What is Politics UK politics revision notes

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What is Politics?

  • The science and art of the government.
  • Who gets what, when and how?
  • The authoritative allocation of values.
  • The art of the possible
  • Obeying laws laid down by the government.
  • Politic is purely an exercise in restricting individual freedom.

Types of politics-

  • Liberals – Exclusion of politics from personal life, freedom to do what you want as long as you aren’t offending other people around you.
  • Free Market – Keep politics out of the economy; sell what you want for whatever prices.
  • Socialists – The state controls the economy.
  • Fascists – Totalitarian control over every aspect of people’s lives.
  • Feminists – Gender relations, at home, at work and in the bedroom.
  • Green Politics – Politicised the environment.

Power=Legitimacy=Authority

  • To have LEGITIMACY – the public accepts them as the true holder of their position
  • To have AUTHORITY – The rightful and legitimate use of power.

Types of Authority-

  • Traditional – A long established custom (Hereditary Queen)
  • Charismatic – Compelling personal qualities (Hitler)
  • Legal Rational – Based on formed elections (Politicians elected)

Topic 1 – Democracy:

  • Democracy first existed in Athens 2500 years ago
  • Demos – Greek, meaning for the people
  • Relied on “Direct Democracy” which involves the direct and continuous participation in government from the public
  • Representative Democracy” which involves indirect government by the people through representatives elected by the people.
  • Full adult Franchise – All adults have the right to vote.
  • Secret Ballot – Avoids intimidation.
  • Fair Elections – Each vote should be fair and equal.
  • Regular Elections.
  • An effective choice of candidates and parties for voters.
  • A level playing field between rival parties and candidates.
  • A free and diverse media, enabling a wide variety of views.
  • Liberal Democracy
  • A form of representative democracy.
  • Reflects the importance of individual and property rights.
  • Avoid ‘Tyranny of the Majority’ – a dominant party dictating policy.
  • Favours proportional representation.

  • Social Democracy
  • Enhance social and economic equality
  • Comprehensive Welfare State system and protection of workers rights.
  • Germany’s constitution says its citizens should be protected by a ‘Welfare State’.
  • “Free market enables wealthy to operate power”.

  • Direct Democracy
  • Enables all concerned citizens to participate equally to form and implement all political decisions.
  • To work the political community must be small enough to enable all its citizens to meet and discuss issues.

Political Participation:

  • Citizen involvement in politics, aimed at influencing government and public policy.
  • Activists – Those who are actively involved
  • Voters – Basically passive, but many discuss issues, read newspapers and watch political problems.
  • Inactive – 41% of voters in 2001, disproportionate amount of young people.
  1. Losing interests in low tech methods
  2. Voting stations are inconveniently located
  3. Disillusions of limited choice
  4. Tactical voting
  5. Disillusioned with party politics
  6. Alienated by meaningless representative democracy
  7. Social class and Partisan Alignment
  • A,B – Conservative
  • C – New Labour and Liberal Democrats
  • D,E – Labour and Socialists
  1. Professional Circumstances
  • Professional – Divided (Educated, Reason)
  • Business – Conservative
  • Manual Work – Labour and Liberal Democrats
  • Public Sector – Labour
  • Private Sector – Conservative and Liberal Democrats

  1. Newspaper Readership
  • Daily Telegraph – Conservatives
  • Daily Mirror – Labour
  • The Sun – Conservative/Labour
  • Daily Mail – Conservative
  • Daily Express – Conservative/New Labour
  • Independent – Labour/LibDem
  • Times – Divided, Conservative

What is a Parliamentary Government?

        A parliamentary government differs to that of a presidential government because it has a parliament where as a presidential government has a senate. A parliamentary government generally doesn’t have a constitution and is run with legislative powers. It is composed of representatives from constituencies over the country and it is the highest source of political authority.

Executive – Executive Policies i.e. make policies.

Legislative – Debate these policies and either for/against/throw them out.

Judiciary – Interpret the new laws.

Referenda:

  • A question on a single issues topic
  • A form of “Direct Democracy”

Advantages of Direct Democracy

  • The public can say what they want about the issue rather than representatives doing it for them.
  • They will understand the issue better if they vote themselves.
  • Might relieve a political deadlock.
  • Since it affects the constitution the government will need many votes.
  • Ownership of policies.

Disadvantages of Direct Democracy

  • Takes a longer period of time to accumulate all of the votes.
  • Might be too complex for the voters.
  • People might not vote for the issue fully.
  • Pressure groups might affect the votes.
  • Not everyone votes.

Advantages of Representative Democracy

  • If people can’t understand what the issue is then they won’t vote.
  • Representatives will vote.
  • Saves time.
  • Representatives supposedly have an interest for the people.
  • Cheaper than referenda.

Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

  • Unhappy with representatives
  • Not everyone votes
  • Don’t have to do what the people want.

Electoral Systems and Reforms:

“How democratic is our democracy?”

  • Elections are important, even undemocratic societies such as the former Soviet Union, China, Zimbabwe, and Suddam Hussein’s Iraq etc. hold elections.
  • Because it gives them LEGITIMACY
Join now!

Why are elections needed?

  • Participation – Ownership
  • Democracy
  • New voters have a chance
  • Direct democracy – Representative democracy
  • To give people a selection
  • To please the people
  • Legitimacy – Power – Authority
  • To better the economy

Did You Know?

  • Labour won a large share of the vote in 1955 than in 1997.
  • Labour won 209 seats with 27.6% of the vote in 1983, but the Liberal-SPD Alliance won 23 seats despite gaining 25.4% of the votes.

Meaning that 1Labour MP per 40,000 votes

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