DEWFALL- UK POLITICS

Question 1

what is a referendum?

Answer 1

a general vote given to the people with a yes/no choice

Question 2

support the statement “referendums are bad”

Answer 2

• majority rules
• misinformation easily spread
• voting for the “popular choice”
• cannot make finer decisions
• lower voter turnout

Question 3

support the statement “referendums are good”

Answer 3

• voice is directly given to the people
• powerful tool in terms of effects
• could increase voter turnout
• settles controversy

Question 4

how many national referendums has there been in the UK and what were they about?

Answer 4

• 3 referendums
• 1975 (whether the UK should leave the common market)
• 2011 (alternative voting system)
• 2016 (brexit)

Question 5

what was the result of the 1975 referendum?

Answer 5

the UK stayed in the common market/ European Economic Community

Question 6

what was the result of the 2011 referendum?

Answer 6

no therefore no changes to the voting system were made

Question 7

what was the result of the 2016 referendum?

Answer 7

brexit, the UK left the EU
(52% leave)

Question 8

give some examples of regional referendums

Answer 8

• 1997 Wales devolution
• 1997 Northern Ireland devolution
• 1997 Scotland devolution
• 1973 Northern Ireland as part of the UK or Irish republic
• 2014 Scottish independence

Question 9

what factors effects voting behaviour?

Answer 9

• personality
• class
• family
• age
• affluence
• job
• education
• constituency
• ethnicity

Question 10

define primacy

Answer 10

long-term factors

Question 11

define recency

Answer 11

short term factors

Question 12

define valency

Answer 12

issues linked to all voters

Question 13

give an example of an election when age was an important factor in voting behaviour

Answer 13

2019 general election

over 50% of 60+ voted conservative

Question 14

is social media the major cause of a political participation crisis?

Answer 14

-duh
slacktivism (lazy participation)
sugar-coating reality
-no
social media creates more discussions (wider audience + more opportunity)
e-petitions

Question 15

how do people participate in politics?

Answer 15

• voting in elections
• joining political parties
• protesting
• petitioning/ signing petitions
• marches/ strikes
• writing to MPs
• joining pressure groups

Question 16

give an example of political participation

hint: bus

Answer 16

bristol bus boycott

directly influenced the 1965 Racial Equality Act making it difficult for the bus companies to deny work for poc

Question 17

give details on the 1983 election

Answer 17

• conservatives led Falklands victory, Labour split
• Thatcher had great tv presence
• Labour unable to read public with manifesto “longest suicide note in political history”
• winning manifesto (privatisation including British airways, retain nuclear deterrent)

Question 18

detail the 1997 election

Answer 18

• Blair grasped the support of the Sun’s owner (after they had butchered the previous leader)
• Blair and top aides were TV savvy
• Labour became more central than left wing
• people grew tired of tories
• manifesto (zero-tolerance to crime, fund healthcare, minimum wage, reforms to rights)

Question 19

detail the 2019 election

Answer 19

• end of coalition (tories + libdems/dvp)
• focus on brexit
• social media huge factor (eg ads)
• Corbyn was a trainwreck
• Johnson proved a stronger leader
• clear message “Get Brexit done”

Question 20

which country uses the most direct democracy?

Answer 20

• Switzerland

Question 21

what are some advantages to direct democracy?

Answer 21

• exact, accuracy of opinions better portrayed
• may motivate participation
• wishes of the people cannot be ignored

Question 22

what are some disadvantages to direct democracy?

Answer 22

• public won’t all be well informed
• tyranny of the majority
• people may be emotional&raquo_space; rational
• expensive