Higher mods Flashcards

Question

Effectiveness Of Individual Countries in Tackling The Issue - Girls Into Education

Answer 1

It is a well-established fact that the richer and more developed a country is, the better educated its population is. Education can be very expensive for Governments to provide. DIFD is aware that alongside the fact that education is expensive, marginalisation of young girls is an important reason why poor education is a problem leading to poverty in many developing countries. One of DFIDs main ways of helping with regards to education is the Girls Education Challenge (GEC). It currently supports 1 million girls to benefit from a good quality education. Education is often described as the silver bullet to tackling poverty in the developing world and here is a clear example of the effectiveness of DFID in addressing one social factor holding many nations back. Many criticise DIFD because whilst it does have its own projects such as the Girls Education Challenge, it also gives a large percentage of its funds away to large organisations.

Answer 2

One economic factor that has held back development is often when countries lack good quality infrastructure needed to help the country become more developed. DFID often works with governments to help them create jobs in the country so that the citizens of that country can earn a better income resulting in higher tax receipts. In 2016 the UK announced it was giving £80 million through DFID to Ethiopia to help create over 100,000 jobs in a new industrial park near the capital. By investing in infrastructure and creating new jobs, DIFD is helping the Governments of developing countries create a working population who are earning enough many to pay tax to the Government. This means, ultimately, the government will be getting more money that it can in turn invest back into important areas such as education and healthcare which will eventually create a new generation who are able to work and earn their way out of poverty. Some have said that DIFD wastes its money investing in projects that in the long run will impact very few people.

Answer 3

A symptom of a lack of development is often the large number of people who die or are affected by preventable diseases. DFID does a lot of work globally to help tackle these diseases so that the populations of developing countries, the workers of now and tomorrow, are healthy and productive. DFID reported in 2018 that it has given over 350 million child-friendly treatments for malaria in over 50 countries. This means that DFID is contributing towards the treatment of diseases that prevent a large group of people from working, meaning that through the treatment of illnesses, developing countries gain a much healthier, active workforce that contributes to the economy. DFID has been criticised for spending its resources in countries that are a part of the Commonwealth and at one point used to be ruled by Britain as part of the British Empire. It is argued that these countries have benefited because of a historical connection to Britain rather than because of need and that other countries in greater need have been neglected.

Answer 4

Countries that are poorly run or where the leaders make unwise choices often means that vital services go unfunded or spending is prioritised in the wrong areas. This could also be because of corruption common in the developing world. DFID uses its resources to support the governments of developing countries to be more effective. In 2018 DFID announced its biggest ever tax partnership with Ethiopia. This programme will help the Ethiopian government to better collect its taxes, be more open and transparent. This will mean that Governments will better spend the money they are collecting from citizens and be more aware of the benefits of investing this is into key services. It will also mean that citizens will more trusting of their Government if it is transparent which will also mean that conflict will be less likely. Although DFID has done well in helping many weak or corrupt governments, many claim it does not spend its money sensibly. DFID has in the past given money to organisations that try to tackle more complicated problems that are not often solved by giving food or building a road- meaning it has been unrealistic.

Answer 5

UNICEF focuses on mothers and children. Its aim is to help reduce poverty by aiding education and health services. UNICEF raises large sums of money which is donated to countries in need- UNICEF UK raised $48million in 2016 alone. Investing money into education systems in developing countries by building new classrooms and training teachers will mean that more children can access education on a daily basis. If more children are educated, they will then have the capacity to earn high-paying jobs and receive a wage that will see them break the cycle of poverty. UNICEF IS HELPING BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY ISSUES PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM GETTING AN EDUCATION- EVEN WHEN IT IS BEING OFFERED.

Answer 6

Similarly, to WFP, FAO is also concerned with dealing with the issue of hunger as a cause of poverty- but adopts a different approach from WFP. FAO is more about educating people about how to use their land and water supplies in order to increase food production- they do this by training farmers in new techniques so more food can be grown for farmers to not only feed themselves but others too. In Sudan FAO is now supporting 8,400 vulnerable households who are facing drought, by supplying them with seeds, irrigation systems and some technology to make farming and food production a little easier in these tough times. By targeting vulnerable households and supplying them with seeds and technology needed to farm poverty in the entire developing country will be lowered because food will become more sustainable and there will be less reliance on other countries for aid. ALTHOUGH FAO IS DOING ALL IT CAN TO TACKLE TO FOOD PRODUCTION, THERE ARE MANY LONG-TERM CAUSES OF POVERTY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT FAO CANNOT TAKE CARE OF- EG. NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE THEREFORE ITS SUCCESS WILL ALWAYS BE LIMITED IN THESE COUNTRIES.

Answer 7

The main aim of the WHO is to tackle poor health within the developing world. The WHO works to train local people and educate them about how to avoid the spread of infectious diseases. The WHO has worked alongside other aid agencies and the Government in the Democratic Republic of Congo to ensure that a new vaccine designed to tackle Ebola will be available to over 300,000 people. Training medical professionals, offering vaccination programmes and investing money when healthcare emergencies arise will tackle poverty because it means individuals do not need to spend the little money they have on healthcare, but can instead invest it into other areas such as sustainable business. If the overall health of a nation is improved, there will be a higher percentage of people working and earning an income. WHILST THE WHO MAY BE HELPING TO TACKLE POVERTY IN THE LONG RUN, THERE ARE STILL MANY DISEASES IT HAS NOT MANAGED TO TACKLE MEANING THE COUNTRIES EXPERIENCING THESE DISEASES WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM LOWER LEVELS OF POVERTY WHILST OTHERS WILL.

Answer 8

It is the largest agency currently fighting the issue of hunger in the world. It is mainly an emergency response agency which aims to get food to those who need it quickly in times of need. On average WFP helps 90million people in more than 70 countries each year Supplying desperate people with food, whilst also teaching them how to use food as an asset will reduced poverty because malnutrition and hunger is a leading cause of poverty. Having a balanced diet will allow individuals to remain fit and healthy and able to work, attend school, and contribute to society in a much more positive way. WFP is helping with regards to food productions, however until the bigger issues of corruption and conflict are tackled by many developing countries, its success is limited.

Answer 9

This is one of the most obvious reasons why wealth inequality exists- people doing different jobs get paid different amounts. For a significant period of time, The Government’s thinking appeared to adopt the view that employment was a cure for poverty but this is too simplistic. More than a fifth of the population live on incomes below the poverty line! There is a substantial difference between those who are the highest and lowest earners that undoubtedly impact lives of individuals. Those on lower income are more likely to experience social exclusion/have a lack of access to resources that could help them take the steps needed to improve their pay. When analysing low pay in the UK- there is hugely significant evidence which suggests that a greatly related factor determining low pay is gender! This would suggest that simply saying low pay is a main cause of wealth inequality is perhaps too simple and other issues such as gender inequality/discrimination should also be considered.

Answer 10

This is linked to the issue of low pay! Clearly, a contributing factor to the issue of wealth inequality is employment in terms of presence of employment, type of employment and working hours. Many people in the UK face huge difficulty in finding employment with many facing significant periods of time of unemployment and therefore lack of income or low income from benefits. For example, from 2000 to 2022, the number of employees on zero-hour contracts has drastically increased. Those who struggle to find stable employment are clearly at greater risk of struggling financially and will lives that are more socially excluded than those in stable employment. Inevitably those in part time work will see lower wages than those in full time work with results in inequality with those in full time work having significantly more disposable income. Prior to COVID19, the Government had reported that the employment rate in the UK was at “a record high” with almost 76% of the population in employment. Progress has now stalled since COVID19.

Answer 11

Tax is the money that people pay each month- it is paid to HM Revenue and Customs and essentially is used by the Government to provide us with all that they do- from military to free healthcare! Some argue that the UK has a very regressive tax system which sees poorer people in the country paying proportionately more of what little income they have in tax compared to richer people who potentially pay, proportionately, less. Someone in England who is earning £11, 851 in their yearly salary will pay around £2,300 in tax resulting in them living off £9,551 a year (£795 a month)! This leads many to suggest that the taxation system is extremely unfair and automatically results in wealth and income inequality. Some claim it is wrong to have such a wide-ranging group of incomes paying the same percentage in tax- those on lower wages are being unfairly punished for their already relatively low wages. Many argue this is taking variations in wages much more into consideration and will potentially lead to less income inequality.

Answer 12

Decisions taken by the Government undoubtedly can lead to less or greater wealth inequality in the UK! When a Government is aiming to reduce borrowing this can lead to decisions that will impact the wealth of many people in the country. Public Sector workers across the UK first faced a “wage freeze” in 2010. By freezing wages, Government decisions ultimately have the impact to limit the income of many working people whilst others continue to experience wage rises in line with inflation. The Government making the decision to limit benefits also results in households lacking in the money they require to meet their needs which has resulted in many households turning to debt as a way of affording these needs. Also, the Government argue that the benefit cap is actually acting as a form of motivation/encouragement to get more people into the world of work and earning higher incomes. This shows that the Government are also responsible for/have the potential to reduce wealth inequalities in the UK and are taking steps to make sure this is the case.

Answer 13

In the past there were no links between social class and smoking- it was a common habit that most people participated in. Now there is a many say there is direct link between prevalence of smoking and deprivation. 19% of adults currently smoke in the UK and 19% of all cancer cases are caused by smoking. There is a direct link between the number of adults who smoke and the number of cancer cases in the UK. Smoking does not only impact the individual making the choice but also those around them. There is a clear link between deprivation and this lifestyle choice. Smoking causes a substantial number of deaths in the UK per year. However, the UK Government have brought in a number of measures to reduce the number of people choosing to smoke and ultimately having an increased improvement on the health of the nation. Such as Plain Packaging

Answer 14

There is no denying that there are major differences in health between the North and South of the British Isles. However, the North-South divide is too simplistic. The explanation is not really one of geography but of wealth and poverty. For example, evidence shows that the life expectancy of a person in England is lower when they are living in an area with higher deprivation. This shows that there is a clear link between where you live and the level of health you experience throughout your life. Deprived areas may have a lack of resources that more affluent areas do not need to be concerned about. Although there are geographical inequalities, it can be argued that these inequalities are more to do with wealth and poverty rather than location. E.g. There are areas in Scotland and northern England that compare favorably with the healthiest areas in SE England.

Answer 15

The gender gap in health can be summarised very simply- “Women live longer than men but suffer from more illness in their lifetime.” There are many reasons for this including their biology, age and poverty. 70% of those over 75 in the UK are women. This shows that gender plays a significant part in creating inequalities in health as women are far more likely to experience poorer health for many reasons. Gender is also very clearly related to other issues such as poverty, but ultimately it is clear women experience more ill health. Men are narrowing the gap on women when it comes to life expectancy in England and Wales. It predicts by 2030 men will be living 85.7 years on average - just two fewer than women. Therefore, you could argue that lifestyle is the most important factor contributing to poor health and that gender plays less of a role!

Answer 16

Research shows that income inequality caused by low pay, unemployment and a life on benefits can cause health inequalities. Those from deprived backgrounds are more likely to live in poverty and therefore experience poor health. This is mainly due to the fact that they work in low-paid jobs. Low income can lead to major differences in life expectancy – males and females in the most deprived areas have a life expectancy of 9 years shorter and 6.9 years shorter respectively than those from least deprived areas. This shows that there is clearly a very distinct link between affluence and life expectancy and health. Those with more money live longer, healthier lives due to healthier lifestyles and healthier living conditions while the most deprived struggle with conditions that make it difficult to escape experiencing illnesses. The Three Cities Report examined the health and death rates of people in 3 northern cities - Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool 2003-2007. These cities have broadly similar deprivation figures but have different health outcomes. It concluded that lifestyle, not just poverty/location, leads to health inequality.

Answer 17

Girls typically do better than their male counterparts at school and are 35% more likely to go to university, where they typically achieve a higher degree classification. Despite this, women are over-represented in areas of the economy that are low paid. For example, the Low Pay Commission found that 70% of people in national minimum wage jobs are women. Historically, women have been stereotyped as “carers” while men have been stereotyped as “Breadwinners" men are more suited for certain roles that would most align with their skills as “homemakers”. This expectation can be seen in the occupation’s women are more likely to work in, which are often part-time in nature or low-paying. This results in women have a lower income overall. Reducing the wage gap between men and women and improving gender balance are national strategies, meaning that both the Scottish and UK Governments are committed to tackling this. This shows that there is continual progress being made in this area and that will reduce gender inequality over time.

Answer 18

Generally, children are those more likely to be in poverty because they are entirely dependent on the income of others and so if they live in a low earning household then this increases the chances of them suffering from deprivation. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has stated that almost one in three children in the UK are living in poverty (31%). Social Exclusion – missing on out childhood experiences. Hunger – malnutrition, foodbank usage, shame and embarrassment. Impact on education – chaotic home environment, lack of support, lack of concentration in school, attention seeking behaviour. Poor housing leads to poor health – damp and overcrowding, asthma, lack of green space to play. Less than 5 per cent of children live in households that are in absolute poverty. This shows that while child poverty is a major issue, the effects of inequality on children will most likely reduce in the coming years due to the impact of policies introduced.

Answer 19

Elderly people in the UK face inequalities in terms of both wealth and health. Those who had followed more disadvantaged pathways through their adult lives, as marked out by longer periods of unemployment, earlier age at marriage and more children, were at greater risk of reporting ill-health and long-term illness. Over 80% of all deaths in England and Wales occur among people aged 65 and over. Experiencing fuel poverty and other social inequalities can lead to poor diet, illness and/or withdrawal from the community. Living conditions can also worsen as inflation, bills and rent/mortgage rates continue to rise. However, there are many elderly people in the UK who live comfortably and generally, the effects of inequality on the elderly has been steadily decreasing over time. This shows that in general, the poverty rate for elderly people in the UK is lower than it has been for many years. There are benefits in place for pensioners to access which will reduce their risk of poverty and therefore lower the impact of inequality on the elderly.

Answer 20

Some ethnic minorities face greater inequality than others, with Afro-Caribbean (Black) and Asian (Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi) minorities generally facing the most severe inequalities. Ethnic minorities experience both economic inequality (income, wealth and employment) and social inequality (education opportunities, likelihood of becoming involved in crime, experience of racism and hate crimes). The first way in which ethnic minorities experience inequality is in relation to economic opportunities. This can be seen very clearly in rates of unemployment, where minority groups are typically more than twice as likely to be unemployed than the population average (UK unemployment is 4% currently, but 9% for Black British, 9% for Pakistani and 12% for Bangladeshi Britons). For ethnic minorities, they experience social inequality in a wide range of areas. Experiencing these inequalities in any way can lead to ethnic minorities living in poverty and being unable to break this cycle. Narrower employment opportunities, higher chances of being the victim of crime, and more difficulty in accessing education, as well as experiencing worse health can all have significant impacts of the lives of ethnic minorities and result in harsher living conditions which can widen the inequality gap. However, gaps in areas such as education and employment are narrower for some. However, gaps in areas such as education and employment are narrower for some.

Answer 21

Individualists see inequality as a necessary and justified part of any economy because inequality encourages people to work hard. If you allow people to keep the money they earn then, individualists argue, they will work harder. Individualists are supporting the functionalist view of inequality. For example, the Taxpayers’ Alliance, a pressure group campaigning for lower government spending, have done research which shows that over 450 families claim benefits for nine or more children, at a total cost of over £8 million. Individualists believe that if the welfare state is too generous it will create a dependency culture in which people become reliant on the government rather than looking after themselves. However, this represents less than 0.00004% of welfare spending in the UK, which suggests that the majority of benefits are not going to people taking advantage of the system and choosing not to work.

Answer 22

Supporters of individualism often argue that collectivism leads to a ‘nanny state’. This means the government is interfering in people’s lives and telling them what to do and how to spend their money. For example, the types of policies which are ‘nanny state’ would be the minimum unit price for alcohol and the sugar tax, as well as the ban on smoking in public places. Individualists argues that adults should be free to make decisions for themselves about how to behave and how to live their lives, even if this has a negative impact on health or wellbeing. They believe government should not be constantly telling people what they can or cannot do. However, some people argue that government is right to act as a nanny state because they will have to pay the cost of looking after people. However, this is an extreme argument and collectivists will usually point out that services like the NHS or benefits are there for everyone and therefore you are just paying for services which you could benefit from when you need them.

Answer 23

Many business leaders in the UK have argued that low taxes are essential for making Britain an attractive place for businesses to set up. The UK economy relies a lot on international trade and many major companies, including international banks, have offices in the UK and in London. This creates jobs for people in the UK and brings money into the country. For example, many companies warned that if Jeremy Corbyn was elected and introduces his collectivist policies, including a cap on pay for company bosses, then they will move abroad. This could even lead to a recession in the UK and a crisis for the government. Due to now living in an age of globalization it is very easy for a company to move abroad to another country. If the government introduced policies of extremely high taxation then businesses could simply move to a country with lower taxes like Luxembourg or Singapore. However, collectivists argue a skilled workforce and good infrastructure is also important for business. This requires government investment in schools, universities and transport which can only be achieved through a collectivist approach to taxation and spending.

Answer 24

Individualists are not necessarily opposed to giving help to the poor – they just don’t believe that people should be forced to give help to the poor through taxation. If someone wants to donate money to a charity then that is acceptable because they are choosing how they want to spend their own money. For example, charities can play a very effective role in helping to tackle inequality and poverty, with many people choosing to donate money or resources to food banks who can then provide emergency food parcels to people who are in poverty. When David Cameron was elected in 2010 and announced the programme of austerity he called on British citizens to form a ‘Big Society’ to replace the role of government. He wanted people to volunteer to run services to help their local area because the government was going to reduce funding. This would ensure that those requiring extra help could receive it. However, many people have criticised the Big Society. The problem with relying on charities to solve problems in society is that they rely on donations; this can mean that they might not always be able to help everyone who needs assistance. Whereas the welfare state was supposed to be universal and comprehensive, charities often do not have enough resources to provide everyone with help. Collectivists argue that it is a lot more efficient for the government to provide help and this ensures it is available across all areas.

Answer 25

Whereas individualist theories focus on how hard a person works to explain whether they are successful, the collectivist viewpoint focusses on structural factors which affect a person’s life chances. Many people are unemployed because of the economic system or due to factors beyond their control like a recession.] For example, following the 2008 global economic crash many people (especially the young) were unemployed. Their unemployment was nothing to do with laziness or lack of hard work; it was simply that there were not enough jobs available. Unemployment levels and housing availability are not something which an individual can do anything about, so the individualist theory has no answer and no solution to these problems. These types of inequality are not due to lack of work but social structures which create inequality. However, opponents of collectivism argue that the state does not have the ability to run such major aspects of life as businesses or house building. They argue that the government is too inefficient and it will end up costing more money to run these services if the state was in charge of them.

Answer 26

Another major advantage of the collectivist viewpoint, over the individualist theory, is that collectivism recognizes that not everyone has an equal opportunity and tries to address this problem. Individualism suggests that anyone who works hard can be successful and therefore government and society is not responsible for helping people who fail and do not become successful. But many people struggle to be successful despite working hard; they may be held back by educational inequality, lack of social connections or a difficult upbringing which mean that they do not have the same chances for success as other people. This is proven by the UK’s statistics on social mobility (the chance a person has of being in a higher social class from their parents) – the social class and income of your parents is the single biggest factor influencing your life chances as an adult. Estimates from the OECD suggests that up to 50% of your income level is determined by your parents’ income level. The collectivist approach helps to deal with the problem of equal opportunity by providing universal access to services like education, childcare and healthcare (through policies like the Baby Box they help to support early years development). This helps to counteract the effect of disadvantage experienced by children born in the poorest families. Some individualists argue that it is better to allow people to pay for education themselves. For example, private schools are given charity status which means they do not have to pay tax.

Answer 27

Another advantage of collectivism is that it helps to redistribute wealth and make the gap between rich and poor smaller. Collectivism is funded through progressive taxation, meaning that the rich pay more tax than the poor and contribute more to paying for public services. As a result of all taxes and benefits the poorest 20% of households are made about £10,000 better off, while the richest households are left about £20,000 worse off. This means that overall the rich are paying more money into the welfare system than they receive in benefits, while the poor receive more in benefits than they pay in. This is positive because it leads to a lower inequality score – the Gini Coefficient would be over 0.5 without the collectivist welfare state, but thanks to all the taxes and benefits the Gini coefficient falls to around 0.35 (about 30% lower inequality than it would have otherwise been). However, many individualists do not see this as a positive outcome because they think that inequality is justified. They also see it as wrong to force the wealthy to pay higher taxes since they will feel resentment about having to subsidise other people and may choose to stop paying, or to stop working as hard. Some individualists argue that we should have a ‘flat tax’ (rich and poor should pay the same rate of tax). This would be unfair because the rich can afford to pay more, but if the poor were asked to pay more tax then they would end up deeper in poverty

Answer 28

The final advantage of a collectivist system is that it is a much more efficient way to ensure that everyone has access to essential services like the NHS. By having a single organisation responsible for providing healthcare it costs less and is generally seen to be more efficient since they don’t waste money on advertising or marketing. The NHS is widely regarded as one of the most important British institutions – in fact it has sometimes been described as ‘the closest thing people in Britain have to a national religion’. The NHS employs nearly 5% of all working people in Britain and delivers a world class health service which is free at the point of use, comprehensive and universal. A recent study found the NHS to be one of the best healthcare systems in the world – far better than the quality of healthcare provided in America under a privatized healthcare system, despite the fact that people in the USA spend twice as much on healthcare as people in Britain. One criticism aimed at the NHS is that it has to make decisions on ‘rationing’ (i.e. what services it cannot provide) – some individualists argue this will lead to government ‘death panels’ deciding who can live and die.

Answer 29

This response was introduced in 2009. The UK Government decided to simplify the benefits system by bringing together 6 individual benefits under one - Universal Credit. This is designed to support individuals and families experiencing low income. If you are single and under 25 you will receive £265.31 per month. The monthly payment aims to make people more responsible for their finances by requiring them to budget their payment to last until the next month. Due to the increasing of benefits depending on your age or relationship status, it can mean that in the long run people will have more money. Many people struggle with the change of having several payments supporting them throughout the month and find it very hard to budget- as a result many are forced to rely on crisis loans to help them see through the month. There are still many who cannot apply for this, and some argue the fact that the Gov had to increase it by £20 last year shows it is not enough to fully support people.

Answer 30

This response was introduced back in 1998 by Tony Blair’s Labour Gov. Since its introduction is has continued to rise and is considered by many to be the most successful response to wealth inequality. This response ensures that no one in the UK is paid less than a minimum amount set by the Government. In 2024 minimum wage for over 21s is £11.44 National Minimum Wage ensures that all workers in the UK have a minimum hourly rate – this ensures there is a minimum level of wage being earned that no worker should fall below. The NMW also rises each year, meaning as the cost of living rises, workers earning NMW also experience a rise in wages. Some argue that NMW is an out of date idea and that the Living Wage is more preferable. This is because the Living Wage takes the average standard of living and quality of living into account more and would ensure wages in various areas reflect what the cost of meeting needs is for that area. As of November 13th 2023, there are just over 11,000 employers in the UK who have volunteered to offer the Living Wage. The NMW still remains low and therefore does result in inequality for these workers.

Answer 31

Restricts the total amount of benefits that working-age people can receive. Introduced by the Conservative Government in 2013. Means that someone who is claiming benefits can no longer receive more than the average working person. The cap means that those outside of London cannot claim more than £1,666.67 a month and those in London cannot claim more than £1,916.17 a month By making it that someone claiming benefits can never earn more than a normal working person, it is hoped that people will realise it is much more worthwhile to get a job. Before COVID19 the unemployment dropped to its lowest level (14%). This suggests people are recognising it pays to work and not claim benefits. This could mean that more people have a consistent, steady income. Some say this fails to tackle lack of jobs and regional inequality and with current pandemic the cap needs to be eased.

Answer 32

Free university education is a Scottish Government policy designed to tackle wealth inequalities. Having a degree level education increases the likelihood of an individual being able to enter a professional occupation and increase their earning potential. University tuition in England can cost up to £9250 a year, meaning that many students have to take out student loans to cover the cost. It is clear that there is an educational attainment gap between pupils from affluent and deprived areas. Removing the cost of university fees allows people from deprived areas to gain university places and so obtain degrees, which increases access into higher paid jobs and a lower chance of living in poverty. A free university education makes little difference if poorer children can’t get there in the first place. Students from affluent (richer) areas are 4 times more likely to attend university because pupils from disadvantaged areas may find the top grades virtually impossible to achieve. Money would be better spent in other areas of education supporting less advantaged pupils to achieve at an earlier stage in education or supporting the payment of the living costs for university students.

Answer 33

This response was allowed by the Supreme Court in 2017. This response means that the minimum price for alcohol is 50p per unit which will result in alcohol becoming more expensive. There has been a reduction in alcohol sales, compared to England and Wales where sales rose. By making alcohol more expensive it was hoped would put people off. This meant that those drinking more than the recommended amount may make the decision not to drink because it had become too expensive. It was hoped that problem drinkers will see that the habit has become too expensive and stop. Many think people will continue to drink despite high prices. There is a long way to go to before we can really say the response is effective. The is evidenced by the fact that Scotland has an alcohol related death rate almost twice that of England according to Health Scotland.

Answer 34

This response was introduced in 2011. This is one of the oldest responses to health inequality in Scotland- created by the Scottish Government but is arguably the most effective. This means that people in Scotland no matter their age or condition will be given free access to prescription medication, meaning that a person’s ability to receive treatment for illness will not rely on their income. The cost of 1 weekly hospital stay would fund around 225 people’s prescriptions which is arguably much more effective use of taxpayer’s money The free prescriptions policy prevents poverty from being a barrier to being healthy. It may cost the NHS money in the short term but will benefit in the long term. This response has been criticised by many as a waste of money- costing the NHS in Scotland over £1.3billion a year which some say this is money that could be spent elsewhere in the NHS on other treatments.

Answer 35

This response was introduced in 2017. This response means that cigarettes must now be sold in similar packaging (all the same colour and lacking in brand logos etc) and it is hoped it will tackle the number of people beginning to smoke by making it less attractive. After this policy was introduced in 2017 research claimed that introducing the plain packaging of cigarettes could lead to 300,000 people quitting smoking. It tries to stop people from starting smoking. Encourages people to quit. Consider the information you know from looking at smoking as a lifestyle choice that causes health inequality – link this information to the impact of Plain Packaging as a response. Although there is strong evidence to show this works, some say it is too soon to see if this response has made a real difference and there is a lack of definitive evidence to show that it is plain packaging that leads to fewer smokers in countries where it has been introduced (e.g. is it the rise in cost!?)

Answer 36

This response is officially known as the Soft Drinks Levy and came into effect in 2018 and aims to tackle childhood obesity. This response means that companies which manufacture drinks which are high in sugar will be taxed more than those with lower sugar contents. Following the levy companies which produce some of the UK’s most popular soft drinks (e.g. Fanta, Irn Bru and Sprite) have all reduced their sugar content. Soft drinks companies have responded positively by decreasing sugar levels. People are now drinking soft drinks with less sugar content. Those who have not reduced sugar content have had to increase prices The policy is still fairly new and so clear evidence of success is still limited. A lot of drinks companies have refused to lower their content (e.g Coca-Cola) – sales have not dropped substantially- people are still buying the product even if it is more expensive!

Answer 37

The Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister answers questions from MPs in the Commons every sitting Wednesday from 12pm to 12.30pm. This is known as Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) and it is broadcast live on television and radio. For example, Rishi Sunak has been forced to defend support surrounding the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills, as oil and gas company Shell declares $40bn profits. It puts the PM under pressure to defend himself and look competent. Question time is one of the most high-profile events in parliament, attracting a lot of media attention. It really puts pressure on the government making it a good way of holding them to account and letting voters make up their mind about the government. Most questions are seen in advance by the PM which gives them the chance to prepare a response. Although MPs do get to ask questions, many MPs will belong to the same political party as the government and so are not very likely to ask difficult or negative questions of the government.

Answer 38

Select Committees in the House of Commons scrutinise the work of all major government departments. Select Committees are essentially groups of MPs which each examine a specific aspect of the work of the government. There are 19 departmental select committees, one to shadow each department of state such as defence, health, foreign affairs, and the Scotland Office. For example, the home affairs committee is chaired by Diana Johnson of the Labour Party and looks at immigration MPs (not the government) elect the chairs (leaders) of the committees and often fellow backbenchers who have no interest in being in government are elected. This means that they are more willing to criticise their own party as they are not worried about not being promoted to a ministerial post. The government can also hold back or delay reports that are produced by committees and release them at a time that better suits them. For example, the UK government avoided publishing a report into Russian meddling in the EU referendum before the 2019 election because it might have made them look bad.

Answer 39

Another way that MPs can hold the government to account is by holding debates and voting in the House of Commons. This means that MPs debate important issues in the House of Commons. The debates are often followed by a vote. These debates often happen when legislation and motions (as well as amendments to legislation and motions) are being looked at in the chamber. For example, MPs debated Theresa May’s Brexit policies in Parliament for several months and this saw the government agreeing compromises in the hope of winning the debate and avoiding losing the post-debate votes. This shows how this method is effective as these debates could make the government uncomfortable and so it acts to avoid losing votes that might embarrass the Prime Minister who might look weak in the eyes of the public and political rivals. However, it could be argued ‘debates’ and voting are limited in their effectiveness of holding the government to account. If the party of government has a clear majority in the House of Commons it does not need to act on issues raised by debates, as its MPs can outvote the opposition. Furthermore, although debates are designed to help MPs reach an informed decision on a subject, they are often poorly attended.

Answer 40

The House of Lords has often been highlighted as an effective part of parliament because it is more independent. As a completely separate chamber the House of Lords faces much less pressure to do to the swill of the government than the House of Commons does. Lord Bird is the founder of the Big Issue. It is a magazine sold by people experiencing homelessness to help them work their way out of poverty. He is an expert in helping address the causes of poverty and a key voice in related legislation. Sir Alan Sugar also appears in the Lords due to his expertise in business. The House of Lords are experts in their field and therefore have the ability to vote on motions with no bias or sway. They provide expertise to the debating process and ensure the Government act in the best interests of the electorate, rather than in their own interests. The Lords can also be viewed as ineffective because of how some members are selected and the high numbers that sit in the Lords. Many Lords have been appointed by the Prime Minister of the day and so often people are given a peerage (entry to the Lords) because of their loyalty to the party and Prime Minister rather than because of their expertise.

Answer 41

Many people are in favour of this voting system because it is straight forward to use. This system gives voters a polling card which lists the possible candidates the electorate may vote for and the political party each candidate represents. 2017 General elcetion was 67% turnout If more people understand how to vote and therefore turn up to vote it can be argued that in the end the result will be much more reflective of what the majority of people want. Higher turnout= more opinions= more representative result. Only one MP is elected in each constituency, so voters who did not vote for that MP are not represented. Their votes are wasted. This principle can encourage people not to vote, especially if they live in a ‘safe seat’ of a particular party.

Answer 42

Under this system each constituency elects one representative (the candidate who received the single highest number of votes). This provides a direct, clear and obvious link between constituency and MP which means people know the one person they can turn to should they have a problem in their local area. During the 2019 the SNP candidate, Philippa Whitford remained the Central Ayrshire MP as she won 46.2% of the vote. People knowing who their representative is means they are more likely to attend MP surgeries and raise concerns. In return MPs can represent these views in parliament and influence government decision making in line with these views. A Majority government can be formed on the basis of minority support in terms of percentage of votes. As most MP’s are elected with less than 50% of the vote, most governments are in turn elected with less than 50% of the vote.

Answer 43

Despite exceptions such as the results of 2010 and most recent 2017 General Election, FPTP usually results in one party winning the majority of constituencies. This system tends to produce strong single party majority governments. In the 2019 election this was demonstrated again with the Conservatives winning a majority with 365 seats. If the majority of constituencies voted for MPs from the winning party this suggests that the majority of people want the policies of this party in place. A majority Gov will mean these policies are more likely to happen because the Gov will have more MPs voting in favour of potential new laws. Allowing these laws to be passed quickly and efficiently. FPTP may have proven many times in the past to have lead to strong, majority governments BUT more recent elections have proven otherwise. The 2010 result saw no party win the majority and resulted in a Con/Lib Dem coalition and 2017 saw Conservatives create a minority Gov.

Answer 44

This means that the % of votes cast for a party more closely resembles the % of seats gained in the Scottish Parliament by each party. In 2016 Scottish Conservatives gained 22% of the votes and gained about 24% of the seats. This means that most voters’ views are being heard, as even if a party has a small % of voters supporting them, they will still have some of the seats in Parliament and will therefore have some representatives in Parliament voicing their opinions. More opinions= wider representation! Many parties get more of their MSPs in through the regional vote… when voters are voting in this second vote they do not have a list of candidates. This means it is the party who decides who the 7 regional MSPs are… NOT THE VOTERS

Answer 45

Due to the fact that many seats are awarded on a proportional basis, AMS often produces coalition or minority governments as it is difficult for any single party to gain more than 65 seats. The first two terms of the Scottish Parliament had a Labour/Lib Dem coalition who compromised over tuition fees. This has been seen as an honourable and sensible policy, made after compromise and negotiation. Coalition Governments mean that the views of more voters are being represented in the Government and there must be comprises made so that more laws reflect more voters. Minority Governments also mean more views are heard as the Government needs to negotiate more with all other parties. Some see coalitions as more representative but others view these forms of Government as the opposite because technically no one votes for a coalition. It can sometimes be the case that a party which has very little support and few MSPs end up in the powerful position of Government because they have enough MSPs to take the biggest party to over half!

Answer 46

Under AMS, less votes will be “wasted”. Votes cast under the second vote are not wasted because seats are awarded proportionally rather than a “winner takes all” scenario as is the case with FPTP. In 2021 the Scottish Greens won 0 constituency seats but gained 8 regional seats. Also, in the West Scotland region 3 Labour, 3 Conservative and 1 Green MSP were elected. This means once again that more people are having a say and that even if their first vote does not result in their chosen candidate becoming an MSP, their second vote is more likely to result in their preferred party gaining an MSP who can then represent the views of these people in the Scottish Parliament. Although it is more likely that votes will matter more, AMS is still considered a more confusing voting system than FPTP. FPTP has been used for a much longer time and is still seen as simpler to use, some voters do not understand how AMS works and see it as much more confusing.

Answer 47

In 2010, TV Leader Debates aired for the first time with leaders of the largest parties debating on various topics and answering questions of the audience. TV Leaders Debates take place in some form before every General Election, and now before Scottish Parliament elections. For example, in the lead up to the 2019 General Election, the Conservatives had the largest media presence and went on to form a majority government. This may suggest a link. If people see a leader perform well in a debate/interview they will believe they will be good as leader of the country. They may hear policies/opinions that they like and so be persuaded to vote for that leader. However, there was also a Leader’s Debate in the run up to the 2019 General Election that Boris Johnson did not attend. There was no Conservative Party representation at all, and yet they still won. This suggests that TV Leader’s Debates may not influence voting behaviour as much as initially thought.

Answer 48

Newspapers are also another source of media that can be said to influence VB- with more than 8million people reading The Sun every day.For many, such media is their only source of political information. (who do you think might fall into this category?) For example, newspapers may have influenced the outcome of the Brexit referendum in 2016, with the Leave campaign being supported by most newspapers. If people are reading a newspaper that is consistently providing positive stories about one party and less flattering stories about another they will only think positively about that party and as a result will be more likely to vote for them. It could be argued that people choose their party/opinion first and THEN buy the newspaper that matches. Readers may buy the newspaper that supports their party rather than the opposite way around, i.e. buy the Sun because you already vote conservative and you know the Sun supports YOUR choice.

Answer 49

The internet and social media arguably have a growing importance in influencing voting behaviour. This is because most people have instant access to the internet and social media through their tablets and/or smartphones. Social media is also increasingly being used by politicians and political parties. As a large majority of people access the internet/social media every day this shows that there is a huge platform for parties to influence voters through new media as they can reach thousands more voters than they can through traditional media, especially reaching young voters who may be more likely to be ‘floating’ voters. Social media is often referred to as an “echo chamber” where political issues are discussed as opposed to a place where genuine political issue is exerted. Social media users tend to only engage with people and politicians that mirror their own views.

Answer 50

Up until late 1980s social class was regarded as dominant influence in voting behaviour. Most people voted for political party that best represented the interest of their social class. Labour lost votes among all social classes, while the Conservatives increased their vote share by 3 points among C2DE There are far fewer voters voting in the “traditional” class sense. Working class voted Conservative in higher numbers than previous years and more working-class people voted Conservative than upper class!# However upper classes remain as likely to vote Conservative as in previous years. There was a 10% difference in the number of upper classes voting Conservative compared to Labour… therefore some class alignment does still exist.

Answer 51

Age is seen as an important factor influencing voting behavior for 3 key reasons: It determines if a person can vote It can determine who chooses to vote It can influence who a person votes for For example, according to research carried out by Ipsos, in the 2019 General Election there was a higher turnout among older people (and graduates) and a lower turnout among younger people (and renters and BME voters). As older people are more likely to turn out to vote, it means that this age group become far more likely to influence the outcome of the election. Research is showing that voter turnout amongst young people is continuing to rise. This could mean that although there is a clear pattern showing that young people have less influence over the outcome of elections, this is something that could start to change over time… however the trend of the rising number of younger voters needs to continue in order for this to happen.

Answer 52

It is argued politics in Britain has become increasingly ‘presidential’, with the electorate focusing on who they want the overall ‘leader’ of the country to be, rather than focusing on specific policies or voting through other means such as class alignment. The personality or perception of a party leader, therefore, can be important in determining whether or not people (and the media) will support that party. For example, YouGov have recorded data that shows the changing opinions on the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties. Rishi Sunak has seen a significant decrease in support, which could have a massive impact on how people vote in the next General Election. Leadership and party image have a huge impact on how people will vote because the public need to feel like they can trust the leader of the country, regardless of their politics. Jeremy Corbyn was seen as ‘too much’ of a leftist and so even many Labour supporters could not trust him to deliver on National priorities like the welfare state. However, many would argue image and leadership are not as important as other factors because: · Some people ‘blindly’ vote for a particular party because of their social class, or because their family have always voted a particular way. We can see from ‘safe seats’ across the country that regardless of who the party leader is, this part of the country will still vote for the same party. For example, the Conservatives will always have safe seats in Surrey and Buckinghamshire despite the controversy surrounding Boris Johnson, and the weakness of Liz Truss.

Answer 53

This is when large groups of people gather in a public area to show their support for a cause or their unhappiness at a Government decision. This method is used by both insider and outsider pressure groups, with insider pressure groups placing a key emphasis on the idea that protests must be peaceful. October 2018 an estimated 30,000 teachers walked from Kelvin Park to George Square in Glasgow, speaking out against the 3% pay-rise offered by the Scottish Government. If there are many people gathered, such as with the Scottish teacher protest, it demonstrates to the Government that a change is supported. The Government may become concerned that they will see a decline in popularity unless a change is made and therefore may be convinced to make a change. There have been recent protests in the UK organised by pressure groups that have had very little impact on the Government.

Answer 54

This is when a Pressure Group tries to demonstrate to the Government and the rest of society that there is a lot of support regarding an issue. This method is used more often by insider pressure groups as a peaceful way of proving a point to the Government. In August 2020, following the publication of SQA results, over 18,000 pupils and parents in Scotland signed a petition within 24 hours to protest at the moderation (changing) of some teacher estimates for some pupils… by later that month Education Minister John Swinney announced that pupils would be awarded their teacher’s estimates. Thousands of signatures, in a similar way to many people turning up to protest, show the Government that many people are supporting a cause. This is a less disruptive means of trying to influence government which could mean a greater variety of people may end up supporting the issue because they have not been disrupted by it (unlike with a protest). There are many petitions in the UK which get thousands of signatures but are never considered by the UK Government! To be considered in the UK Parliament, a petition must gain over 100,000 signatures… many do not reach this number despite having a lot of support.

Answer 55

This is when a Pressure Group tries to reason with the Government/MPs to explain their side of the argument and get political support for an issue. This method is used usually by insider pressure groups as a peaceful way of getting information across to the Government. On the 3rd of October 2017, the Scottish Government announced it had banned fracking. The pressure group Greenpeace celebrated this as a huge success as it had spent several years campaigning against this and had lobbied many Government members such as the Scottish Energy Minister By being persistent and speaking to politicians Pressure Groups can convince them that their cause is worthwhile. This is good because politicians are the ones who can make changes to the law, therefore by lobbying politicians pressure groups can convince them to speak on their behalf in parliament and possibly get the Government to make changes. However, the success of lobbying relies on Pressure Groups successfully convincing politicians to back their cause which can be difficult as politicians often have their own views and feel the need to back the policies of their parties.

Answer 56

Many insider pressure groups are aware that the only way a government or politicians will change their mind or act is if there is evidence to show change is needed. This is why some use their time, money and resources to carry out research and write reports in order to show those in charge of decision making that a problem exists and that action is needed as soon as possible. The Child Food Poverty Task Force worked alongside a range of other groups in order to prove to the Government that free school meals are needed for many children during the school holidays. Research can prove that an issue requires urgent action and attention. The Government will find it more difficult to argue with the facts and therefore when they see evidence of an issue on paper in “black and white” they may feel more pressure to make a change. However, researching can be an extremely time consuming and possibly expensive tactic for a pressure group to use. This can make it less suitable for an issue which requires urgent change.

Answer 57

Pressure Groups are groups of people who feel strongly about a particular issue and join together to show the Government how they feel about the issue. October 2018 an estimated 30,000 teachers walked from Kelvin Park to George Square in Glasgow, speaking out against the 3% pay-rise offered by the Scottish Government. Large numbers of people joining a pressure group and taking part in activities such as rallies and protests regarding a particular cause will influence government because it allows the government to see there are high levels of support for a particular cause. The more people that support a cause, the more the government will consider making a change. This is because the government are supposed to be representative of the views of the public. The work of the EIS and SSTA resulted in success for teachers, however there have been other recent protests in the UK that have had very little impact on the Government.

Answer 58

The UK has a representative democracy which means we choose people to make decisions on our behalf. There are many different levels of representatives in the UK that people can vote for from local councillors, to MSPs to MPs. UK turn outs in referendums have been fairly high in recent years. Turnout for the 2017 General Election was around 67.3% Large numbers of people voting in both referendums and elections demonstrate the citizens have an influence because this will mean that the government in power making decisions are reflective of what people in the country want. Many argue that the voting system that is used in general elections prevents citizens from having a real say over the election of the UK Parliament. This system which is not proportional leads to many wasted votes and some say a low turnout meaning people are not having a say.

Answer 59

Often when individuals are voting for representatives to make decisions for them at the different levels of the political system- these individuals represent a political party. A political party is a group of people who all share similar beliefs about how the country should be run or what rules and laws should be in place. Political parties want to be in charge and be the group representing people. For Example, Labour party has around 432,000 members People joining a party and paying membership fees whilst also helping to campaign for the party will influence democracy/political system because the richer a political party becomes, the better their campaigns will be. If campaigns are stronger, citizens will be more aware of the ideology and policies of parties and be better informed in terms of voting for a party that will make effective decisions on our behalf. THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH JOINING A PARTY IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HELP INFLUENCE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY AND WHO IS MAKING DECISIONS THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAIRLY UNCOMMON FORM OF PARTICIPATION WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES.

Answer 60

Some people may feel that joining a party is still not enough when wanting to see a change in the political system and therefore may decide to stand as a candidate. This means that they will be a representative for their political party and actively seek votes from the electorate in their area. During the 2019 campaign, Dr Philipa Whitford remained the successful SNP candidate for the Ayr constituency. Standing as a candidate is a strong way of influencing the political system because it allows individuals to directly become involved in the political process, promote their own polices, and challenge the policies of others. It also allows people to become representatives for other people, and take their concerns to parliament to challenge the government. Becoming MP is long and expensive process- to become a party’s candidate you must go through an extremely long application process. Recent research has claimed that in order to be a successful candidate, many have to spend up to £41,000 of their own money!

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