Questionnaire: Do You Know How Your Country is Run?

Whatever problems the country and current Government are undergoing at any one moment, one undisputable fact remains – that here in the UK we are lucky to live in a democracy.

This means we all have a say in how the country is run, although we might not think so, but by voting, we can show our approval and disapproval of how things are done. But, apart from voting, many people say that they do not know much about the way the country is run – an admission which is not surprising.

Government can and does work in convoluted ways but we should all make an effort to make sure we have at least an inkling of how our country is run. As long as we do, when it comes to election time we can make far more informed decisions about who to vote for and why.

1. What do you think is the difference between a local and general election?

a) A general election elects the Government – our MPs – while a local election elects the councils which run our towns and cities.
b) Something to do with councils, but all politicians from the same party are the same anyway, so it doesn’t really matter
c) Not sure, I just go and vote for the same party every time regardless.

2. Who makes the decisions in Government?

a) The Government as a whole – any MP can propose bills and then they are debated many times before being passed and becoming law
b) The cabinet – that’s why the Prime Minister chooses his own party members
c) The Prime Ministers decides what happens.

3. What is the difference between the House of Lords and the House of Commons?

a) The House of Commons are elected representatives and the House of Lords are people given peerages by the Government
b) They sit in two different chambers in Parliament
c) No idea

4. What are the differences between the main party ideologies?

a) Most Governments have left of centre and right of centre parties – left of centre is more liberal, right of centre is more conservative. At the extremes are communists and fascists – these are the radical interpretations of left and right.
b) Left parties represent workers while right are for the more privileged.
c) They’re all the same, aren’t they?

5. How would a Government get rid of a Prime Minister who wasn’t doing well?

a) A vote of no confidence
b) Some kind of petition
c) There is no way – when they are in, they are in

Answers

Mostly As

You are well-informed about the way the country is run and stand to make an informed decision at election time. You may be able to offer your wisdom to others who are not so aware of political processes and why things happen the way they do. Your knowledge means that you are probably a more active member of your community as a result as you can see the bigger picture and how everything slots into place for the country as a whole.

Mostly Bs

You have a decent knowledge of how the country is run but you must be careful that your opinions are not swayed by others or by what you read in newspapers. It is important too, to recognise the difference between knowing how the country is run and individual political views. They are not one and the same. The basic processes behind the way the country is run is the same whoever is in charge but their policies may, and usually are, very different indeed.

Mostly Cs

The Government campaign from a few years ago was aimed at people such as you. Politics does matter because it impinges on our daily life in almost every way imaginable. It may be that you do realise that politics is important but just feel a bit bewildered about the information which is on offer. But you really should make an effort to try and find out more about the way the country is run because it is the only way you will really be able to make sure you vote for the people you truly believe will do the best job.