Modern Studies Exam S1

Question 1

What is a democracy?

Answer 1

A democracy is a system of rule run by the people. People have a say in how their country is run.

Question 2

What are three examples of rights?

Answer 2

Right to vote, right to protest and right to freedom of speech.

Question 3

What are the responsibilities that come with these rights?

Answer 3

To be informed and actually vote, to protest in a peaceful and respectful way, and not to slander other people.

Question 4

What is a dictatorship?

Answer 4

A dictatorship is a system of rule where only one person rules the country. He is called a dictator and he is not elected.

Question 5

How many countries have a dictator?

Answer 5

50

Question 6

Is Russia a dictatorship?

Answer 6

Yes, the dictator’s name is Vladimir Putin.

Question 7

Is China a dictatorship?

Answer 7

Yes, the dictator’s name is Xi Jinping

Question 8

What are three countries that are a democracy?

Answer 8

UK, Australia and America

Question 9

What are three countries that are a dictatorship?

Answer 9

China, Russia and North Korea.

Question 10

What do you have to be to be able to vote?

Answer 10

Be 18 or older
Be a resident in the UK
Be a British, Commonwealth or Irish citizen.
Not have a severe mental illness

Question 11

Who cannot vote?

Answer 11

People that are not British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens, because otherwise it would not affect them.

People that have a severe mental illness,because they are incapable of making decisions.

People in jail on election day, because they have commited a crime and do not deserve to vote.

Anyone who is guilty of illegal practices in regard to an election, to stop this happening again.

Members of the House of Lords or the Royal Family, because they are meant to be impartial and unbiased to the parties.

Question 12

Why do lots of young people choose not to vote?

Answer 12

Many are not interested in politics, don’t think it affects them, or can’t be bothered.

Question 13

What are the other two reasons why people do not choose to vote?

Answer 13

Some people have become disillusioned with politics, and feel as if they are all the same and do not care about ordinary people.
Many people do not like the voting system used by the UK parliament and feel like smaller parties don’t get a fair shot.

Question 14

How many MPs are there in the UK parliament?

Answer 14

650

Question 15

How many of these MPs represent Scotland?

Answer 15

48

Question 16

What is the job of an MP?

Answer 16

They make decisions for the whole of the UK, such as things related to the economy, defence, and our relationship with other counties.

Question 17

What is the job of an MSP?

Answer 17

They make decisions on devolved powers such as education and health, for Scotland.

Question 18

What is the job of a local councillor?

Answer 18

They make decisions about things like schools, leisure facilities and care for children and the elderly.

Question 19

How many local councillors does Scotland have?

Answer 19

1,227

Question 20

What is the difference between government and parliament?

Answer 20

Parliament is made up of two houses, the House of Lords and the Huse of Commons. The House of Commons contains all MPs who have been chosen across different political parties to represent constituencies across the country.
The government is made up of the MPs in the largest party who won the election.

Question 21

Why do we elect representatives?

Answer 21

We elect representatives because it would be impossible for every person to have enough time to have an equal say. The representatives make decisions about local or national issues and create new laws for the country.

Question 22

What are devolved powers?

Answer 22

Powers are given to the Scottish Parliament by Westminster.

Question 23

Why does Scotland have a devolved parliament?

Answer 23

So that it can make decisions on matters that affect only Scotland.

Question 24

What are three aws the Scottish Parliament have passed?

Answer 24

Minimum Pricing on Alcohol, which was introduced in 2018, and means that alcohol can only be sold for 50p per unit minimum. The main aim of the law, was to reduce the harm caused by excessive drinking.

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Question 25

What do MSPs do in the constituencies?

Answer 25

Go to local meetings
Hold surgeries
Get the attention of the media

Question 26

What is a surgery?

Answer 26

A surgery is a meeting in which when public members go to their local MP to address an issue.

Question 27

What do the MSPs do in parliament?

Answer 27

Committee work, which means small groups of MSPs from different parties look at any new laws being suggested that relate
to their committee’s work.

Vote, which means they vote whether a new law should be put into place or not.

Ask questions, which means they can ask questions in the debating chamber, on Thursdays to the First Minister.

Debate and introduce new ideas for laws, this means that MSP have
a chance to put forward the views of their constituents forward. Also they debate in parliament on key areas like health.

Question 28

How many MSPs are there?

Answer 28

129