Musk
  • Lobbyists
  • mandate
  • mandate
  • Marcus Garvey (1887-1940)
  • Means available to the President
  • Mid -Term Elections
  • Ministerial questions and Prime Minister's Questions
  • Nation State
  • Nationalism
  • Recent Developments in Nationalism
  • Primordialism
  • Nationalism in Depth
  • Nationalism in History
  • Nationalist Thinkers
  • The Clash of Civilisations
  • Nations
  • Nations
  • State & Minority Nationalism
  • New Federalism Explained
  • New York Times Article Nuclear Arms Deal
  • NFIB v Sebelius 2012
  • noblesse oblige
  • Norton's Typology of legislatures
  • Obergefell v Hodges 2015
  • On Nation Conservatism
  • Originalism
  • Oversight
  • Power of the Purse
  • The January 6th Committee
  • PACs and Super PACs
  • Parliament
  • Parliament
  • Parliament's ability to remove governments
  • Parliament's effectiveness at Scrutiny
  • Parliament's influence over legislation
  • Parliamentary Committees
  • Select Committees and Civil Servants
  • Parliamentary Sovereignty
  • Parochialism
  • Participation, Elections, Pressure Groups and Rights :Edexcel
  • Parties Unit 1 Edexcel
  • Partisanship
  • Party Decline and Party Renewal
  • Party Decline and Party Renewal
  • McCutcheon v FEC
  • Brock Reforms
  • Party Discipline and Elective Dictatorship
  • Party realignment and dealignment
  • Personal learning checklists- created by John Gibbs
  • Personal qualities of US Presidents
  • Peter Hennessy
  • Philip Norton
  • PM and Executive
  • PM Government or Cabinet Government
  • Politics Review Article Robert Singh
  • Pork Barrel
  • Power without Persuasion: Ways around Congress
  • precedents
  • Prerogative Powers
  • Pressure groups and participation
  • Types of Pressure Groups
  • How pressure groups exert influence
  • Case study: Tobacco lobbying and Rishi Sunak
  • Prime Minister and Executive
  • Case study David Cameron
  • Case Study Tony Blair
  • Prime Minister’s Questions
  • privilege
  • Progressive v Reactionary
  • Questions to Ministers
  • Race and Rights in Contemporary US Politics
  • Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States
  • Racialism
  • Rational v Irrational
  • Recruitment and training of ministers
  • Referendums and how they are used
  • Reforms since 2015
  • Relations Between the Branches
  • Relations between the branches
  • Representation
  • split-ticket voting
  • Representation
  • Representative Democracy
  • Revision Summary Party Factions and Policies
  • Immigration USA
  • Health Care USA
  • The Tea Party
  • Debt and deficit
  • Revolving-door syndrome
  • Revolving Door UK
  • Case study Revolving door UK Greensill and David Cameron
  • Riley v California 2014
  • Rules Committee
  • Scrutiny and Oversight
  • Secondary Legislation
  • Secondary Legislation
  • Self Determination
  • Separation of powers
  • Shelby v Holder 2013
  • Should England have a Parliament
  • Should the Constitution still be reformed?
  • The Rise and Fall of British Democracy
  • Should the voting age be reduced to 16?
  • Similarities and differences
  • Single European Act and the Four Freedoms
  • site link
  • Socialism Edexcel
  • Stare Decisis
  • Statute law
  • Strengths a weaknesses of the nominating process
  • Strengths and weaknesses of the nominating process
  • Strict and loose constructionalism
  • Sufferagists and Sufferagettes
  • Supreme Court Appointments Process
  • the 11 Day Rule
  • The advantages and disadvantages of Representative Democracy
  • The advantages and disadvantages of the nominating process
  • The Amendment Process
  • The Amendment Process
  • The Appointment process for the Supreme Court
  • Case study Jackson, Ketanji Brown 2022
  • The bully pulpit
  • The Cabinet
  • The Cabinet and the Prime Minister
  • The changing cabinet
  • The Case for Reform
  • The consequences of federalism
  • The Constitution since 1997
  • The Core Executive Model
  • The Customs Union
  • The Development of the EU
  • The Election of 2010
  • The Electoral College
  • The electoral college favours white voters
  • The electoral mandate
  • The enumerated powers
  • The EU and member states: power over some key policy areas
  • The EU and the UK
  • The impact of the EU on the fundamental principles of the UK constitution a
  • The evolution of federalism
  • The Executive Office of the President
  • The Executive Office of the President
  • The Executive Office of the President
  • The factors governing the prime minister's selection of ministers
  • The Five main Sources
  • Relations between the UK and devolved governments
  • The appointment of the prime minister by the monarch
  • The Functions of Congress:
  • Subpoena of Steve Bannon
  • The Functions of Elections-
  • The Functions of Parliament
  • Debates in Parliament
  • The growth and development of the Presidency
  • Case Study: Why did Trump win in 2024?
  • Women did not rescue Kamala's campaign
  • The impact of social media
  • Kamala was the wrong candidate to beat Trump
  • Vice Presidents dont do well in elections for the Presidency
  • Let's not forget misogyny and racism
  • Trump appealed to men.
  • Minorities moved towards Trump
  • Immigration
  • 'It's the economy, stupid!'
  • Take Trump seriously but not literally.
  • The MAGA Cult
  • Joe Rogan
  • The imapct of social media.
  • The Culture War
  • Income inequality
  • The decline in social mobility
  • Trump and the rise of populism
  • Trump is the result of a loss of confidence in democracy
  • Trump is the result of a constitutional Crisis
  • democracy and why we shouldn’t be surprised.
  • The History and development of Rights in the UK
  • Equality Act 2010
  • The history of voting rights
  • The Human Rights Act
  • The impact of the EU on the UK
  • The implied powers
  • The implied powers
  • The importance of presidential debates
  • The influence of interest groups on democracy
  • The influence of the Supreme Court on the Executive and Parliament
  • Case Study: Shamima Begum (2021)
  • Case Study: AM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (202
  • Case Study:Joanna Cherry/Gina Miller case 2019
  • Is the UK Supreme Court too political?
  • Case study Miller v Sec of State for Exiting the EU 2016
  • The Instutuional Predensdency: Vice Presidency,Cabinet and Executive office.
  • The Invisible Primary
  • The Labour Party
  • Labour Party factions
  • Clause IV
  • Post Thatcher Consensus
  • The Living Constitution
  • The Localism Act 2011
  • The location of sovereignty in the UK
  • The location of sovereignty in the UK
  • The Main Characteristics of US federalism
  • Moore v Harper
  • Power Point Federalism
  • The nature and role of the Supreme Court
  • Dissenting Opinions are letters to the future
  • The nature of the US Constitution
  • The New Right
  • The politics of federalism
  • The powers and organisation of the Executive
  • The Ministerial Code
  • Patronage
  • The powers of the Lords and Commons compared
  • The Presidency
  • The principles of the US Constitution - their effectiveness today
  • The Supreme Court as referee
  • Gridlock
  • Vagueness and silence in the Constitution
  • Case study Funding for Ukraine
  • Trump v Vance (2020)
  • The protection of Civil Liberties and Rights in the USA today
  • Roe V Wade
  • Whole Woman’s Health v Hellerstedt
  • Shelby County v Holder
  • Plessy v Ferguson
  • The relationship between Parliament and the Government?
  • Theories of Parliamentary Power
  • The relationship between the Government and Parliament
  • The relationship between the Government and Parliament
  • The relationship between the presidency and Congress
  • The relationship between the president and the Supreme Court
  • Guns in the USA
  • Supreme Court Won’t Extend Wisconsin’s Deadline for Mailed Ballots
  • The role and significance of the opposition
  • The Role of Backbench MPs
  • The role of campaign finance
  • The role of incumbency
  • The Role of Select Committees
  • . Evaluate the view that select committees are the most effective way for
  • Humble Address
  • Case Study: Test and Trace
  • The role of the Supreme Court UK
  • Can asylum seekers be sent to Rwanda
  • The Rule of Law
  • The Salisbury Convention
  • The Scotland Act 2016
  • The structure and organisation of Parliament Commons and Lords.
  • How to become an MP
  • The structure of Congress:
  • The structure of the Constitution
  • The Supreme Court
  • The Supreme Court and Public Policy
  • Ghost Guns United States v. Rahimi
  • Fischer v. United States
  • Trump cases 2024
  • Trump v USA
  • Case study Trump & the Supreme Court
  • Gun Control
  • Immigration
  • Health
  • National Federation of Independent Business v Sebelius
  • Marriage
  • United States v Windsor (2013)
  • Abortion
  • Oklahoma Executes Prisoner After Supreme Court Overturns Stay
  • Miranda v Arizona 1966.
  • Brown v The Board of Education
  • The Supreme Court decision on the Article 50 Case
  • The Supreme Court influence and power
  • The timeline story of Brexit
  • The UK Constitution
  • The UK: 'A distinctive Constitution'
  • Union State
  • The UK Constitution
  • The UK Constitution and its sources
  • The UK Courts System
  • The US Cabinet
  • The Veto
  • Theories of Representation
  • There is no agreed definition of Parliament's functions
  • Think Tanks
  • Tony Blair Prime Minister or President The Guardian 2005
  • Traditional Conservatism
  • treaties
  • UK Political Parties The main three
  • Ultra Vires
  • unanimity and qualified majority voting
  • Unentrenched / Uncodified
  • Unit 1 AS & A level : check lists of essential knowledge for Edexcel
  • Unit 2 AS & A level
  • Unit 3 A level Only USA & Comparative
  • Unit 3 Comparative USA (Year 13)
  • Unitary
  • US Constitution and Federalism
  • Comparison: UK and US Constitutions
  • US Presidency
  • Case study OBAMA
  • Too Big to Fail: The Bank Bail out
  • The Impeachment of Trump
  • The Pardon Power
  • Comparison: PM & President
  • US Supreme Court and Civil Rights
  • Case Study: The American Federalist Society and the Supreme Court
  • Comparison: Civil Rights UK & USA
  • Natural Rights
  • Comparison USA & UK Supreme Court
  • USA Congress
  • USA Constitution
  • USA Democracy & Participation
  • USA Supreme Court
  • USA The Presidency
  • Vice Presidency
  • Vice President: Tie Breaking Vote
  • What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?
  • President Pro Tempore
  • Voting Behaviour
  • Voting Behaviour :Edexcel
  • Voting behaviour,turnout and gerrymandering
  • Registration Procedures
  • What are Ministerial and Collective Responsibility?
  • Site logo image Level 5 Response – Evaluate the view that IMR and CMR are
  • What should be done to reform the system
  • E Petitions
  • Recall of MPs Act 2015
  • Who runs foreign policy, the president or Congress?
  • Whole Woman's Health v Hellerstedt 2016
  • Why and to what extent have the Judiciary and the government come into conflict in recent years?
  • Wider Reading New York Times on Originalism
  • Wider Reading: Why did Trump win 2016 by Anthony Bennett
  • Works of Authority
  • Year 13 Nationalism
The Politics Shed
  • Is Congress the broken Branch? 

  • Republican partisanship  

  • Partisanship


  • Divided Government 

Gridlock

The Constitution aimed to encourage collaboration and negotiation among the various branches, such as Congress and the President, as well as the Senate and the House. By mandating mutual agreement, such as the approval of all laws by both congressional chambers, the objective was to foster cooperation. Additionally, it was envisioned that the Senate would temper the fervor and populism of the House, serving as a calming influence on legislation originating from the House, as purportedly mentioned by Washington in a conversation with Thomas Jefferson. However, in reality, there has been frequent contention and impasse among the branches. For instance, the president proposes the budget and seeks approval from Congress, often resulting in a stalemate. In recent years, this has led to prolonged standoffs and gridlock, including a 35-day government shutdown in late 2018 to early 2019 due to heightened tensions over funding for a border wall. Instances of presidential veto threats and Congress's refusal to pass requested legislation have hindered progress in areas like immigration reform. Instead of fostering unity, the Constitution has at times inadvertently fueled division and deadlock among Americans.


Case study Funding for Ukraine 

Essay plan: 'Evaluate the view that the constituion no longer does the job for which it was intended' (30 marks)





Over the last thirty years, the dynamics between the two political parties have shifted dramatically, with a decrease in the number of conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans holding office. As political moderates—those whose beliefs fall in the middle of the ideological spectrum—depart from political parties at all levels, the ideological divide between the parties has widened, leading to a phenomenon known as party polarization. Essentially, both organizationally and within government, Republicans and Democrats have become increasingly different from one another. In Congress, this shift means that fewer members have mixed voting patterns; instead, they tend to vote more consistently along party lines and are more likely to align with their party leadership. This polarization also results in a growing number of moderate voters disengaging from party politics. Many are becoming independents or are only voting in general elections, thus not participating in the selection of party candidates during primaries. 

Many federal government agencies rely on annual funding approved by Congress. Every year, these agencies submit their requests, which Congress must pass, and the president must sign budget legislation for the next fiscal year. If an agreement is not reached, then all non-essential, discretionary functions of the US government stop.


 In 1980, the attorney general under President Jimmy Carter issued a narrow interpretation of the 1884 Anti-Deficiency Act. The 19th Century spending law banned the government from entering into contracts without congressional approval; for almost a century, if there was a gap in budgets, the government had allowed necessary spending to continue. But after 1980, the government took a much stricter view: no budget, no spending.

That interpretation has set the US apart from other non-parliamentary democracies, such as Brazil, where a strong executive branch has the ability to keep the lights on during a budget impasse.

The first US shutdown occurred shortly after in 1981, when President Ronald Reagan vetoed a funding bill, and lasted for a few days. Since then, there have been at least ten others that led to a stop in services, lasting anywhere from half a day to over a month. The last one, from 21 December 2018 to 25 January 2019, was the longest on record.


Elsewhere in the world, such shutdowns are practically impossible. The parliamentary system used by most European democracies ensures that the executive and legislature are controlled by the same party or coalition. Conceivably, a parliament could refuse to pass a budget proposed by the prime minister, but such an action would likely trigger a new election - not a stoppage in services like national parks, tax refunds and food assistance programmes.






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