Essays

Question 1

3 main arguments that Brexit has increased parliamentary sovereignty.

Answer 1

-No longer a higher court able to strike down legislation passed by parliament.
-Parliament has a wider scope of legislation; able to legislate on areas previously controlled by EU.
-Court cases surrounding Brexit have led to an increase in parliamentary sovereignty.

Question 2

3 Key arguments for/ against the constitution becoming codified and entrenched.

Answer 2

1. Too easy to amend/ adaptability allows constitution to change when necessary.
2. Codified to protect democracy/ sufficiently protects democracy
3. Entrenchment better for human rights/ entrenchment would increase unelected power.

Question 3

3 main arguments that Brexit hasn’t increased parliamentary sovereignty.

Answer 3

-NI remains aligned with EU law limiting the extent to which parliament has regained all of its sovereignty.
-Lost pooled sovereignty of being in the EU
-Much of the power regained is exercised by the executive rather than parliament.

Question 4

3 key points to argue whether devolution has gone far enough

Answer 4

1) English parliament yes/no
2) More regional devolution yes/no
3) Further powers to devolved bodies yes/no

Question 5

3 Key areas to measure devolution’s success?

Answer 5

1) Impact on democracy
2) Impact on unity
3) Impact on governance

Question 6

3 Main reasons for and against SC having too much power over the executive?

Answer 6

-Composition makes it unrepresentative/ lack of power limits the importance of its underrepresentation.
-Too much power: to interpret HRA/ parliament has the ultimate decision making power.
-Power of judicial review/ this is an appropriate check on executive power.

Question 7

3 points on whether the SC operates with sufficient neutrality and independence

Answer 7

-Sufficiently neutral
-Insufficiently neutral
-Sufficiently independent
-Insufficiently independent

Question 8

3 key points for a question on whether parliament holds government to account effectively?

Answer 8

-Select Committees
-PMQs
-Legislative influence

Question 9

3 key points on whether a PM dominates their cabinet?

Answer 9

1) Powers of patronage
2) Extent of cabinet influence
3) Type of support (popular vs cabinet)

Question 10

3 key points for are anarchists united on their view os society?

Answer 10

1) United in view of the state corrupting society
2) Disunited over what a stateless society looks like
3) Disunited over importance of imagining an utopian anarchist society.

Question 11

3 key points on whether IMR and CMR are still important?

Answer 11

-CMR important
-CMR unimportant
-IMR important
-IMR unimportant

Question 12

3 key arguments for whether parliament performs its functions effectively.

Answer 12

-Passing legislation
-Scrutinising government
-Representing the electorate.

Question 13

3 key points for anarchism and the state?

Answer 13

-Agreement that it must be abolished
-Agreement over use of direct action
-Disagreement over type of direct action used.