Government and Politics

·         Who took the decision that you had to be 16 to leave school or 18 to drink legally?  Who decides what the universities can charge for fees? Where was the decision taken?  Was it in Stormont, or Westminster or Brussels?  How did these people get this kind of power?  What ways are open to you to influence them to change their minds?

·         Politics is about conflict (disagreement) and the resolution of that disagreement.  It would be a very boring world if we all agreed with each other, so conflict is an inevitable part of life.  In a democracy this conflict is normally resolved through the political process, through elections or by peaceful protest.  This is why we have Parliaments or Assemblies such as Westminster and Stormont.

·         What do our politicians get up to when they are elected?  How do we know they are acting in our best interests?  How can we keep an eye on them?  How do they keep an eye on government to make sure they are doing what they said they would in their election promises (called a manifesto)?  Why is the freedom of the press so important and a judicial system that is free of control from the politicians?

·         All these are the sorts of questions a study of Government and Politics involves.  It will help develop skills of analysis, literacy and logic and is a very useful subject for careers in Law, Accountancy, Journalism, Business and the Public Sector, quite apart from those who wish to pursue a career in Politics itself.  It encourages independent thinking, backed by the rigour of contemporary examples to illustrate any points made.  In order to be successful in this subject, pupils must be prepared to keep up to date with current affairs and important issues.

·         We sit the CCEA syllabus GOVERNMENT & POLITICS, which is changing this September from a 3 to a 2 module system.  There is no choice in Lower 6^th year as both modules are compulsory.  In Middle 6^th we choose to study the Philosophers, as opposed to the topic of Political Power.  This is because the Philosophers help to give us our understanding of the concepts of socialism, conservatism and liberalism, important ideologies that have shaped, and continue to shape the policies of political parties.  In the comparative study we look at Ireland as opposed to the USA in our comparison with the British system.  Studying the political system in the Republic of Ireland is of more direct relevance to us in Northern Ireland, helping us to understand the divisions within our own society and the politics of our nearest neighbour and European partner.

AS Modules

1.      Government and Politics of Northern Ireland

2.      The U.K. Executive, Legislature & Judiciary

A2 Modules

1.      The Irish Constitution and a comparative study of the British and Irish systems of government

2.      Political Philosophy & ideology: Burke (Conservatism), Mill (Liberalism) & Marx (Communism)