Northern Ireland Β· CCEASyllabus
Politics syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Northern Ireland Politicssyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
A2 1: Comparative Government and Politics
Module overview β- How do we compare political systems, and what kind of constitution does the UK have?Comparative approaches and the UK constitution: the purpose and methods of comparative politics, the nature of the UK's uncodified, unentrenched constitution, the sources and principles of the UK constitution, and how this provides the baseline for comparison with the USA or the Republic of Ireland.15 min answer β
- How do the constitutions, legislatures, executives and politics of the UK and the Republic of Ireland compare?A comparative study of the UK and the Republic of Ireland (Option B): comparing the two constitutions, the legislatures (Parliament and the Oireachtas), the executives (Prime Minister and Taoiseach, and the heads of state), the judiciaries, and the wider political process of elections, parties and referendums.18 min answer β
- How do the constitutions, legislatures, executives and politics of the UK and the USA compare?A comparative study of the UK and the USA (Option A): comparing the two constitutions, the legislatures (Parliament and Congress), the executives (Prime Minister and President), the judiciaries, and the wider political process of elections, parties and pressure groups.18 min answer β
A2 2: Political Power and Political Ideas
Module overview β- What are the core ideas of conservatism, and how do its traditional and New Right strands differ?Conservatism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of conservatism (tradition, pragmatism, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and property), the differences between traditional conservatism and the New Right (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism), and the conservative view of the state, society and the economy.16 min answer β
- How does elite theory explain the origin, nature and distribution of political power?Elitism as a theory of power (Political Power, Option A): the elitist account of power concentrated in a ruling minority, classical elitism (Mosca, Pareto, Michels) and the iron law of oligarchy, the power-elite thesis, democratic elitism, and the main criticisms of elite theory.16 min answer β
- How does feminism explain the origin, nature and distribution of political power?Feminism as a theory of power (Political Power, Option A): the feminist account of power as patriarchy, the public/private divide and the claim that the personal is political, the liberal, radical, socialist and difference strands, and the main criticisms of feminism as a theory of power.16 min answer β
- What are the core ideas of liberalism, and how do its classical and modern strands differ?Liberalism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of liberalism (the individual, freedom, reason, justice, toleration and the liberal state), the differences between classical and modern liberalism, and the liberal view of the state, society and the economy.16 min answer β
- How does Marxism explain the origin, nature and distribution of political power?Marxism as a theory of power (Political Power, Option A): the Marxist account of power rooted in economic class and the ownership of the means of production, the state as an instrument of the ruling class, ideology and false consciousness, instrumentalist and structuralist variants, and the main criticisms of Marxism.16 min answer β
- What are the core ideas of nationalism, and how do its different types differ?Nationalism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core ideas of nationalism (the nation, self-determination, national identity and patriotism), the main types (liberal, conservative, expansionist and anti-colonial nationalism), civic and ethnic conceptions of the nation, and the debate over nationalism's value.16 min answer β
- How does pluralism explain the origin, nature and distribution of political power?Pluralism as a theory of power (Political Power, Option A): the pluralist account of the origin, nature and distribution of power, dispersed among competing groups with the state as a neutral arbiter, and the main criticisms of pluralism, including elite and Marxist objections and the elitist-pluralist response.16 min answer β
- What are the core ideas of socialism, and how do its revolutionary and reformist strands differ?Socialism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of socialism (community and cooperation, equality, social class, common ownership and collectivism), the differences between revolutionary socialism (Marxism), social democracy and the Third Way, and the socialist view of the state, society and the economy.16 min answer β
AS 1: The Government and Politics of Northern Ireland
Module overview β- Who are Northern Ireland's main parties, and how have they changed since 1998?Northern Ireland political parties: the backgrounds, strategies and policies of the DUP, Sinn Fein, the UUP, the SDLP and the Alliance Party, their role in government, and how their fortunes and positions have changed since 1998.16 min answer β
- What did the 1998 Good Friday Agreement establish, and how did later agreements change it?The principles, content and implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (1998) and the changes made by subsequent agreements, including St Andrews (2006), Hillsborough (2010), Stormont House (2014), Fresh Start (2015) and New Decade, New Approach (2020).16 min answer β
- How effectively does the Northern Ireland Assembly represent, legislate and scrutinise?The Northern Ireland Assembly: its composition and election by single transferable vote, its three main functions of representation, legislation and scrutiny, cross-community voting and the petition of concern, the committee system, and its independence from the Executive.16 min answer β
- How is the Northern Ireland Executive formed, and how effectively does it govern?The Northern Ireland Executive: the Executive Office and the joint First Minister and deputy First Minister, the allocation of departments by the d'Hondt formula, the special appointment of the Justice Minister, mandatory coalition and the weakness of collective responsibility.16 min answer β
AS 2: The British Political Process
Module overview β- How do the UK's electoral systems and referendums shape political outcomes?Elections and electoral systems in the UK: first-past-the-post and its effects, the main proportional and majoritarian alternatives used in the UK (STV, AMS, SV), the debate over electoral reform, and the use and impact of referendums.16 min answer β
- What are the functions of UK political parties, and how have the main parties changed?Political parties in the UK: the functions parties perform, the ideas and internal divisions of the Conservative and Labour parties, the role of minor and third parties, party funding and the debate over reform, and the health of the UK party system.16 min answer β
- How do pressure groups try to influence policy, and what makes them succeed?Pressure groups in the UK: their functions and classifications (sectional and promotional, insider and outsider), the methods they use, the factors that determine their success, and whether they enhance or threaten democracy.15 min answer β
- How effectively does the UK Parliament legislate, represent and scrutinise the government?The UK Parliament: the composition and roles of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the legislative process, the functions of representation, legislation and scrutiny, the work of select committees, and the debate over Lords reform.16 min answer β
- Where does power lie within the UK executive, and is the Prime Minister too dominant?The UK Prime Minister, Cabinet and executive: the roles and powers of the Prime Minister, the prerogative powers, the Cabinet and collective responsibility, the factors shaping prime ministerial power, and the debate over prime ministerial versus cabinet government.16 min answer β