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https://www.nationstates.net/?logout=1

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Unit 1 AOS2 Exercising and Challenging Political Power MARKING GUIDE

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Exam Revision Pack

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SAC Revision and practise questions.

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High Quality Responses to Practise Questions 

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High Quality Responses to Practise Questions 

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See attached.

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High Quality Short Answer Responses - Syrian Uprising

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What drove Syrians to rise up against the Assad regime

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11 What Drove Syrians To Protest and SAC Preparation

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The Uprising in Daraa and Assad's response to the protests

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Consolidate understanding of the role climate played in the Syrian Uprising.

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An investigation into the Assad governments response to the Syrian Uprising

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Barbara Walters Interview with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad: 'There Was No Command to Kill'

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Barbara Walters discusses brutal crackdown of protests with Syria's president. For more on this story go here: http://abcn.ws/sQoUb4

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Factors that drove Syrians to Rise Up against the government

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7 Factors that led to the Syrian Uprising

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Introduction to Syrian Uprising and Day Of Rage

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#2 Sovereignty
# 3 Modernise and Reform

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Heineken | Worlds Apart | #OpenYourWorld

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Heineken presents 'Worlds Apart' An Experiment. Can two strangers with opposing views prove that there's more that unites than divides us? #OpenYourWorld Find out more about the campaign, and sign up to one of our new Human Library events where you can share a beer with someone unexpected at http://www.heineken.com/gb/open-your-world

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AOS 2 UNIT 2  Exercising and Challenging Political Essay

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Power, Bashar al-Assad and factors that have influenced his rise to power and desire to exercise power

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Lesson 13 Factors that drive political leaders (Weber + Machiavelli)

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Lesson 13 Factors that drive political leaders (Weber + Machiavelli)

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Further information on Weber and his Forms Of Authority.

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Further information on Weber and his Forms Of Authority.

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Political Theorists on Political Leadership 

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Political Theorists on Political Leadership 

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1. Max Weber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICppFQ6Tabw&t=256s

2. Niccolò Machiavelli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXl0Ll_t9s

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What is a true "representative government"?

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What is a true "representative government"?

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-23/macinnes-public-opinion-and-representative-democracy/2851634

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Updated August 24, 2011 13:59:58

What role should public opinion play in the ultimate political resolution of such public policy debates as climate change, asylum-seekers, the war in Afghanistan or gay marriage? And how is this related to democratic principles and good governance?

According to the populist view, our elected representatives are merely delegates of their constituents and should give effect to their wishes. Their only difficulty is interpreting the will of those they feel bound to follow, through knowledge of the electorate and targeted opinion polls.

The better constitutional view, however, regards a member as a trustee, duty bound to exercise his or her own personal judgment and decide each issue on its merits on behalf of their constituents and the nation as a whole. A member's duty is to form his or her own opinion, not reflect the opinions of others. The difficulty is one of exercising personal judgment to reconcile competing interests. Here, knowledge of the issues and evaluation of the arguments and the relevant evidence are the essential requirements.

That there is some confusion about which view to adopt becomes apparent if you look at the way Tony Windsor has approached two different issues since his re-election.

It is clear that in deciding which party he would support to form minority government, he took the view that it was his individual judgment that he was required to exercise, not the majority views of his electorate or public opinion at large. This is in accordance with the duty of an elected representative as classically formulated by Edmund Burke in 1780.

However, if you look at the way he approached the issue of our continuing involvement in the war in Afghanistan, he seemed more willing to consider representations from his electorate. Whether he would defer to a clear majority opinion if it were against his better judgment is unclear.

By contrast, it is clear that both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott would resolutely refuse to pay regard to majority public opinion calling for the withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan. The public apparently cannot be trusted with such decisions.

In relation to the asylum-seeker issue, both major parties are captive to a hostile public opinion, the Opposition seeking to exploit it, the Government reacting to it.

On climate change, Tony Abbott insists that the public should be allowed to decide whether climate change is real and how we should respond to it. Julia Gillard argues that it is more important to follow the overwhelming scientific and economic opinion on this issue than ill-informed public opinion. For her, it is the duty of Government to decide, even if the decision is unpopular.

The Green's are as inconsistent as the two major parties. They believe we should respond to public opinion by withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan, ignore public opinion on the asylum-seeker issue, seek to persuade (but, if necessary, ignore) public opinion on climate change and respond to changing public opinion on the issue of gay marriage.

The Green's motion passed in Parliament urging members to consult their electorates on gay marriage is in line with the notion that parliamentarians should represent the views of those who elected them. The implication is that all parliamentarians need to do is canvass and then follow the most recent majority consensus on the issue, because that is how democracy works.

But is this really how we want our democracy to work? Surely we want our parliamentary decision-making to be able to stand up to critical scrutiny, to be rational, to be moral, to be supported by evidence and to be in accordance with some principles that can be defended.

And if our elected representatives considered the majority public opinion to be intellectually or morally indefensible, should we expect them to vote contrary to their own better judgment and conscience?

What if the majority opinion is found, on closer examination, to be irrational, or logically flawed, or morally inconsistent when judged by the values we otherwise profess to live by, or based on inadequate evidence, on prejudice, on no more than knee-jerk reaction, an emotional response or an unthinking deference to the views of others?

Surely we would want our elected representatives to do better than merely parrot a fickle and all-too-easily manipulated and volatile public opinion.

When there is public controversy about a proposed course of action, it is the job of our representatives to discern what principles are relevant and decide each case on its merits, without fear or favour. This is a personal responsibility of office that cannot be delegated to either their party, their electorate or the public at large.

People who argue the contrary misconceive the nature of our representative democracy. The public's democratic right extends only to electing members to represent them in Parliament, not to having a direct say in the laws they pass there. We give them the right and responsibility to vote in Parliament and determine what policies will be implemented. Their decisions should be based on a careful consideration of the policy options, the relevant criteria and the evidence. Public opinion is usually irrelevant to that process.

This is clearly the view of Rob Oakeshott. On ABC Breakfast on July 25, he made a passionate defence of the principle of representative democracy. In response to Alison Carabine's populist questioning, he patiently explained that his electorate had chosen him to represent their and the nation's best interests, that (unlike them) he had the benefit of access to all the expert evidence and the submissions of all interested parties, and it was his job to evaluate that on its merits and use his own best judgment in deciding how to vote for the good of the country, irrespective of 'the wishes of his electorate'. They were entitled to pass judgment on him at the next election.

As Burke famously stated in 1780:

Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; It is his duty ...in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living... Your representative owes you... his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving, you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.

When the issue is one of grave moral concern, like war, it is their duty to pay full regard to legal and moral principles adopted in our community and under international law. Both clearly prohibit the killing of people in all but the most exceptional circumstances. These are restricted to proportional self-defence from imminent attack and the keeping of the peace in ways specifically authorised by a recognised legal authority.

Likewise, in relation to our treatment of asylum-seekers, their duty is to devise policies which recognise our moral and legal commitments, ensure people's safety, treat them fairly, with dignity and respect, while maintaining border control, discouraging dangerous boat travel and providing proper processes for applying for refugee status.

On the issue of gay marriage, their duty is to determine whether the principles of non-discrimination and equality before the law require removing this final barrier based on long-held views about the meaning of marriage.

With regard to the highly complex issue of climate change, their duty is to determine who is best qualified to provide expert evidence of its impact and of any proposed remedies, to examine that evidence carefully and decide what's best for our country, the planet and future generations.

Only through such processes can our politicians arrive at wise decisions that do justice to the seriousness and complexity of the issues involved.

Deciding such issues on the basis of public opinion or political expediency is morally indefensible and a clear abdication of their responsibility.

It is also far too simplistic because it confers on public opinion an intellectual and moral authority that cannot be justified. While politicians must respect the right of people to hold their own opinions, they are not bound to respect the opinions themselves. Opinions about complex public policy or moral issues are not necessarily intelligent or moral. And a majority consensus of public opinion on any issue does not advance the argument.

This does not mean that these opinions are of no importance. Clearly they matter in terms of the quality of public discourse, political debate and how politicians respond to community concerns. For the public will quite rightly have their say at the next election. But an appeal to populism as a basis for sound decision-making cannot be defended under our Westminster system.

In these important public policy debates, we should remind our elected representatives of the job we are paying them to do: to make reasoned and principled decisions on our behalf, in the best interests of the nation. We should require them to focus on this serious undertaking and to exercise their own best judgment and conscience, without fear or favour, rather than second guess our wishes.
Scott MacInnes has a background in teaching, law and conflict resolution. He is now retired and lives in Tasmania.
Topics: community-and-society, federal-government

First posted August 23, 2011 12:33:01

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Public opinion and representative democracy

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Updated August 24, 2011 13:59:58 What role should public opinion play in the ultimate political resolution of such public policy debates as climate change, asylum-seekers, the war in Afghanistan or gay marriage? And how is this related to democratic principles and good governance?

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Plebiscite, Same-Sex Marriage and Democracy 

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Plebiscite, Same-Sex Marriage and Democracy 

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Further Reading

1. http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/4128618/proposed-plebiscite-circumvents-democracy/

2. http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2016/09/02/4531257.htm

3. https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/09/the-australian-gay-marriage-plebiscite-when-too-mu.html

4. https://www.uowblogs.com/uow-lirc/2016/09/21/on-human-rights-democracy-and-dignity-the-legitimacy-problem-of-a-plebiscite-on-same-sex-marriage/

5. http://www.xyz.net.au/sex-marriage-assault-democracy/

6. https://spectator.com.au/2016/09/power-to-the-plebiscite/

7. http://marriage.greekorthodox.org.au/2016/09/green-left-stifling-democracy-with-threats-tantrums-on-plebiscite/

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Visible feedback process to help improve your essay writing skills

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How to pull apart the prompt and possible contentions.

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EY Pull apart practise prompt and possible contentions

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How to structure your essay and practise essay question.

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A3 Power and Politics SAC Revision Sheet

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A3 Power and Politics SAC Revision Sheet

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Politics and Power SAC Revision Worksheet A3

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Consolidating your knowledge of how power has been used to manage/challenge offshore detention processes on Nauru and Manus.

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Australia's Offshore Detention - Manus Island and Nauru

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Australia's Offshore Detention - Manus Island and Nauru

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1. Jim Molan defends treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in offshore detention
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-11/q-and-a-jim-molan-defends-extraordinary-facilities-on-nauru/7920042

2. What you need to know about Australia's asylum seeker/refugee policy
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-19/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-un-refugees-summit/7858492

3. Australia's approach to refugees and asylum seekers - Turnbull Speech
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-21/un-refugee-summit-australia-intake-upped-to-19,000-per-year/7863712

4. Operation Sovereign Borders
http://newsroom.border.gov.au/channels/Operation-Sovereign-Borders/releases/australia-s-borders-are-stronger-than-ever

5. Operation Sovereign Borders according to Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
https://www.asrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Operation-Sovereign-Borders-May-2014.pdf

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Example of power being exercised; submission of report to the ICC

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Example of power being exercised; submission of report to the ICC

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ICC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRZpDhcGBuM

Information: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/push-to-charge-operators-of-private-companies-for-alleged-abuses-on-nauru-and-manus-20170213-gublsk.html

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SAC 1 Full Mark Responses and Same-Sex Discussion Questions

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How to structure your notes for the Same Sex Readings 

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How to structure your notes for the Same Sex Readings 

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The Legalisation of Same Sex Marriage in Australia Note Taking Sheet

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Same Sex Legalisation Case Study Readings 

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Same Sex Legalisation Case Study Readings 

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Features of democracy

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Introduction to democracy

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Freedom of speech and free press example Pauline Hanson

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Freedom of speech and free press example Pauline Hanson

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-05/australia-wants-a-leader-like-putin,-hanson-says/8326254

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https://padlet.com/misserinyoung/power

https://padlet.com/angeliquealicias/aborttrump #nouterusnoopinion

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Practise SAC Questions Sample Responses - Miss Young

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Practise SAC Questions Sample Responses - Miss Young

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Please use sample responses to revise for the SAC and to identify the level of detail you require when responding to receive full marks.

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Eva Orner's Chasing Asylum

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Amnesty International and the Australian government's response to "Island of Despair."

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Amnesty International and the Australian government's response to "Island of Despair."

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Australian Government response to Amnesty's "Island of Despair" report.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/releases/response-to-amnesty-international-report-on-nauru

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/island-of-despair-australia-intentionally-torturing-refugees-on-nauru-says-major-amnesty-international-report-20161016-gs3sm4.html

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Amnesty International Human Rights Video

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Amnesty International is the world's largest and most-respected human rights organisation. In Australia and across the globe we bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws and free people jailed for voicing their opinions. See more at https://www.amnesty.org.au/how-it-works/

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Lesson 4 - Sovereignty, State and Nation-State

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Lesson 4 - Sovereignty, State and Nation-State

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Extra Reading Material - Belarus Case Study 

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Extra Reading Material - Belarus Case Study 

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1. BELARUS: EUROPE’S SECRET STATE

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/belarus-dictatorship-alexander-lukashenko

3. VIASNA Human Rights Organisation
http://spring96.org/en

2. A parliament without parties, parties without people
http://belarus-votes.org/2016/articles/a-parliament-without-parties-parties-without-people.html

3. A heart that never dies. Belarus: Europes last dictatorship
https://vimeo.com/146506698

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Lesson 2 - Belarus and the exercising of power

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Lesson 2 - Belarus and the exercising of power

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Review of forms of powers and recent examples.
Further discussion of Belarus' use of power.

Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO1SMJNhxi0

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Exploration of Trump's executive order to ban several Muslim states from entering the US.

Resources: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CZkopd9m1l

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Europe's Last Dictator - AlJazeera Documentary

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Europe's Last Dictator - AlJazeera Documentary

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Belarus: Europe's last dictatorship - People & Power

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In October 2015 a presidential election was held in Belarus. It wasn't a convincing contest and few thought that victory would go to anyone other than the man who had ruled the country for the past two decades.