Course Content for A Level Government & Politics

AS Level

UNIT 1:  People, Politics and Participation

September to December, examination January

The nature of participation in the political process.

• Politics

• Democracy

• Pluralism

• Elitism

• Electorate

• Apathy

• Abstention

A knowledge of different forms of political involvement: who participates and how in terms of gender, class, ethnicity, age and region.  Reasons for non-participation.  Participation through the ballot box.

• Voting behaviour

• Changing patterns of voting

• Mass media

Theories and debates concerning the long and short-term determinants of voting behaviour including partisan/class identification; stability; volatility; influence of issues; campaigns; party and leaders’ images.

Electoral Systems - October

The role of elections in a democracy.

• Majoritarian and proportional electoral systems

• Representation

• Reform

Strengths and weaknesses of first-past-the-post, single transferable vote and additional member systems. Likely effects of electoral system on party system.  Majority and coalition governments.  The nature of representation.

• Direct and indirect democracy

• Referendums

Nature and use of referendums within the UK. Arguments for and against greater use of referendums within the UK.

Political Parties - November

The role of political parties in a democracy.

• Political parties

• Pressure groups

• Party competition

• ‘Catch-all’ parties

• Ideology

Role and function of major parties: how do parties and the party system work? Changing ideologies: how far do political ideas shape parties? Party structure: parties at local, national and EU levels. Programmes  policies and manifestos. Candidate and leader selection. Membership: how important are party members? Campaigning. Minority parties.

Pressure Groups and Protest Movements – November/December

The importance of pressure groups to political communication and policy making in a democracy.

• Interest/cause

• Insider/outsider

• Social movements

Factors likely to affect the political influence of groups including membership and resources. Links with parties and government, including the EU.  Pressure group behaviour.

• Lobbying

• Access points

• Direct action

• Political networks/communities

• Internal democracy

• Pressure group representation

The impact of groups and movements in influencing policy and changing values. Role of the media in pressure group politics.  Do pressure groups strengthen or weaken democracy?  Possibility of some citizens being excluded from pressure group politics.

UNIT 2:  Governing Modern Britain

January to May, examination May/June

The British Constitution - January

• Written/unwritten

• Codified/uncodified

• Unitary/federal

• Rigid/flexible

A knowledge of the main sources of the British constitution: statute case law, conventions, treaties, constitutional change.  How far the British constitution influences and limits the powers of government.  The judiciary and its relationship to other ‘powers’ of government.

• Judicial independence

• Separation of powers

• Judicial review

The relationship of the judiciary to the executive and legislature. Judicial appointments. The impact of the Human Rights Act and European Court of Human Rights upon the British political system.

Parliament – February/March

• Representation

• Parliamentary sovereignty

• Mandate

The composition and main roles and functions of Parliament: representation, legislation, scrutiny. The relative powers of the House of Commons and House of Lords. Parliamentary sovereignty in theory and practice.  Parliament and government relationships.

• Accountability

• Executive dominance

• Elective dictatorship

• Bicameralism

The roles of the House of Commons and House of Lords in scrutinising legislation and holding the government to account. The influence of backbenchers, frontbenchers, whips and the Opposition.

The Core Executive – March/April

• Prime ministerial and cabinet government

• Presidentialism

• Collective responsibility

The prime minister: main roles, powers and resources. The Cabinet system: composition, roles and functions of Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and Cabinet Ministers. The Cabinet Office. Prime ministerial and presidential systems: a brief comparison. Do we have prime ministerial government in Britain? Policy making and implementation.

• Bureaucracy

• Political neutrality

• Anonymity

• Permanence

• Individual ministerial responsibility

Ministers and civil servants: main characteristics, roles, resources and relationships. Special advisers. Government departments.

Multi-level Governance – April/May

Elected local and devolved government in the UK.

• Elected representatives

• Local democracy

• Devolution

The main powers of elected local government, the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. Relations between the Westminster Parliament and elected local and devolved government. Debates on the nature and extent of devolved power.

The European Union: 

• Supranational

• ‘Democratic deficit’

The composition and main powers of the European Parliament, the European Council and Council of Ministers, the Commission. Where does power lie? Is there a ‘democratic deficit’? The impact of EU institutions on the Westminster Parliament.

UNIT 3A:  The Politics of the USA

September to December, examination January

The Electoral Process and Direct Democracy – September/October

• The caucus system

• Balanced ticket

• Candidate and issue-centred campaigns

• Momentum

• Soft and hard money

• Negative campaigning

• Insider and outsider candidates

• Fixed terms

• Swing states

The main characteristics of presidential and congressional elections and campaigns and the main influences on their outcomes. Candidate selection and nomination through the primary and caucus system and the role of the national nominating conventions. Debates concerning the workings and outcomes of the Electoral College and its impact on campaigns. The significance of money as a factor in electoral success and the impact of the media on campaigns and candidates. Direct democracy at State level through the use of referendums, initiatives, propositions and recall elections, and debates concerning their use. Comparisons with the UK electoral process to illustrate arguments.

Political Parties - November

• Conservatism

• Big tent parties

• Internal coalitions

• Neo-Liberal and Neo-Conservative

• New right

• Religious right

• Compassionate Conservatism

The two main political parties and their differing ideologies, values, policies and traditions. The factionalised nature of the parties: the reasons for, and consequences of, their internal divisions. Party organisation. Recent changes to the parties and reasons for these changes. Debates over party decline or renewal. Debates concerning the weakness of US parties. Reasons for two-party dominance and the significance of third parties and independent candidates. Comparisons with UK political parties to illustrate arguments.

Voting Behaviour - October

• Partisanship

• Alignment and de-alignment

• Gender gap

• New Deal Coalition

• Democratic overload

• Differential abstention

• Ticket splitting

• Swing voters

Consideration of the main variables affecting the way people vote in the US and their relative importance. The long-term determinants of American electoral behaviour including socio-economic status, gender, age, race and ethnicity, region and religion. The significance of partisan alignment and de-alignment. Links between the parties and their core voting coalitions. Recency factors in voting behaviour including differing issues and candidates at different elections and their relative importance. Factors causing change in voting behaviour. The causes and consequences of split ticket voting and high levels of abstention. Comparisons with UK voting behaviour to illustrate arguments.

Pressure Groups – November/December

• Elitism

• Lobbying

• Access points

• Single issue groups

• Corporate power

• Direct Action

• Iron Triangles

• Clientelism

The meaning of political pluralism and debates about its extent in the US. Types and classification of pressure groups including economic, moral, environmental, ethnic, gender and issue based groups. Sectional and cause groups. Debates concerning the methods and tactics used by pressure groups to influence decision making and the reasons for success or the lack of it. The relative power of pressure groups vis-à-vis political parties. Controversies over the extent of pressure group power in the US. The role and significance of Political Action Committees, especially regarding electoral finance. Comparisons with UK pressure groups to illustrate arguments.

UNIT 4A:  The Government of the USA

January to June, examination June

The Constitutional Framework of US Government – January/February

• Codified constitution

• Limited government

• Flexibility/rigidity

• Federalism

• De-centralisation and States’ Rights

• Constitutional sovereignty

• Entrenched rights

• Constitutional interpretation

The nature and significance of the US Constitution and the framework of government that it lays down. The importance of the constitutional principles of the separation of powers and checks and balances to the operation of government and the way that these apply in practice today. The significance of the Bill of Rights. The amendment process. The federal system of government and its implications. Relationship between the federal government and the states. Constitutional change and its causes and effects. Debates concerning the importance of the US Constitution to the working of US government today.  The Supreme Court and the Constitution. Comparisons with the UK’s uncodified constitution and unitary system to illustrate arguments.

• Bicameralism

• Gridlock

• Presidential veto and congressional override

• Impeachment

• Advice and consent powers

• Pork-barrelling

• Filibuster

The constitutional role and power(s) of the US Congress. The composition of Congress and the different terms of office. The differences between the House and the Senate and the relationship between the two houses. Debates concerning the functions, powers and effectiveness of Congress in legislation, oversight and the power of the purse. The importance of both the party system and the Committee system within Congress. The representative role of Senators and Representatives. Debates concerning the social composition of Congress. The relationship of Congress with the Executive Branch of government and the Supreme Court. Comparisons with the Westminster Parliament to illustrate arguments.

The Executive Branch of Government – March/April

• Presidential executive

• Imperial Presidency

• Imperilled Presidency

• Veto

• Power to persuade

• Bureaucratic power

• Iron triangles

• Spoils system

• Clientelism

The Constitution and the executive branch of government. Debates concerning Presidential power, both formal and informal, and the ability to actually exercise it in both domestic and foreign policy. Limitations and constraints on executive power from the Constitution, Congress and the Supreme Court. Debates concerning the main determinants of Presidential/ Congressional relations. The ebb and flow of power. The nature of the exercise of power within the executive branch. Debates concerning the relative power and influence of the Cabinet and the Executive Office of President. The role of the federal bureaucracy and the federal agencies. Comparisons with the UK Executive to illustrate arguments.

The Judicial Branch of Government: The Supreme Court – April/May

• Constitutional interpretation

• Judicial review

• Original intent

• Judicial activism and judicial restraint

• Strict and loose constructionism

• Judicial power

• Entrenched rights

The constitutional role of the Supreme Court and the nature of judicial power. The Supreme Court’s role as guardian of the Constitution through constitutional interpretation. The Supreme Court’s power of judicial review from 1803. Debates and controversies surrounding the selection and appointment process of Supreme Court Justices. The political significance of the Supreme Court and the impact of its landmark judgments. The protection of citizens’ rights by the Supreme Court. Relationship of the Supreme Court with the other branches of government. Comparison with the senior judiciary in the UK to illustrate arguments.