CCEA GCSE Government and Politics Unit 1 Democracy in Action: a complete overview of government in Northern Ireland and the UK and the role of the citizen

What this unit demands

Democracy in Action is Unit 1 of CCEA GCSE Government and Politics, examined by a written paper worth half the GCSE. It studies how Northern Ireland and the wider United Kingdom are governed, and how citizens take part. The exam rewards precise knowledge of institutions and systems, an understanding of why power is shared in Northern Ireland, and balanced, even-handed answers on sensitive matters. This overview ties the dot-point pages together; work through each for the detail.

Government and politics in Northern Ireland

The first strand examines the devolved institutions created by the Good Friday Agreement.

The Northern Ireland Assembly is the legislature: ninety MLAs elected by the single transferable vote, five from each of the eighteen constituencies, who make laws, scrutinise the Executive and represent the public. The Northern Ireland Executive is the government: ministers appointed by the d'Hondt method in proportion to party strength, led jointly by the First Minister and deputy First Minister with equal powers. The whole system rests on power-sharing and consociationalism, government by the communities together. The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement of 1998 is the foundation, with its principle of consent, three strands, and provisions on power-sharing, decommissioning, prisoner releases and policing reform.

Government in the United Kingdom

The second strand examines how the UK as a whole is governed.

The UK Parliament at Westminster has three parts, the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch, and makes law, scrutinises government and represents the public under parliamentary sovereignty. The Prime Minister and Cabinet form the government: the PM leads and appoints ministers, the Cabinet decides major policy, and collective responsibility keeps the government united. Elections and electoral systems contrast first-past-the-post at Westminster with the proportional single transferable vote in Northern Ireland. Political parties contest elections and form or share government, with single-party government at Westminster but multi-party power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

The role of the citizen

The third strand examines how people engage with politics.

A free media informs citizens, scrutinises those in power as a watchdog and shapes debate, with concerns about bias and the rise of social media. Citizens have rights and responsibilities, and can take action by voting, joining a party, joining a pressure group, petitioning and demonstrating. Pressure groups seek to influence government on issues without forming a government, using methods from lobbying to lawful demonstration.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall questions covering the whole unit. Attempt them, then check the solutions.

1. How many MLAs are there, and how are they elected? (2 marks)
2. What does the d'Hondt method do? (1 mark)
3. Name the three strands of the Good Friday Agreement. (3 marks)
4. What are the three parts of the UK Parliament? (3 marks)
5. What is collective Cabinet responsibility? (1 mark)
6. Give one difference between first-past-the-post and the single transferable vote. (2 marks)
7. State two ways a citizen can take part in a democracy. (2 marks)
8. What is the key difference between a pressure group and a political party? (1 mark)