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Living and Participating in a Democracy (AS Unit 2)

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What forms does democracy take in the UK, and is there a participation crisis?

Democracy and participation: direct and representative democracy, the features of UK democracy, the forms of political participation, and debates about a participation crisis and reform.
A WJEC AS Unit 2 study of democracy and participation: the difference between direct and representative democracy, the strengths and weaknesses of UK democracy, the forms of participation including referendums, and the debate over whether the UK faces a participation crisis.
13 min answer →

How do the UK's electoral systems work, and which produces the fairest outcomes?

Elections and electoral systems: the functions of elections, first-past-the-post and the proportional and mixed systems used in the UK, and debates about which system is fairest.
A WJEC AS Unit 2 study of elections and electoral systems: the functions of elections, how first-past-the-post works and its effects, the additional member system used for the Senedd, other systems such as STV and SV, and debates about proportionality and reform.
13 min answer →

What do political parties do, and how healthy is the UK party system?

Political parties: their functions, the main UK and Welsh parties and their ideas, the nature of the party system, and debates about party funding and party decline.
A WJEC AS Unit 2 study of political parties: their functions, the main parties at Westminster and in Wales and their broad ideas, the two-party and multi-party debate, and controversies over party funding and party membership decline.
12 min answer →

How do pressure groups try to influence politics, and what makes them succeed?

Pressure groups: their types and methods, the factors that determine their influence, and debates about whether they strengthen or distort democracy.
A WJEC AS Unit 2 study of pressure groups: the distinction between sectional and promotional groups and insider and outsider status, the methods they use, the factors that determine their success, and the debate over whether they enhance or distort democracy.
12 min answer →

What explains how people vote, and how much do the media shape elections?

Voting behaviour and the media: long-term and short-term factors that influence how people vote, the decline of class voting, and the role and influence of the media in elections.
A WJEC AS Unit 2 study of voting behaviour and the media: long-term factors such as class, age and partisanship, short-term factors such as issues, leaders and the campaign, the decline of class-based voting and partisan dealignment, and debates about media influence.
12 min answer →