Power Revision Book

advertisement

Name ………………………………………

Revision activity booklet for Paper 2

Topic 5 – Power

Specialist word glossary

Concept

Alienated

Aristocracy

Charismatic authority

Citizen

Class alignment/de-alignment

Coercion

Conservatives

Constituency

Democracy

Dictatorship

Direct action

Definition

Discrimination

Elections and electoral reform

Electorate

Elite

Ideology

Left and right wing

Legal rational authority

Legislative process

Member of Parliament

Monarchy

Nation state

Neo-liberalism

New social movements

Political party

Political socialisation

Privatisation

Pressure group

Prime Minister

Socialism

Trade unions

Traditional authority

Power and Politics

Decision-making and citizenship in British Politics

In a democracy the people participate in the decision-making process in several ways. You may have already voted in a school election, or even been elected as a representative for your form / school. Many people also showed their support for the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005 by wearing a wristband.

There are many other ways that a citizen can participate in the political process.

They include;

1.

Signing a petition

2.

Writing a letter / Sending an E-mail to an MP

3.

Joining a pressure group

4.

Joining a political party

Democracy means rule by the people, and Britain is a good example of a democratic society. Almost all countries in Europe and the Americas are democratic. However, several countries in Africa and Asia are undemocratic, such as North Korea and

Zimbabwe. They are more commonly known as dictatorships.

You will need to state and explain what makes a country democratic. There are four main factors to consider;

1.

Free and fair elections in which everyone is entitled to vote

2.

The government is held to account by elected representatives

3.

People hold a series of civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and association

4.

Society consists of several conflicting beliefs, such as pro-animal testing and those who campaign against testing on animals. The existence of many different demands and beliefs is an essential element of a democracy

In a democracy, all citizens should take an active role in politics. However in the

UK political participation is dominated by white, middle-aged, middle-class men. The young, women and ethnic minorities are less likely to participate in politics. These groups are also underrepresented in the House of Commons. For example, barely 1 in 5 MPs are women.

Many people also feel disillusioned with the political process. This is because;

 They think that politicians just say what they want the people to hear, rather than saying what they would actually do if elected

Certain groups are underrepresented and often therefore feel that their views are being ignored. For example, very few MPs are under the age of 30.

Political socialisation

Political socialisation is the method by which we acquire political norms and values, and we experience political socialisation throughout our lives. For example, our early political views are usually influenced by our parents. This may take the form of identifying with a particular party, or taking a negative view of an opposing party.

As we leave home, our political views will be further influenced by peer groups, particularly in the workplace. The area we live in can also be a factor in determining voting behaviour, but perhaps the most important agent of political socialisation is the media.

The media impacts upon political socialisation in three ways;

1.

Politicians must present a favourable media image, otherwise they will fail to win votes. One of the reasons the Conservative party elected David

Cameron as their leader was his positive media image

2.

The media can often determine an agenda that politicians tend to follow.

For example, recent Home Secretaries have been critical of judged imposing lenient sentences against criminals

3.

Newspapers can reinforce their readers to vote for a particular party.

However, it is debateable as to how much impact the press really has upon voting behaviour.

The media often shows political bias, particularly newspapers (e.g. the Daily Mail supports the Conservatives, and the Daily Mirror favours the Labour party).

However, the TV is more objective. For example the BBC is officially neutral. Other

TV stations do occasionally show a slight bias, such as Sky news.

Political change

You will need to describe and explain changes to the distribution of political power since the 1970s. The main changes have been as follows;

 Britain joining the European Union (EU) in 1973. One impact of British membership of the EU has been an erosion of national sovereignty

A decline in the power of the trade unions

A rise in new social movements campaigning for issues such as protection of the environment, and the rights of gay people

Devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This means that

Westminster deals with issues that affect the whole of the UK (e.g. defence and foreign policy), whereas regional parliaments deal with local issues such as health and education.

Voting behaviour

You need to know the various influences upon voting behaviour, and their impact.

They include; o

Parents o o o o

Social class

Occupation

Ethnicity

The area of the country a person lives in, etc.

LABOUR voters CONSERVATIVE voters

More likely to be working-class, live in the north and in the inner-cities. There is also strong support for Labour in

Scotland and Wales.

More likely to be white, middle-class and living in either the suburbs or a rural area.

The Conservatives do particularly well in the South of England, although in the

Ethnic minorities and the young are also more likely to vote Labour.

2005 General Election they gained more votes in the whole of England than the

Labour party.

Voter turnout has declined in recent years due to apathy – where voters are not motivated to vote for any political party. There are several causes of apathy you need to be aware of;

1.

Disillusionment with politicians – this is a particular problem amongst younger voters

2.

A widespread feeling that politicians do not listen to the people

3.

There is little ideological difference between the two main parties

4.

A feeling that one vote can make little difference. Since 1997 this has been a particular problem in safe Labour seats, where turnout has declined significantly

In recent years, political parties have tried to target their message to the 100,000 or so floating voters in marginal constituencies (seats in the House of Commons that can change from one party to another). This is because this small group of voters effectively decides the result of a General Election. The modern-style of campaigning, with its emphasis upon focus groups and sound-bites, has also contributed to apathy amongst the electorate (i.e. in the 2005 election, only 61% of the electorate bothered to vote).

Political Participation

• Participation in the political process has changed significantly in the UK over the past 50 years.

• In general traditional forms of participation – such as voter turnout in general elections and membership of political parties – are declining.

• However, this does not necessarily mean that people are politically apathetic

(not interested in politics).

• For instance, many people participate in the political process by signing petitions, joining protest marches and supporting consumer boycotts.

Pressure Groups

Pressure groups are groups of people or organisations that try and campaign or lobby to influence government in some way. Examples of pressure groups are

Fathers for justice.

The chance of pressure group activity being successful depends on several factors, such as whether the group is an insider or outsider group.

• Insider groups such as the Automobile Association, The Natural

Choice and the CBI have close links with government networks and they are consulted by government departments, civil servants, and ministers when policy proposals are being prepared. So they are in a strong position to influence government.

• By contrast, outsider groups such as Greenpeace are not consulted automatically. This may be because their aims or their tactics are not recognised by government,

• Other factors include:

– Resources: such as finances and staffing

– The size of the groups membership

– Public opinion and whether there is public support.

Social Movements

Social Movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals and/or Organisations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change.

Interest Group

A Special Interest Group (SIG) is a community with an interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to effect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organize conferences. They may at times also advocate or lobby on a particular issue or on a range of issues but are generally distinct from Advocacy groups and pressure groups which are normally set up for the specific political aim; the distinction is not firm however and some organizations can adapt and change their focus over time.

Power

 Authority: this is power exercised over people when they willingly obey to the individual – for example your teacher, or boss at work.

 Coercion: this is power that involves a threat of force or violence to make people obey them.

 Charismatic authority: exercise power based on their charisma.

 Legal rational authority: power that they hold because of their job, for example a policeman or the prime minister.

 In everyday life, holding and exercising power is about being able to make your own interests count, achieve your aims and influence the behavior of others.

Power in the family

 Parents are expected to operate power over their children.

 This has changed over the last 50 years. There has been a shift of power and attention towards children in working-class families.

 Parents are now less strict and have started having democratic and equal power relations.

 In 2004 legal changes were introduced and any punishment that left physical marks or caused harm was outlawed.

Power in education

 Teachers have the power to enforce rules, but their power is limited to school contexts.

 Relationships between teachers and students have changed over time. They have now become more informal and democratic.

 Some teachers can use charismatic authority to exercise power over students.

 During the 1960’s many schools routinely used physical punishment as a last resort to discipline students.

 Today – teachers are no longer able to use corporal punishment.

 Recent educational policies can be seen as reflecting a shift in thinking about the balance of power between teachers and students. For example, by law, schools must now take students’ views into account when deciding on policies that affect the.

Police and the Public

 The police are an agency of social control. The police play a part in enforcing authority over people.

 They exercise power in the form of legal and rational authority. For example they have powers to stop and search arrest and detain members of the public.

 They may resort to coercive power as a last resort.

Employers and Employees

 Functionalists believe that employer and employee relationships are based on legitimate authority and operate through formal rules.

 Marxists believe that unequal power relations operate in the work place and that employers exploit employees in the workforce through poor wages and poor working conditions.

Social Problems

 Social problems are situations or behaviours that are viewed as undesirable and need to be solved.

 The Beveridge Report (1942) found the main social problems to be: o Poverty o Discrimination o Unemployment o Ageing society

Poverty and Unemployment

 Alcock (2008) Believes poverty to be a major concern for policy makers.

 One way to help people in poverty is to introduce means-tested benefits. This is good as people who need help can get it – however it may miss people who are living just above the poverty line.

 In 1999 Labour introduced a National minimum wage.

 Deacon (2008) believes that this has not had a significant impact on wage inequality.

 In 2006 half of the children experiencing poverty lived in households which one adult was working. In these cases, paid employment does not necessarily provide a route out of poverty.

 The government introduced the New Deal program to try and improve people skills and motivation. This helps unemployed people on benefits find employment and includes training and preparation for work.

 Evaluation: o Benefit levels are inadequate to meet people’s basic requirements and should be increased to ensure that people can afford basic necessities. o Successive governments have failed to significantly reduce the high levels of poverty in Britain.

Discrimination

 Discrimination occurs when people are treated differently and less favourably.

Governments have tried to tackle discrimination by introducing new equality

and anti-discrimination legislation. As a result, it is now unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, age, religion, belief, disability or sexual orientation.

 Britain’s ageing population means that older people are an important focus of social policy. Age discrimination in the labour market is a key social policy issues affecting older people today. In 2006, the government introduced regulations against age discrimination in employment and training. Although these regulations cover the whole age range, they are more likely to benefit older people.

How to answer 4 mark questions

The pattern of these questions is:

Explain what sociologists mean by………..

EG “Explain what sociologists mean by labelling.”

Sometimes the question may add when studying……

EG “Explain what sociologists mean by conformity when studying education .”

The marks are allocated as follows:

1 mark for basic statements about the question with little or no reference to the topic that the question’s set on.

2-3 marks for a partial or under-developed sociological explanation, possibly via an example, in which some general reference will be made to the topic that the question is set on.

4 marks for a clear explanation focused on the topic that the question is set on that uses examples from specifically relevant areas of sociology

How to start your answer:

In the context of (insert name of topic), (keyword) means………

Example : Family section: Explain what sociologists mean by patriarchy. (4 marks)

In the context of the family, patriarchy means

For example….

This happens because…

Power 4 mark questions.

Explain what sociologists mean by an elite. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Explain what sociologists mean by discrimination. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Explain what sociologists mean by power relationships. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Explain what sociologists mean by a benefits culture. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Explain what sociologists mean by authority. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

How to answer 5 Mark questions

DON’T FORGET: underline / highlight the key words in the question and then use them in your answer.

EG:

Describe

one way in which gender roles in the family have changed in the past 50 years and explain why this change has happened. one way in which gender roles in the family have changed in the past 50 years is

NEW PARAGRAPH

this change has happened because

Describe one: 2 marks

Mark scheme:

1 mark for a partial description.

2 marks for an appropriate and more developed description

Explain: 3 marks description.

1-2 marks for a simple explanation linked to the

3 marks for a clear explanation explicitly related to the description AND relevant sociological theory / concepts.

Describe one way in which recent governments have changed how they provide benefits for people who are unemployed and explain why this might lead to political arguments and debate. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which police powers have increased in Britain in the last 30 years and explain why some groups would consider this to be a problem. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one approach which has been used in an attempt to increase the participation of women in parliamentary politics and explain why this approach might not be successful. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which children and young people have gained more power

and influence over their education in the last 20 years and explain why some

teachers and other adults might consider this to be a problem. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which pressure groups try to influence government decisions

and explain why some pressure groups are more successful than others in

influencing such decisions. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which the police have power over members of the public and explain how this might affect the relationship between the police and the community. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which recent governments have tried to improve conditions for older people and explain why this may not always have been successful. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which members of minority ethnic groups may still experience prejudice and explain how this may affect the power they have in today’s society. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which the poor have less power than others in society and explain why this situation continues. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Describe one way in which recent governments have tried to reduce unemployment and explain how successful this has been. (5 marks)

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

PEELing apart your essay

For your question, identify at least three points

– there

must

be at least ONE in each column.

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Introductions

Use the question at the beginning of your introduction for example;

Use the

Or

 How far Sociologists would agree that marriage in Britain today is important

is debateable because words from the question as a starter to

 How far sociologists would agree that the type of school a child your first attends has a significant effect on his or her life chances sentence because

Use the introduction to break down what the question is asking you;

is debatable

Define any key terms it mentions – EG “ life chances”

 Is there a theory it is talking about – EG Marxism / Functionalism / New Right

 If statistics are involved, what is the key trend or pattern in this area? – EG

Rising / Falling / Steady / High / low

Pointless picture of a banana (teacher joke)

Now

PEEL

the question apart

You need to do the following for

EACH

of your 4 points

theory or concept what do sociologists think about this? evidence from stats or a relevant example from real life to the question and next paragraph

Conclusion starters

Your conclusion should address the essay question directly (weigh up all the evidence/theories) and answer the ‘How far.’ part. E.g.

 To a large/a small / some extent sociologists agree because...

 To sum up it would appear that many/some sociologists agree/disagree…

 In conclusion it would seem that most/few sociologists agree/disagree…

 Mention any statistics that support your conclusion

Mark

1-3

4-6

7-9

10-12

Knowledge and understanding

Basic statements with little sociology

Some understanding of relevant sociology

More developed understanding of relevant sociology

Clear understanding of relevant sociology

“How far” (Evaluation) no response no response recognises ‘how far’.

Explicitly and in detail addresses ‘how far’

Sociological terms very limited range limited range used

appropriately.

A good range used effectively. a wide range used very effectively.

Spelling / punctuation poor some accuracy. reasonable accuracy.

considerable accuracy

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that young people are not interested in politics. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that power is shared equally between different social classes in Britain today. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today power is shared equally between different ethnic groups. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Use the mark

scheme to assess how well you’re doing…

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today other factors are more important than social class in determining how people vote. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that social problems such as poverty and unemployment are most effectively addressed by government action. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that age is the most important influence on an individual’s participation in the political process. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in society today power is shared equally between women and men. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in society today relationships between children and adults are increasingly democratic. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today pressure groups are more attractive to young people than political parties. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today political power is in the hands of wealthy men. (12 marks)

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

12 mark answer – Power

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that age and ethnicity are now more important influences than social class on British people’s political attitudes and the way they vote.

(12 marks)

Mark out of 12 ____

Why? ___

Key concepts associated with Power

P O W U E R I S A K C E Y C O N P C M E P T

I N S R N O C I O H L O G Y S R O E C I O L

O G I A S I T S A S T U D Y E P A O W E R R

E L A T T I V R O N S H I S P N S I N S O B

C I E I T Y I E P A R T S I S C U L A R L E

Y B E O T S W E R E N U D T C O E R C I O N

I F F N M E R E N S R T E G R O U P S A N E

T D I A N D I V I E A S D U A L S T H N V F

S R T L A M D K G W T L P F F G Y T G R O I

M I A X P G C R C E A C H J V S V E F F L T

C U G D K S O B D D P R O A F X K C I D U S

V G X Z I U U U I W Y H B N G I P E A E N F

B A E J P T E L E C T I O N F A T U G M T R

S E Q S M S I L A R U L P T F L T W H O E X

P K Y I L U G O I U V G E A A H I B U C E K

N V Z O J Z V E N A Q K J E O G L C S R R T

S T C D K J G R U A K D O R Y S Z S T A I R

H C B R K P D X M M L V I J S W H C N C N W

E G A W M U M I N I M T L E G A L I F Y G S

B W N E T T E U J Q Y E T A T S P Q W K R F

R Q J G R J C N S B A Z X Y B D U L K U C B

E U H H M G A X M Z A O W B E J T Q W D J J

AUTHORITY

BENEFITS

CHARISMATIC

COERCION

CONFLICT

DEMOCRACY

ELECTION

LEGAL

MEANSTESTED

MINIMUMWAGE

PLURALISM

PRESSUREGROUPS

RATIONAL

STATE

TRADITIONAL

UNIVERSAL

VOLUNTEERING

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ . __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Download