Key term
WJEC AS-Level Government and Politics 603-1979-3
The British Constitution
Topic overviewThe nature of the constitution: uncodified, unitary and flexibleStatute law as a source of the constitutionCommon law and works of constitutional authorityConstitutional conventionsParliamentary sovereigntyThe rule of lawParliamentary government and constitutional monarchyConstitutional reform since 1997The debate on a codified constitutionThe UK, the European Union and BrexitThe UK, NATO and the United Nations
The Judiciary and the Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtThe Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and the creation of the CourtThe Supreme Court as the highest court of appealThe separation of powers in the UKJudicial independenceJudicial neutrality and the appointment of judgesJudicial review and the doctrine of ultra viresSupreme Court rulings on constitutional mattersA separate legal jurisdiction for Wales
The UK Executive
Topic overviewThe core executiveThe roles of the Prime MinisterThe powers and resources of the Prime MinisterThe royal prerogativeThe composition of the CabinetThe roles and functions of the CabinetCollective ministerial responsibilityIndividual ministerial responsibilityPrime ministerial government and its limitsThe civil service
Parliament and the Accountability of Government
Topic overviewThe composition of the House of CommonsThe House of Lords: composition and powersThe functions of ParliamentThe legislative processPrivate members' bills and delegated legislationSelect committeesQuestions, debates and confidence in the governmentBackbench MPs and peersThe role of the OppositionParliamentary privilegeParliamentary sovereignty in practiceExecutive dominance and where power lies
Government and the Senedd in Wales
Topic overviewThe First Minister of WalesThe Welsh Government and its CabinetCollective and individual ministerial responsibility in WalesThe powers and resources of the Welsh GovernmentThe origins and structure of the SeneddThe composition and election of the SeneddThe legislative competence of the SeneddThe legislative process in the SeneddPlenary and the business of the SeneddSenedd committeesMembers of the Senedd and the OppositionDebates over the effectiveness of the Senedd
Devolution and the United Kingdom
Topic overviewThe nature and forms of devolutionThe origins of devolution in the UKThe Scottish Parliament and Scottish GovernmentThe Northern Ireland Assembly and ExecutiveDevolution in EnglandAsymmetry in the devolution settlementThe West Lothian question and English votes for English lawsFunding devolution and the Barnett formulaDevolution, sovereignty and the unionDebates over the future of the union
Citizenship and Rights
Topic overviewThe meaning of citizenshipGlobal citizenshipFreedom, equality and active citizenshipThe rule of law and protection under the lawThe rights of minoritiesPositive discrimination and positive actionThe sources of rights in the UKEquality legislation on race and genderFreedom of expression, association and religionPrivacy, liberty and the right to a fair trialConflicts between rightsDebates over a British Bill of Rights
The Protection of Human Rights
Topic overviewThe courts and the protection of rightsJudicial review: grounds and remediesJudicial review in practiceThe Universal Declaration of Human RightsThe European Convention on Human RightsThe European Court of Human RightsThe Human Rights Act 1998The Human Rights Act in the courtsEnforcing equality lawOmbudsmen and commissionersPressure and campaigning for rightsDebates over the protection of rights in the UK
Democracy and Participation
Electoral Systems in the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of elections and the language of electoral systemsFirst Past the Post: how it worksFirst Past the Post: advantages and criticismsThe Additional Member System and Senedd electionsThe Single Transferable VoteParty list systemsThe supplementary vote and the alternative voteProportionality, fairness and effects on party systemsCoalition and minority governmentKey elections in WalesReferendums in Wales and the UK
Voting Behaviour in the UK
Topic overviewThe sociological model and social classParty identification and partisan dealignmentThe rational choice modelThe valence model and governing competenceAge, gender, ethnicity and educationRegion, nation and voting in WalesElection campaigns and party leadersThe media and voting behaviourTurnout, tactical voting and volatility
Political Parties in Wales and the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of political partiesThe Labour Party: origins and ideologyThe Conservative Party: origins and ideologyThe Liberal Democrats and the centre groundPlaid Cymru and the Welsh party systemSmaller and minor partiesParty organisation and the role of membersLeadership selection in the main partiesCandidate selection and representationManifestos, platforms and the mandateParty funding, cash for influence and reform
Pressure Groups and Social Movements
Topic overviewPressure groups and how they differ from partiesSectional and promotional groupsInsider and outsider groupsAccess points in Wales and the UKLobbying and direct contact with decision-makersDirect action and public campaigningUsing the media and new technologiesFactors in pressure group successPressure groups and the health of democracySocial movements: nature, membership and methodsThe women's movement and the environmental movement
Voting Behaviour in the UK
- 9 subtopics
- 27 things to know
- AS Unit 2
What Voting Behaviour in the UK covers
Voting Behaviour in the UK is examined in AS Unit 2, Living and participating in a democracy — participation through elections and voting. It covers the sociological model and social class, party identification and partisan dealignment, the rational choice model, the valence model and governing competence, age, gender, ethnicity and education, region, nation and voting in Wales, election campaigns and party leaders, the media and voting behaviour and turnout, tactical voting and volatility.
The 9 subtopics
Each one has its own page. WJEC AS Government and Politics students sit this topic in the first year.
- The sociological model and social classClass alignment and class dealignment.Open →
- Party identification and partisan dealignmentParty identification, partisan alignment and partisan dealignment.Open →
- The rational choice modelIssue voting, difference between egocentric and sociotropic voting and median voter theorem.Open →
- The valence model and governing competenceEconomic competence, best prime minister rating and how governing competence can override a voter's ideological preference.Open →
- Age, gender, ethnicity and educationHistoric gender gap in British voting, pattern of voting among ethnic minority voters in the UK and what is meant by a values divide in voting.Open →
- Region, nation and voting in WalesNorth-south divide in British voting, labour's historic position in Wales and differential voting between Senedd and Westminster elections.Open →
- Election campaigns and party leadersVoter targeting, how party leaders influence voting and presidentialisation of British election campaigns.Open →
- The media and voting behaviourDifference in regulation between broadcasters and newspapers in the UK, reinforcement theory of media influence and echo chamber.Open →
- Turnout, tactical voting and volatilityTactical voting, electoral volatility and protest voting.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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How has the gender gap in voting changed?
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Explain why no single model fully explains voting behaviour.
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Define class alignment.
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Define party identification.
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Which economist set out the rational account of voting in 1957?
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Distinguish a valence issue from a position issue.
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Give two explanations for regional differences in voting.
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Distinguish the long campaign from the short campaign.
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State the difference in regulation between broadcasters and newspapers in the UK.
Numbers
Which two academics set out the classic account of class and party in Britain?
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How does party identification differ from simply voting for a party?
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Define issue voting.
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Give three examples of valence issues.
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Describe Labour's historic position in Wales.
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Why do parties concentrate campaign resources on a small number of seats?
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What is meant by the reinforcement theory of media influence?
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Why is differential turnout important in explaining an election result?
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Which social grades are used to classify voters by occupation?
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Define partisan dealignment.
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Explain the difference between egocentric and sociotropic voting.
Numbers
Which political scientist introduced the distinction between valence and position issues?
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Why does the age divide have a larger effect on results than its raw size suggests?
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Give two reasons why Plaid Cymru does better at Senedd elections than at UK general elections
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What is meant by voter targeting?
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What is agenda-setting?
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What conditions make tactical voting more likely?
Take Voting Behaviour in the UK further
The same content, four other ways.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What does the sociological model of voting claim?
Model answer
It claims that voting is shaped by the social groups a person belongs to, such as class, region, religion and family, rather than by a calculation about policy.
- 2
Define class alignment.
Model answer
Class alignment is the tendency for members of a social class to vote consistently for the party historically associated with that class.
- 3
Which two academics set out the classic account of class and party in Britain?
Model answer
David Butler and Donald Stokes did, in Political Change in Britain in 1969.
- 4
Which social grades are used to classify voters by occupation?
Model answer
The grades AB, C1, C2 and DE are used, running from higher managerial and professional occupations to semi-skilled, unskilled and non-working households.
- 5
Which parties were the manual and non-manual classes historically associated with?
Model answer
Manual workers in C2 and DE were associated with Labour, and non-manual voters in AB and C1 with the Conservatives.
- 6
Define class dealignment.
Model answer
Class dealignment is the weakening of the link between a voter's social class and the party they support.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Voting Behaviour in the UK revision questions
- Is Voting Behaviour in the UK examined at AS in WJEC Government and Politics?
- Yes. It sits in AS Unit 2, which you take in the first year, so it is on the AS paper as well as counting towards the full A level.
- What does Voting Behaviour in the UK cover in WJEC AS-Level Government and Politics?
- 9 subtopics: the sociological model and social class, party identification and partisan dealignment, the rational choice model, the valence model and governing competence, age, gender, ethnicity and education, region, nation and voting in wales, election campaigns and party leaders, the media and voting behaviour and turnout, tactical voting and volatility. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Voting Behaviour in the UK organised?
- By the WJEC 603-1979-3 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Voting Behaviour in the UK, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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