Year 11 Citizenship Mock 2017 1. Effective active citizenship Theme 1 Mock paper is one hour. It is a unit 3 paper Spend 30 minutes on themes 1 & 2 Spend 30 minutes on the extended writing which is on theme 2 democracy & identity: community cohesion What pressure groups do Different types of action used in campaigning Factors in a successful campaign How information from pressure groups is used to inform public policy A pressure group is a group of people who take action to try to influence the government (local or national) about a specific issue. Some examples are: -RSPCA look after animals who have been mistreated. -Amnesty International who work for the promotion of human rights -National Union of Teachers- who work for the interests of their members. Campaigning is actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim. Action can be direct or indirect. Direct action: directly acting to create changes or accomplish things Action can include marching, picketing, (National Union of Miners) publicity stunts, and petitioning, disruptive demonstrations (Fathers for Justice). Indirect action: asking someone else or using persuasion and advertising etc. to motivate others. Actions include leaflets or advertising, lobbying people in power and using celebrity support (Joanne Lumley and the Gurkhas). Successful action must have: 1. A Target Group- A target group is the organisation that the action is aimed at. This may be Ministers and civil servants, Parliament, Political parties, Public opinion or the Media 2. Finance- money to attract members, distribute leaflets, advertise, organise events 3. Membership- the more members, the more powerful a group will be. Celebrity members also raise the profile. 4. Nature of cause/ methods used- cause must be popular, methods must be reasonable 5. Media- using local and national media well through images, videos and news bulletins helps campaigns. Insider pressure groups inform public policy. Two important examples are Green Peace and Amnesty International. Green Peace: research natural disasters and how to prevent them. They also produce reports on how governments are treating the environment and recommendations for them to improve their practices and make them more sustainable. Amnesty International: investigate Human Rights abuses in different countries. They produce reports which are used by governments and are sometimes used to prosecute at the ICC (International Criminal Court).
2. Making a difference The structure of local government within Britain Who holds power? How to participate in the democratic process Community groups, voluntary groups and charities The influence of the Media Trade unions and their role Power is concentrated in Britain in central government which is based in Westminster, London. This consists of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet who form the government. Power devolves from central government to the 9 Government Regional Offices which are based around the country. The GRO has the authority to give grants and power to the next organisation in the chain which is The Local authority Queen: (symbolic power) gives royal assent to bills and opens parliament, meets weekly with the PM. Prime Minister: the leader of the government and leads debates in the House of Commons. Cabinet Ministers: appointed to different departments by the Prime Minister in government. They are called Secretaries of State. There are different government departments such as Education, Health and Transport. Opposition/ MP s: MP s who are not part of the Government form the opposition. They represent their constituency in Parliament and also hold the government to account. They form committees which scrutinise issues and propose changes to laws or new laws. The democratic process is the actual process of electing the peoples representatives to either local or national government, or to the European Parliament. Apart from voting, participating in the democratic process can entail: -joining a political party or standing as a candidate -donate money to causes -signing a petition or a e-petition -attend rallies/ meetings - contacting MP s -Contributing to the media- radio phone ins, texting, commenting on newspapers or websites Community groups: local councils may have details of organisations in community s that can give help to different groups of citizens such as sports clubs or mums support groups. Voluntary groups: One which relies on occasional or regular volunteers for its operations, and may or may not have paid staff. This can include religious organisations like mosques. Charites: he voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need. Examples include OXFAM and UWT. Sarah s Law- NOTW MP s Expenses- Daily Telegraph A trade union is an organisation made up of members (a membership-based organisation) and its membership must be made up mainly of workers. One of a trade union's main aims is to protect and advance the interests of its members in the workplace. This is done by: Negotiate on your behalf to improve the pay and conditions of workers in an industry. Liaise with the management of a business on your behalf if you feel you have been Stop an employer from shortening your lunch time. Arrange industrial action such as a sit in, boycott or strike if they cannot negotiate a settlement.
3. Citizenship issues in the workplace The rights and Employers and employees have different rights and responsibilities: responsibilities of Right: an authority to carry out a particular, e.g. a policeman has the right to carry out arrest on suspects of crimes. employers and employees Responsibility: an obligation to perform certain duties, e.g. in times of war a nation may conscript citizens in to the armed forces. Employees Rights Not to be discriminated against on the grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. To be given a contract of employment. To be allowed to join a union. To have a job description. To be told about disciplinary procedures. To work in a safe environment and to receive appropriate health and safety training. Employer s Responsibilities 1. A workplace that grants employee s rights 2. Providing a written document to every employee with their terms of employment 3. A workplace free from discrimination 4. A workplace that complies with Health and Safety regulations 4. The role of Parliament and the Government The role of government, the cabinet, the Opposition, parliament and political parties. Government and The Cabinet -the Cabinet is the most important committee within the government, members are Secretaries of State -meets every Tuesday at Downing Street and decided on priorities for the nation. -has a collective responsibility to Parliament. The Opposition The Members of Parliament (MP s) who are not part of the elected party (the Government) and not part of the Cabinet. hold government to account for their decisions through: 1. Committees- MP s from many political parties form a committee to research and bring proposals for change for a particular area of law. 2. Debates- these are weekly televised debates (PMQ s) where all MP s gather in the House of Commons to debate issues of national importance Political Parties formulate policies which they present to the electorate as a manifesto at the general election selects candidates to stand for election campaigns for votes in local and national elections to put their policies in to practice
Parliament Parliament includes the Prime Minister and MP s in the House of Commons and Hereditary Peers and Lifetime Peers in the House of Lords. The business of Parliament takes place in two Houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Its main roles are: Examining and challenging the work of the government (scrutiny) Debating and passing all laws (legislation) How are laws made? How are citizen s lives affected by government decisions? The Taxes and Benefits system -taxes mean ever employed person must give a certain part of their income to the government. This affects citizen s lives as taxes can be raised or lowered depending on the government in power and the economic needs of the times. For example, the proposed bedroom tax for homeowners with an empty room would affect all those who satisfy the criteria. -benefits are provided for those who are disabled, ill or unemployed. Childcare, maternity leave and free healthcare is also provided. These services, provided by the government, enhance the quality of life of citizens.
Electoral Systems What are the different voting systems used in Britain? There are 3 main voting systems used in Britain. They are: First Past the Post How it works Advantages Disadvantages There is very little chance of extremist parties being elected to Parliament under FPTP because they are unlikely to gain enough votes in any one constituency Under first-past-the-post, the UK or local authority is divided into numerous voting areas, i.e. constituencies or wards. At a general or local election, voters put a cross (X) next to their preferred candidate on a ballot paper. Ballot papers are then counted and the candidate that has received the most votes is elected to represent the constituency or ward. Generally the results of elections using FPTP can be calculated quickly. When necessary, this makes the transfer of power from one party to another much easier. The main criticism of FPTP is that the number of votes cast for a party in general elections is not accurately reflected in the number of seats won. An example of this was the 1997 election when the Conservatives gained 18% of the vote in Scotland but not one seat. Prop ortio nal Repr esen tatio n Proportional representation is an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party. For example, if a party gained 40% of the total votes, a perfectly proportional system would allow them to gain 40% of the seats The fairer treatment of minority parties and independent candidates Fewer votes are 'wasted', as more people's preferences are taken into account Greater effective choice for voters. By reducing the dominance of the large parties, PR may encourage turn-out and reduce apathy By rarely producing an absolute majority for one party, PR ensures greater continuity of government and requires greater consensus in policy-making. PR provides a route for extremists into the political mainstream, who would otherwise be excluded by the structure of FPTP PR produces 'weak' coalition governments rather than 'strong' majority governments, which can lead to indecision, compromise and even legislative paralysis. It can also reduce accountability to voters, as an ousted party of government can reinstall itself by finding new coalition partners after an election The adoption of list systems breaks the link between the elected representative and his or her constituency The greater complexity and choice that PR allows can put voters off voting, by requiring them to have a greater knowledge of individual and party positions.
Compulsory voting Lowering the age of voting to 16 Ways of participating in our democracy Alter nativ e Vote The AV system asks voters to rank candidates in order of preference. People can nominate as many preferences as they like. Only first preference votes are counted initially. Anyone getting more than 50% of these is elected automatically. If that doesn't happen, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second choices allocated to the remaining candidates in a second round of counting. It would encourage more people to vote, because voters would feel that their say matters more. AV is moving with the times: two-party dominance has made way for a more pluralist system and It eliminates the need for tactical voting. Electors can vote for their first-choice candidate without fear of wasting their vote. Some votes will count more than others: If a voter gives their first preference vote to a mainstream party, their other preferences may not be counted. But if they vote for a fringe party candidate who gets knocked out, their other preferences will count. A switch to AV would cost around 250 million pounds. Voting in the UK is optional, and turnout has continued to fall, especially in local and European elections. However in some countries voting is compulsory, with the threat of a fine for those who fail to take part. Making it compulsory: The democratic process, and Parliament itself, can only be strengthened by much larger participation in elections. We need to include those in the social and age groups who are not taking part in the election of a government, since all administrations affect the lives of its citizens in so many ways. Against making it compulsory: Since voter turnout is highest when the political parties have succeeded in enthusing the electorate, it is a dereliction of the democratic duty to simply give up and use the criminal law instead. Forcing people to vote is against liberty. The right to vote includes the right to say: "No thanks, none of the above". Lowering the voting age has come into focus owing to the Scottish independence referendum. Giving the vote to 16- and 17-year-olds was part a political deal struck between British and Scottish governments. For: At 16 years of age you are able to marry, pay taxes, and leave home. You can legally have sex, which implies it is the age at which the Government deems you old enough to become a parent. If you are deemed old enough to become a parent, get married and contribute to the treasury, then you should be deemed old enough to decide who makes the policies that so greatly affect your life Against: 18 year olds may think that they know everything but they really do not. Unfortunately one does not realise this when one is 18. One needs to have some experience of the world and 21 should be the minimum age perhaps 25 would be better Because at 18, one is too easily swayed by immoral politicians There are a number ways of participating in a democracy, including: Voting or standing for election, joining or giving money to a political party, joining debates in newspapers, radio or TV phone ins, contacting your local MP or Councillor, signing a petition or joining a pressure group.
Understanding Diversity What is meant by prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes? Why is tolerance important? What is Britishness? Describe recent immigration to Britain Prejudice: preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience Discrimination: the unjust treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. Stereotypes: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. Tolerance: accepting of things that you may disagree with due to mutual respect. Tolerance means we can live together in a multicultural society whilst accepting and respecting each other s differences. If we have tolerance, issues like racism and prejudice will become less common. Britishness is when we accept core British values such as human rights, tolerance, equality and justice, although we all may have different religious or ethnic backgrounds. After World War 2 lots of economic migrants came to Britain to help a work force that had been depleted by war. The immigrant were drawn mainly from South Asia (India and Pakistan) and the West Indies. Recent migrations started with the expansion of the European Union in 2004. This meant that people from poorer European countries such as Poland and Romania could come to Britain without the need for a visa, and with the prospect of much better pay and living conditions. What is British identity- social, political, economic and cultural perspectives Social Identity: we identify with these due to age, gender, or interest, e.g. friends at school, sports. Political identity: belonging to British political culture with the UK s shared British values, such as a parliamentary democracy and a variety of political parties. Economic Identity: we have a free market with each person free to trade or earn money in different ways. We have a national minimum wage, so a basic standard of living across Britain. This can be topped up by state benefits for those who need support, such as the unemployed, the elderly and children. Cultural identity: the media broadcasts programmes across the country in English. Popular programmes reflect our cultural identity such as EastEnders. This has a diverse cast from different backgrounds and ethnicities with a range of family types, religions and sexual orientations.
EXTENDED WRITING Why are some communities more cohesive than others? What opportunities exist to celebrate cultural diversity and to explore and challenge racism and discrimination in the UK? Factors which influence community cohesion Why are some communities more cohesive than others? Community Cohesion: enabling people within an area to have shared values and understanding and a sense of belonging, by providing good facilities and the same opportunities for all. Case Study: The London Riots They started in the summer of 2011 between the 6 th and 10 th August Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester were also affected Over 3000 people were arrested An estimated 200 million in damage were caused Possible causes: People were protesting about the killing of Mark Duggan by police which they felt was unlawful Young people were protesting about the lack of opportunities they have; the lack of good jobs and educational opportunities People were protesting about cuts to education and other government budgets Communities that have a greater sense of shared identity are more cohesive. This is because they believe in the same values and have tolerance for each other s differences. Coming to share the same values is known as integration. Immigration may sometimes lead to less cohesive communities as people feel threatened by migrants or feel afraid of them (xenophobia). Often, migrants compete for the same jobs and services and this leads to tension within the community. Case Study: in 2011 there were not riots in Bradford as the communities worked together to prevent it. 'Cohesion helped prevent riots in Bradford' Bradford avoided the massive riots that swept through London and other major cities this year because of community cohesion and voluntary organisations working together, it was claimed today. What opportunities do we have to celebrate diversity and challenge racism? Up to 70 delegates from various groups were at the meeting to discuss what led to the riots this year and how to prevent such disorder in Bradford. -Schools can promote equal opportunity and diversity within their communities through their curriculum and school events. -Local authorities can set up community groups for ethnic minorities where advice and support is available in their language, an example of this is in Oldham. They may also provide English learning facilities for those who have newly arrived. -Kick it Out campaign by the Football Association was a place were people from different backgrounds got together to try to end racism. -the media can create programmes with cultural diversity. Popular soap operas like EastEnders have a diverse cast with a range of backgrounds- this helps celebrate diversity.
Key term: Community cohesion is Conclusion The government initiatives have/ have not worked because: How the government has promoted community cohesion Reason1: Reason 2: Reason3: Case Study where community cohesion DID NOT work Case Study where community cohesion IS working