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A2 2: Political Power and Political Ideas

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to conservatism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of tradition, pragmatism, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and property, the differences between traditional conservatism and the New Right, and the conservative view of the state, society and the economy.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to elitism as a theory of power. Covers classical elitism (Mosca, Pareto and Michels and the iron law of oligarchy), the power-elite thesis, democratic elitism, and the main criticisms of the claim that power is always concentrated in a ruling minority.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to feminism as a theory of power. Covers the feminist account of power as patriarchy, the public/private divide and the personal is political, the liberal, radical, socialist and difference strands of feminism, and the main criticisms of feminism as a theory of power.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to liberalism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of 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 →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to Marxism as a theory of power. Covers 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, the instrumentalist and structuralist variants, and the main criticisms.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to nationalism as a political ideology. Covers the core ideas of the nation, self-determination, national identity and patriotism, the main types of liberal, conservative, expansionist and anti-colonial nationalism, the civic and ethnic conceptions of the nation, and the debate over its value.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to pluralism as a theory of power. Covers the pluralist account of the origin, nature and distribution of power as dispersed among competing groups with the state as a neutral arbiter, classical and elite pluralism, and the main criticisms from elite theory and Marxism.
16 min answer →

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.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to socialism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of community and cooperation, equality, social class, common ownership and collectivism, the differences between revolutionary socialism, social democracy and the Third Way, and the socialist view of the state, society and the economy.
16 min answer →