A-Level Politics — UK, USA & Political Ideas

Types of democracy

• Direct (citizens decide - referendums) vs representative (elected representatives); the UK is liberal/representative with referendum elements. Pluralism (power dispersed among competing groups).
• Strengths/weaknesses of UK democracy and the democratic deficit (low turnout, unelected Lords, FPTP disproportionality, the "participation crisis"); reform debates (votes at 16, PR, an elected second chamber, a codified constitution).

Participation and rights

• Forms of participation (voting, party/pressure-group membership, e-petitions, protest); the participation-crisis debate; rights (Human Rights Act 1998, milestones) and civil liberties.

Electoral systems

• FPTP (Westminster - simple, strong government, constituency link; but disproportional, wasted votes, safe seats). Other UK systems: AMS, STV, SV - compare proportionality, choice and government type.
• The effect of the system on party systems and government formation; referendums (use, regulation and impact).

Evaluate how democratic the UK is (strengths vs democratic deficit), and compare electoral systems on proportionality, choice and the type of government they produce.

Diagram