UNIT 1 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS ESSAYS
QUESTIONS:
1. To what extent do Human Rights negatively impact the collective for the good of the
individual
2. Evaluate the view that UK Democracy is suffering from a participation crisis
3. To what extent is representative democracy superior to direct democracy?
4. Evaluate the view that think tanks, lobbyists and pressure groups have little impact
on government decision making
5. Evaluate the factors that determine the success of pressure groups in the UK
6. Evaluate the view that the actions of pressure groups have been more significant
than government legislation in defending and promoting rights in the UK
7. Evaluate the extent to which compulsory voting and lowering the voting age may be
the best ways to improve participation in the UK.
, To what extent do Human Rights negatively impact the collective for the good of the individual
HRA allows for the freedom of assemble which allows for the creation of pressure groups but these
pressure groups dont always operate in the interest of the collective eg extinction rebellion
Theme 1: interpretation of rights through judicial review
Number of reviews increased from 4240 in 2000 to 15,600 in 2013
In 2008 the High court awarded Max Mosley substantial damages when the News of the World
published a story about his sex life, which he argued had breached his privacy
However, Max Mosley failed in a subsequent action in the European Court of Human Rights, which
refused to rule that newspapers should notify people before printing stories about their personal
lives
However, Negatively impacts the collective for the individual rights as a citizen,
Eg, Abu Qatadar - had extremist views that cited violence but could not be deported due to the fact
he would face torture in Jordan and it would breach his human rights
Theme 2: Court rulings working in favour of civilians over the government
Poundland 2013- cat reilly won her claim that it was unlawful to force her to work for free as a
condition of her claiming jobseeker’s allowance- the court ruled that the government had acted
unlawfully by not giving unemployed people enough information about the penalties they faced if
they refused to work unpaid
however, Changes to the Jobseekers Act were only implemented in 2019- despite legal issues over
the act it was still left unchanged for 6 more years
Theme 3: Human rights negatively impacts the collective in terms of freedom of speech.
Donald trump faced dire consequences after being accused of inciting violence which led to riots at
the White House.
An example of racist/homophobic speech. The fact that hate speech is a crime.
Hate speech is not part of freedom of speech meaning we don’t really have freedom of speech as a
human right.
However, it protects certain groups in society. the protection of rights of uncharged suspects. Eg The
belmarsh ruling 2004- law Lords voted 8-1 against the government’s indefinite detention of terrorist
suspects in belmarsh prison
However, Under the 2006 Terrorism Act, it is possible for an accused terrorist to face up to 7 years
imprisonment (where they could be innocent)
QUESTIONS:
1. To what extent do Human Rights negatively impact the collective for the good of the
individual
2. Evaluate the view that UK Democracy is suffering from a participation crisis
3. To what extent is representative democracy superior to direct democracy?
4. Evaluate the view that think tanks, lobbyists and pressure groups have little impact
on government decision making
5. Evaluate the factors that determine the success of pressure groups in the UK
6. Evaluate the view that the actions of pressure groups have been more significant
than government legislation in defending and promoting rights in the UK
7. Evaluate the extent to which compulsory voting and lowering the voting age may be
the best ways to improve participation in the UK.
, To what extent do Human Rights negatively impact the collective for the good of the individual
HRA allows for the freedom of assemble which allows for the creation of pressure groups but these
pressure groups dont always operate in the interest of the collective eg extinction rebellion
Theme 1: interpretation of rights through judicial review
Number of reviews increased from 4240 in 2000 to 15,600 in 2013
In 2008 the High court awarded Max Mosley substantial damages when the News of the World
published a story about his sex life, which he argued had breached his privacy
However, Max Mosley failed in a subsequent action in the European Court of Human Rights, which
refused to rule that newspapers should notify people before printing stories about their personal
lives
However, Negatively impacts the collective for the individual rights as a citizen,
Eg, Abu Qatadar - had extremist views that cited violence but could not be deported due to the fact
he would face torture in Jordan and it would breach his human rights
Theme 2: Court rulings working in favour of civilians over the government
Poundland 2013- cat reilly won her claim that it was unlawful to force her to work for free as a
condition of her claiming jobseeker’s allowance- the court ruled that the government had acted
unlawfully by not giving unemployed people enough information about the penalties they faced if
they refused to work unpaid
however, Changes to the Jobseekers Act were only implemented in 2019- despite legal issues over
the act it was still left unchanged for 6 more years
Theme 3: Human rights negatively impacts the collective in terms of freedom of speech.
Donald trump faced dire consequences after being accused of inciting violence which led to riots at
the White House.
An example of racist/homophobic speech. The fact that hate speech is a crime.
Hate speech is not part of freedom of speech meaning we don’t really have freedom of speech as a
human right.
However, it protects certain groups in society. the protection of rights of uncharged suspects. Eg The
belmarsh ruling 2004- law Lords voted 8-1 against the government’s indefinite detention of terrorist
suspects in belmarsh prison
However, Under the 2006 Terrorism Act, it is possible for an accused terrorist to face up to 7 years
imprisonment (where they could be innocent)
