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politics revision - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Used in House of Commons (general) elections, and local elections in England and Wales
      - Voters vote for a representative for a constituency
      - Voters have one vote only
      - The candidate with the most votes wins the constituency
      - In the UK, whichever party wins an overall majority of constituencies can form a government
      - This is a simple plurality system- whoever gets the most votes of any candidate wins. The winner does not have to get more votes than all other candidates put together
      - advantages
        
        It gives voters a clear choice between two parties with distinct programmes for government
        
        It establishes the constituency link between MPs and voters- this is good representation
        
        Winning parties can fulfil their manifesto pledges without the need to compromise in a coalition
        
        It allows for strong governments- governments have a healthy majority and can get things done
        
        It allows for stable governments- single-party governments are less likely to collapse, so provide certainty and stability
        
        Extremist parties are unlikely to get a foothold
      - disadvantages
        
        It is not proportional- the percentage of seats won by parties does not reflect the percentage of the vote they received. This is undemocratic
        
        It creates lots of safe seats and wasted votes
        
        Governments win power with only 35-40% of the vote, so are not supported by most of the population
        
        It leads to few checks and balances on government power, as governments can easily pass legislation
        
        Power is concentrated too narrowly, and small parties do not get the level of representation their support merits
    - - party list
        
        parties make lists of candidates to be elected, and seats are distributed by elections authorities to each party in proportion to the number of votes the party receives
        
        advantages
        
        Moving to proportional representation (PR) in the UK may offer would give minority parties and independent candidates a better chance of winning seats in Parliament.
        
        The current First Past the Post electoral system is considered unrepresentative, as candidates can be elected with a very small share of the votes while all other votes cast in the constituency are wasted.
        
        PR ensures that the parties would have to appeal to their core supporters, rather than a small number of so called ‘swing voters’ in marginal seats.
        
        It could be argued that PR delivers fairer treatment of minority parties and independent candidates
        
        Under PR fewer votes are ‘wasted’ as more people’s preferences are taken into account
        
        PR potentially offers greater and more-representative choice for voters.
        
        PR may encourage turn-out and reduce apathy.
        
        PR rarely produces an absolute majority for one party, however, it could be argued that PR ensures greater continuity of government and requires greater consensus in policy-making.
        
        disadvantages
        
        Under FPTP, MPs serve the constituency they campaign in. This makes them more inclined to tackle important local issues.
        
        PR can potentially provide a route for extremists to force their way into the political mainstream: under a FPTP electoral system this would be unlikely to happen.
        
        Some would say that PR produces ‘weak’ coalition governments rather than ‘strong’ majority governments, which arguably can lead to indecision, compromise and even legislative paralysis.
        
        PR can also reduce accountability to voters, as an ousted party of government can retain office by finding new coalition partners after an election.
        
        The adoption of PR list systems weakens the link between the elected representative and his or her constituency.
        
        The greater complexity and choice that PR allows can put voters off voting, by requiring them to have a greater knowledge of individual and party positions
      - single transferable vote
        
        voter ranks candidates with a first and second choice (sometimes more). vote is given to first choice if possible, if this candidate is eliminated then the vote is transferred down by order of preference
    - - supplementary vote
        
        voter has two collumns for first and second preference and marks accordingly
        
        if no candidate gets more than half, the top-two continue to a run-off and all others are eliminated
        
        if your 1st or 2nd choice gets through your vote goes to them (only one vote, determined by your preference). the run-off candidate with the most votes is declared the winner
        
        advantages
        
        using Xs instead of numbers creates less confusion as voters are often using multiple systems for different things
        
        politicians need a wider support base than with ftpt
      - alternative vote
        
        voter ranks candidates in order of preference until all are filled or they no longer wish to express preference.
        
        if they gain more than half the 1st preference votes a candidate is elected outright
        
        if not the candidate with the least 1st preference votes is removed and votes are counted according to 2nd preference, and so on until one candidate has more than half
    - - any electoral system with two merged systems
      - AMS
        
        consituent link of pr, with % of party link
- - - - representation
      - education
      - accountability
      - advise
      - participation
    - - sectional/interest
        
        specific group or section of society.....Muslim Council of Britain....BMA for doctors and consultants. they will lobby government on behalf of clearly defined social groups
      - cause/promotional
        
        promote a single issue or area of government policy.....Greenpeace and the environment...national trust and uk heritage. membership is more open and drawn from a wider societal spectrum
      - insider
        
        priveleged access to government desicion making...the CBI represents business interests and has influence over economic policy....the howard league for penal reform can offer impartial advice to the home office. tend to have specialist knowledge allow them to guide and be consulted by government
      - outsider
        
        do not possess government access and will seek to influence in other ways. #blacklivesmatter mass protest campaign...extinction rebellion civil disobedience to raise profile
    - - lobbying
      - organise publicity campaigns
      - give evidence at hearings
      - organise public demonstrations
      - research and publish reports
      - publicity stunts
      - civil disobedience
      - strike action
      - use of celebrity
      - bring test cases to court
      - digital and social media campaigns
    - - representation
      - personal beliefs
      - participation
      - material benefits
      - need
    - - level of expertise and knowledge
      - size and resources
        
        most important factor
        
        more member=more legitimacy. e.g rspca, national trust
        
        money allows for buying lobbyists and ad campaigns
        
        professional based membership gives more government access
      - public attitudes
      - government strength and attitudes
      - status - insider/outsider
    - - yes
        
        cheap and accessible
        
        easier to coordinate a large group or event in a short time period
        
        easier and more convenient means of participation
      - no
        
        difficult to stand out due to so many groups campaigning
        
        viral campaigns tend to be short lived
        
        slacktivism
        
        to be really expensive a professional website and expertise are needed, this can be expensive
    - - rspb
      - age uk
      - stonewalll
      - coalition for marriage
      - plane stupid
        
        massive support but faces opposition from powerful companies
- - - - in relation to:
        
        the state
        
        society
        
        the economy
        
        human nature
      - collectivism
        
        human society will be strongest when there is collective action by all humanity towards a greater good
        
        Politics, economics and social reform should benefit society, not individuals
        
        There should be wealth redistribution to equalise society
      - common humanity
        
        humans are naturally social
        
        individuals are shaped by society and capitalism has corrupted natural social tendencies
      - equality
        
        belief that people are not born equal
        
        focus on equality of outcome rather than of opportunity
      - social class
        
        society is divided based on how much money is earned and professions with higher classes benefiting at the expense of the lower
      - workers' control
        
        those who produce should control the means of production
        
        a strong state is necessary to achieve a socialist state, but that state should be governed by the workers
    - - revolutionary
        
        the destruction of the capitalist system
        
        the overthrow of the existing world order
        
        the ‘creation’ of a socialist state
        
        total state control over the economy
        
        a socialist or communist state would be governed by a dictatorship of the proletariat
        
        imposition of socialism on society
        
        common ownership
        
        Karl Marx
        
        Rosa Luxemberg
      - democratic socialism
        
        the replacement of the capitalist system by a socialist system
        
        that a socialist state can evolve from current systems without revolution
        
        a socialist state will be achieved by socialist parties winning electoral majorities
        
        nationalisation and common ownership
        
        Beatrice Webb
      - social democracy
        
        rationality
        
        evolutionary socialism
        
        operating within current political structures
        
        a mixed economy, with socialistic elements operating within a capitalist framework
        
        major state involvement in the economy
        
        nationalisation of private industry
        
        Keynesian economics
        
        persuading voters of the inevitable benefits of socialism through social justice
        
        Anthony Crosland
      - third way
        
        a greater focus on equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcome
        
        liberalisation of the economy to provide more money for public spending
        
        privatisation over nationalisation
        
        a greater focus on social and political equality as well as economic equality
        
        Anthony Giddens
    - - Marx
        
        humans are social creatures but this has been damaged by capitalism
        
        existing governments need to be destroyed and replaced by a socialist state
        
        society should be classless
        
        collective ownership
      - Webb
        
        capitalism should be replaced by an evolutionary process
        
        universal suffrage was the key to creating a socialist state
        
        poverty should be tackled as a priority
        
        gradual replacement of capitalism by common ownership of the means of production
      - Luxemberg
        
        social cohesion exists within social classes
        
        existing governments need to be destroyed and replaced by a workers-based society of true democracy
        
        sub-cultures provide a model for future societies
        
        capitalism can only be replaced by an economy based on workers' control
      - Crosland
        
        humans naturally oppose inequality
        
        existing systems can be used to create a socialist state
        
        the class system is complex and many do not fit into class distinctions
        
        a mixed economy
      - Giddens
        
        social fairness is combined with self-fulfilment
        
        government power should be decentralised
        
        socialists must work with the middle classes, not oppose them
        
        a neo-liberal economy to provide for welfare programmes