Download Revision_activity_booklet_for_Power

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
Definition
Direct action
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 P ol it ic s
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 Social class
o Occupation
o Ethnicity
o 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.
Ethnic minorities and the young are also
more likely to vote Labour.
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
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………
EXPLAIN
THE
PROCESS
EXAMPLE
DEFINITION IN
CONTEXT
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.
DESCRIBE
one way in which gender roles in the family have changed in the past 50 years is
NEW PARAGRAPH
EXPLAIN
this change has happened because
Mark scheme:
Describe one: 2 marks
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
words from
the
question as
a starter to
your first
sentence
 How far Sociologists would agree that marriage in Britain today is
important is debateable because
Or
 How far sociologists would agree that the type of school a child
attends has a significant effect on his or her life chances is debatable
because
Use the introduction to break down what the question is asking you;

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
POINT
theory or
concept
EXPLAIN
what do
sociologists
think about
this?
EXAMPLE
evidence
from stats
or a
relevant
example
from real
life
LINK
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
“How far” (Evaluation)
Sociological terms
Spelling / punctuation
no response
very limited range
poor
no response
limited range used
appropriately.
some accuracy.
More developed
understanding of
relevant sociology
Clear understanding of
relevant sociology
recognises ‘how far’.
A good range used
effectively.
reasonable accuracy.
Explicitly and in detail
addresses ‘how far’
a wide range used
very effectively.
considerable accuracy
Use the
mark
scheme to
assess
how well
you’re
doing…
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
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
I
O
E
C
Y
I
T
S
M
C
V
B
S
P
N
S
H
E
B
R
E
O
N
G
L
I
B
F
D
R
I
U
G
A
E
K
V
T
C
G
W
Q
U
W
S
I
A
E
E
F
I
T
A
G
X
E
Q
Y
Z
C
B
A
N
J
H
U
R
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
X
D
Z
J
S
I
O
D
R
W
E
G
H
E
N
S
T
T
T
M
N
A
P
K
I
P
M
L
J
K
K
M
T
R
M
R
O
I
I
Y
S
E
D
M
G
S
U
T
S
U
Z
J
P
U
T
J
G
I
C
T
V
I
W
R
I
D
C
O
U
E
I
G
V
G
D
M
E
C
A
S
I
S
R
E
E
E
V
K
R
B
U
L
L
O
E
R
X
I
U
N
X
A
O
A
O
P
R
N
I
G
C
D
I
E
A
I
N
U
M
N
J
S
M
AUTHORITY
BENEFITS
CHARISMATIC
COERCION
CONFLICT
DEMOCRACY
ELECTION
LEGAL
__ __ __ __ __
__ __
__
K
H
S
N
A
E
S
E
W
E
D
W
C
R
U
A
A
M
I
Q
B
Z
C
L
T
S
R
N
R
A
T
A
P
Y
T
U
V
Q
K
L
M
Y
A
A
E
O
U
H
T
U
T
S
L
C
R
H
I
L
G
K
D
V
T
E
Z
O
Y
G
D
I
S
D
E
D
P
H
O
B
O
P
E
J
O
I
L
T
X
W
C
Y
Y
S
I
T
G
U
F
J
A
N
N
T
A
E
R
J
E
A
Y
B
O
S
E
P
S
C
R
A
F
V
F
G
F
F
A
O
Y
S
G
T
B
E
N
R
P
N
C
O
O
L
G
S
X
I
A
L
H
G
S
W
A
S
D
J
P
O
A
S
U
E
U
S
Y
V
K
P
T
T
I
L
Z
H
L
P
U
T
C
E
O
I
L
R
P
T
T
E
C
E
U
W
B
C
S
C
I
Q
L
Q
M
C
W
N
A
C
S
H
G
F
I
A
G
H
U
S
T
N
F
W
K
W
E
I
E
S
R
I
A
N
R
F
D
E
M
O
C
R
A
C
Y
K
U
D
P
O
R
O
L
O
N
V
O
L
U
N
T
E
E
R
I
N
G
R
C
J
MEANSTESTED
MINIMUMWAGE
PLURALISM
PRESSUREGROUPS
RATIONAL
STATE
TRADITIONAL
UNIVERSAL
VOLUNTEERING
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
T
L
R
B
E
N
E
F
I
T
S
F
R
X
K
T
R
W
S
F
B
J
__ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ . __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
__ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __