Copyright © Politics Teacher Ltd 2010/reviewed 2013 As a UK Citizen, what rights do you have? List...

Copyright © Politics Teacher Ltd 2010/reviewed 2013

As a UK Citizen, what rights do you have?

List 5 or more rights that you consider you have as a citizen (or will have once you are over 18)


Lesson 4a: Democracy and Political Concepts

To form a definition of democracy

To consider the political concepts: freedom, rights, law, order, justice and equality


We have seen that in society there are naturally CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

There are lots of ideas that surround our understanding of democracy for example, FREEDOM and RIGHTS.

We have seen that in this country the STATE exercises power. In this country, we live in a democracy and through elections everyone who votes helps to decide who wins power and who loses it.

People in power also need to have AUTHORITY and LEGITIMACY in order to exercise that power properly.

There are lots of ideas and concepts in politics and most of them are not as straightforward as you may first think.

That those conflicts will be decided upon or managed by the people in POWER


As a UK Citizen, what rights do you have?

List 5 or more rights that you consider you have as a citizen (or will have once you are over 18)


The rights of a UK Citizen

Least important

The right to vote

The right to form a political party

The right to associate e.g. In a pressure group, a trade union, a church or other group)

The right to express yourself (within the law e.g. you may not incite racial hatred or slander etc)

The right to move freely (i.e. to travel, to leave the country etc – once again within the law!)

The right not to be imprisoned without trial

The right to a fair trial

The right to privacy from intrusion by the state

Most important


The rights of a UK Citizen

Least important

Most important


The Independant BBC News

The ideas that underpin a lot of our ideas emerged from certain ‘thinkers’ and ‘philosophers’ who were people who introduced new ways of thinking about how we should organise our society. If you can understand the historical background to these thinkers, it can help you with your study of politics.

There are some important ideas which lie at the heart of our democratic system which are - in terms of British History - are fairly ‘new’ (if you can call ideas that came about in 1600 onwards NEW!)


TOLERANCE; n 1a the act or fact of allowing something; toleration 1b indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from ones own.

Traditionally, (prior to 1600s) Britain was not very tolerant. There were conflicts between Crown and Parliament, between Catholicism and Protestantism which divided the country. Religious belief was not a matter of individual choice, it was something that was dictated by the State.


Group 1

“I was often credited with introducing the idea of religious toleration. Your task is to find out what my views on this subject were.”

Philosopher John Locke (1623-1704)

“I believed that ‘Good order is the foundation of all things’. Research my views on stability and order in society.”

“Research the history of the Equal Rights Movement. What are some of the rights has this movement secured in the past 100 years?”

“Research what is meant by ‘The Rule of Law’. Why is this important in our democracy?”

Edmund Burke (1729 – 97)

Group 2

Group 3 Group 4


In the UK, we live in a liberal democracy in which

· we have regular elections for choosing the government;· all citizens are entitled to vote;· there are guaranteed rights for individuals and groups which cannot be taken away.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages

Who loses out?

What are the costs?

Do minorities benefit?

Is the system efficient?

Are rights always guaranteed?


1 thing I am not sure

about

2 question you would like to

ask

3 things that you have

learnt this lesson


Lesson 4a: Democracy and Political Concepts

To form a definition of democracy

To consider the political concepts: freedom, rights, law, order, justice and equality

Copyright © Politics Teacher Ltd 2010/reviewed 2013 As a UK Citizen, what rights do you have? List...

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