OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies: Democracy and government - a complete section overview

What this section demands

Democracy and government is the heart of OCR's Section 2. It covers how the UK is governed: the constitution, Parliament and government, the monarchy and the executive, how people are elected, how power is shared with devolved and local government, how the government raises and spends money, and how citizens take part. The marks come from precise knowledge (named institutions, the voting system, the difference between Parliament and government) and from balanced "evaluate" answers that reach a judgement. This overview ties the seven dot-point pages together.

The British constitution

A constitution sets out how a country is governed and what rights citizens have. The UK's is uncodified: there is no single document, so the rules come from statute law, common law, conventions and works of authority, and it can be changed by an ordinary Act of Parliament. The UK is a representative democracy and a constitutional monarchy, resting on parliamentary sovereignty (Parliament is the supreme law-maker) and a partial separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary.

Parliament and government

Parliament (the legislature) has two Houses: the elected House of Commons (around 650 MPs) and the unelected House of Lords. The government (the executive) is formed by the party with a Commons majority, led by the Prime Minister, who chooses the Cabinet. Laws are made when a Bill passes both Houses and gets Royal Assent. Parliament holds the government to account through questions (including Prime Minister's Questions), select committees, debates and votes.

The monarchy and the executive

The monarch is the head of state in a constitutional monarchy: a ceremonial role, with powers exercised on ministers' advice. The executive (the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the politically neutral civil service) is the head of government and runs the country. Executive power is limited by Parliament, the courts (the rule of law and judicial review), elections and a free press.

Elections and voting systems

UK general elections use first-past-the-post: the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins. It is simple and tends to produce stable majorities, but it is not proportional and can make votes feel wasted. Other UK elections use proportional systems and the single transferable vote, which match seats to votes more closely but can produce coalitions. Political parties organise candidates and policies, and turnout matters for legitimacy.

Devolution, local government, tax and participation

Devolution transfers some powers to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd and Northern Ireland Assembly (devolved matters such as health and education), while Westminster keeps reserved matters (defence, foreign affairs). Local councils run everyday services (schools, social care, refuse, libraries), funded by council tax and grants. The government raises money through taxation (income tax, VAT, National Insurance) and sets out the Budget; public spending goes mainly on health, welfare, education and defence. Citizens can participate beyond voting through parties, pressure groups, petitions, campaigning, lobbying, trade unions, protest and volunteering.

Check your knowledge

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

1. Is the UK constitution codified or uncodified, and what does that mean? (2 marks)
2. Name the two Houses of Parliament. (2 marks)
3. What is the difference between Parliament and the government? (2 marks)
4. Who is the head of state, and who is the head of government in the UK? (2 marks)
5. What voting system is used for UK general elections? (1 mark)
6. Name the three devolved law-making bodies. (3 marks)
7. Name two taxes the government uses to raise money. (2 marks)
8. Give two ways a citizen can take part in democracy other than voting. (2 marks)