This has been a topic that has caused some angst for a lot of our pupils. As a consequence I just wanted to share some basic advice for how to approach this one single 9 mark question (so don't stress yourself out.
1. What are the theories?
Rational theory - the role of individuals and their decisions.
Cultural theory - the role of the countries and their cultures.
Structural theory - the structures of the systems of the individuals operate in and how that affects them.
More information here - https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/politics/comparative-politics/
2. What could the questions be on?
Any of the comparative topics in the book, and there is a specific section on each one. These are listed as:
- Constitutional arrangements
- Executives
- Judiciaries
- Electoral and party politics
- Pressure groups
- Civil Rights
You can find more info here: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/politics/a-level/politics-7152/subject-content/government-and-politics-of-the-usa-and-comparative-politics
3. How do I go about this?
Don't overcomplicate things! Just make sure that:
- you explain how the theory works
- you go about things in your normal way - three paragraphs explaining three different aspects of the topic at hand.
- you include the UK and US in every paragraph.
- you analyse from the perspective of that theory - eg. 'therefore, rationally pressure groups are able to target a greater range of access points in the US than the UK, so may vary their lobbying between branches of government or even at state level, whereas lobbying in the UK tends to be far more London-centric.'
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