USA - world powers

Question 1

describe in detail, one government response to economic inequality in the world power you have studied

(TANF)
effective and ineffective

Answer 1

one government response to inequality in the USA is tanf. This means the government can provide temporary financial assistance to the families that need it the most in the hopes that they get a job and become financially independent. For example since TANF was introduced in 1996, the child poverty rate among single parent families has fallen.

One reason that TANF is ineffective is because the paper work and effort pushes people away. Some people are put off from applying as single mothers have to give information about the father of their child even if they are no longer speaking, this means trying to contact the father which could be awkward and all the work that goes into all of this stops people from applying

Question 2

describe in detail, one government response to economic inequality in the world power you have studied

(SNAP)

how has it been effective e.g
how has it been ineffective e.g

Answer 2

one government response to inequality in the USA is SNAP. SNAP provides low or no income Americans with support to purchase food. Citizens that receive this benefit are given a debit card that has an average of $125 a month for each person in the household to buy food. For example SNAP has kept around 4.2 million people out of poverty in the USA. (effective)

SNAP is effective because it allows people in poverty to spend the money they earn on other things to support themselves or their family.

Some people might be put off applying for SNAP because people might find it humiliating hand over the card as everyone would know they are receiving the money.
for example SNAP only provides a small amount of money to families for food which has now been cut by $95 per person in the household

Question 3

describe in detail, one way in which the USA has political influence

UN security council

Answer 3

One way the USA has political influence is through it’s leading role in the UN security council. The USA is a leading and permanent member in the security council which is significant because the security council has a key role in keeping world peace, this is because they can introduce sanctions, organise peace keeping operations and authorise military action against countries that could compromise world peace. For example the USA has introduced economic sanctions for Russia since they invaded Ukraine and will not join the fight since ukraine is a NATO ally but the security council also won’t take action against Russia because Russia is also a member and would veto any proposals.

Question 4

describe in detail, one way in which the USA has political influence

ability to veto

Answer 4

one way the USA has political influence is through its ability to veto. This means since the USA is a permanent member of the UN it can veto/stop any resolutions passing even if the other members of the security council disagree. For example recently the USA has vetoed a UN security council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the third time, arguing that it would undermine negotiation over a hostage deal.

Question 5

one reason why people experience economic issues in the USA
language barriers

Answer 5

one reason why people experience economic issues in the USA is due to language barriers. This means people born outside the USA can’t speak English due to poor standards of education and therefore struggle to get a job because interviews would most likely be in English and they won’t be able to communicate with the public so this limits their options which can lead to unemployment and therefore poverty. For example in 2015 21% of US residents now speak a language other than english at home

Question 6

another reason why people face economic issues in the USA
types of job

Answer 6

another reason why people face economic issues in the USA is due to the type of job they have. This means due to differences in the standard of education white people and Asians are more likely to work in professional jobs or managerial jobs which leaves ethnic minorities with lower paying jobs which can then lead to poverty as they can’t afford basic things. For example 41% of white people work in a managerial or professional job compared to 22% of Hispanics.

Question 7

Explain one reason why people face social issues in the USA
discrimination

Answer 7

One reason why people face social issues in the USA is due to discrimination. This is because many ethnic minorities feel that they are treated unfairly by police. Black people are more likely to be arrested than white people for the same crimes and their sentences are often much harsher. For example black men can face sentences almost 20% longer than white men for committing the same crimes.

Question 8

describe, in detail, one political right and responsibility people have in the usa
vote

Answer 8

One political right and responsibility people have in the USA is the right to vote. The responsibility of this right is to make an informed decision and accept the outcome or to not deliberately spoil your paper. For example Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election with 51% of the vote and 306 college electoral votes

Question 9

describe in detail, one political right and responsibility people have in the USA
protest

Answer 9

One political right and responsibility that people have in the USA is the right to protest. This means people can show their support for a cause or their opposition to a decision made by the government. The responsibility of this right is that protest must be peaceful so property must not be damaged. For example many Trump supporters used their right to protest against the election of Joe Biden as president on 6 January 2021 in Washington D.C

Question 10

Describe in detail, one civil/ legal right people have in the USA
guns

Answer 10

One civil right people have in the USA is the right to own and use guns for self defense. This means you can own and use a gun to protect yourself and your property if you are being threatened. The responsibility of this right is that people can only use a gun if they have a good reason and cannot use them to commit crimes. For example in Texas and Alaska there is no minimum age limit to posses a rifle or shotgun so children can legally own these types of weapons.

Question 11

describe, in detail one civil/legal right people have in the USA
detained

Answer 11

One civil/legal right people have in the USA is to not be arrested or detained without good cause. The responsibility of this right is that people must obey the law and cooperate with the police when instructed to do so. For example over 1000 people were arrested for the role they played in the attacks on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 with the FBI having video and photographic evidence of their participation.

Question 12

Describe, in detail one way in which US citizens can participate in American politics
vote

Answer 12

One way in which US citizens can participate in American politics is to vote for representatives. This means citizens who have registered to vote can vote for candidates to represent and make decisions for their area, state or the US as a whole. For example there were over 155 million votes cast in the 2020 US presidential election.

Question 13

Describe, in detail one feature of the US political system
legislative branch

Answer 13

One feature of the US political system is the legislative branch. The legislative branch is called Congress and is made up of the house of representatives and the senate. Representatives meet in the house of representatives and there are 435 of them who represent different states. Senators meet in the senate and there are 100 of them - 2 per state. Both Houses must pass a bill before it is sent to the President to be signed into law.
Together, they have the power to make the law

Question 14

Describe in detail, one feature of the US political system
checks and balances

Answer 14

One feature of the US political system is checks and balances. This was put in place when the US political system was devised so that each of the three parts could be controlled by the other in some ways to prevent one part from becoming too powerful. For example the president can be controlled by Congress because Congress can vote against a bill that the president has introduced meaning they can’t become law.

Question 15

explain, in detail one reason why the USA wants to gain (political) influence over other countries
wants to stay dominant

Answer 15

one reason why the USA wants to gain (political) influence over other countries is because the USA wants to stay globally dominant. The USA can take political decisions that will protect itself from threats, build
good relationships with other countries or protect its citizens around the world.
The US does this by taking action within the important international
organisation - the UN, meeting other countries’ leaders at important summits
such as the G7/G20 and taking decisive action when its own interests are
threatened

Question 16

Explain, in detail one reason why the USA wants to gain (economic) influence over other countries
want good deals

Answer 16

One reason why the USA wants to gain (economic) influence over other countries is because they want good deals on trade, so they can make big profits. This means they want to be able to sell their products globally and import the raw materials they need at a good price. Some of the profits made will be taxed by the US government and can be used to
finance the things the US wants to spend money on - such as its military. Being the
world’s largest economy is also important for the USA’s international reputation.

Question 17

describe, in detail one government response to deal with education issues.
ESSA

Answer 17

One government response to deal with education issues is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This was passed in 2015 to ensure public schools provide a quality education for all children. Under ESSA, individual states have more say in how schools account for
student achievement, particularly focusing on the attainment of pupils in
poverty, from minority groups, pupils who receive specialist education
and those with limited English language skills.
This act is to directly impact the educational inequality which exists between
these groups.

Question 18

Explain the effectiveness of one government response to social inequality
ESSA

Answer 18

One government response to economic inequality in the USA is the Every Student Succeeds Act. ESSA has been successful because it is considered an improvement over the No Child Left Behind Act it replaced. This is because ESSA gives states more flexibility, offers more program funding, and widens assessment with less focus on standardized test scores.

Question 19

Describe, in detail one response to education inequality in the world power you have studied INEFFECTIVE & EFFECTIVE
head start

Answer 19

One government response to education inequality is head start. One reason that head start has been ineffective is because not all children have been receiving it that need it. For example 60% of kids in poverty are not getting head start.

one government response to education inequality in the USA is headstart. One reason that head start has been effective is that the government saw how little funding the programme was getting and that it wasn’t working as effectively as it could so they increased the funding. For example there was a $900 million increase in funding and now head start kids are more likely to get a job and graduate.

Question 20

describe one measure that has been put in place to deal with crime inequalities
First Step Act

Answer 20

one measure that has been put in place to deal with crime inequalities is the First Step Act. This was put in place in 2018 to reduce the unfair sentences given to ethnic minorities in order to make the justice system more fair. For example the sentencing policy changed in relation to cocaine and many convicted black people got their sentences reduced.

One reason in which the first step act has been effective is because policies have changed so they aren’t biased to ethnic minorities to make the justice system more fair. This means that old sentencing policies were seen as racist because some of them meant black people were getting harsher sentences than white people due to the types of crimes committed in predominantly black neighbourhoods so they were changed to stop this. For example In
the past dealing 5g of crack cocaine (mostly done in black neighbourhoods) got the
same sentence as dealing 500g of powdered cocaine (mostly done in white
neighborhoods). After this change many convicted black people got their sentences reduced.

This Act also allows prisoners to earn ‘good time credits’ if they stay out of trouble
and take part in education or training courses.

Question 21

Explain, in detail one reason why ethnic minorities are poorly represented in politics
lack of role models

Answer 21

One reason why ethnic minorities are poorly represented in politics is due to a lack of role models. This is because there are fewer ethnic minorities in high office than white people so there are fewer successful politicians for people to look up to and try to be like. This means fewer ethnic minorities will stand as a candidate as they don’t think they will be successful. For example out of 45 there has been 1 president of the USA who was not a white male.

Question 22

Describe in detail, one way in which US citizens can participate in politics
interest

Answer 22

One way in which US citizens can participate in American politics is through joining an interest group and taking part in interest group activities. Anyone can join or form an interest group made up of like minded people to try to influence the actions of the government. For example in 2018 the national rifle association had a reported membership of 5.5 million

Question 23

Describe in detail, one group that is more likely to participate in American politics.
well educated

Answer 23

One group that is more likely to participate in American politics is well educated people. This is because those with a good education are more likely to understand the main policies of parties and that voting can have a major impact on their lives, eg votijg on taxes and healthcare. For example 80% of post graduates vote compared to 40% of those who didn’t complete high school.

Question 24

more likely to participate
rich

Answer 24

One group that is more likely to participate in American Politics is rich people. This is because holding a campaign is extremely expensive as things like venues, balloons and leaflets need to be paid for and those in poverty wouldn’t be able to afford this. For example Donald Trump spent $66 million of his own money on his campaign for the 2016 presidential election.

Question 25

Describe, in detail one group that is less likely to participate in American politics
language barrier

Answer 25

One group that is less likely to participate in American Politics is those who don’t speak English. This is because the form to register to vote is printed in English and the ballot paper itself is in English so those who don’t speak English would struggle to vote. Advertisement and election campaigns would also most likely be in English. For example 15% of Hispanics in the USA speak little to no English

Question 26

less likely to participate
criminal record

Answer 26

One group that is less likely to participate in American politics is those with a criminal record. This is because 3 states (Iowa, Kentucky and virginia) don’t allow those with a criminal record to vote. This disproportionately affects ethnic minorities as they are more likely to be involved in crime. For example around 7% of African Americans can’t vote due to previous convictions compared to 2% of other races in the USA.

Question 27

Explain, in detail one reason why some groups in American politics are under represented and given examples
Sexism

Answer 27

One reason why women are underrepresented in American politics is due to discrimination against women. This is because some people still view politics as a ‘mans game’ and don’t think women are capable. Some people are less likely to vote for women in elections so people are put off hiring them. For example in a survey, 47% of Americans said women in politics facing gender discrimination was a major reason why there are more men than women in high political office.

Question 28

women under represented
role models

Answer 28

One reason why women are under represented in politics in the USA is due to their lack of role models. This means that since there are not as many women in high political office as there are white men there are fewer successful female politicians for women to look up to and try to be like so fewer people from these groups will try to stand for office as they don’t think they will thrive in it. For example there has never been a female president of the United States

Question 29

Describe in detail, one reason why ethnic minorities are under represented in American policits
money

Answer 29

One reason why ethnic minorities are under represented in American politics is due to a lack of money. This means that ethnic minorities are more likely to be in poverty than white people therefore would struggle to run for office as holding an election campaign is extremely expensive and they wouldn’t be able to afford it. For example 19.5% of black Americans are in poverty compared to around 8% of white people in the USA.

Question 30

describe in detail, one way the USA has an economic influence on other countries
trade

Answer 30

One way in which the US has an economic influence on other countries is because many countries rely on the USA for trade opportunities. The Scotch whisky industry relies on American consumers to purchase produce from them and keep people employed. For example, in 2018 around 22% of global scotch whisky sales were to the USA, bringing around $1 billion and many jobs to the industry

Question 31

another reason why the USA has economic influence on other countries is because of the financial aid it provides.

Answer 31

another reason why the USA has economic influence on other countries is because of the financial aid it provides. This means the US can give money to other countries to help them develop their infrastructure to boost their trade capabilities or in response to conflict. For example the US gave $10 billion of humanitarian aid to Ukraine since they were invaded by Russia to provide healthcare and food for refugees.

Question 32

One reason why people face social issues in the USA is due to the cycle of poverty.

Answer 32

One reason why people face social issues in the USA is due to the cycle of poverty. This means that if you are born in the ghetto and attend an underfunded school you are likely to leave school with little qualifications. Then you will struggle to get a job and will turn to crime to make money. For example working a minimum wage job an American could make $600 a week or dealing drugs they could make $600 a day.