The big question: the Olympics and Chinese human rights

I am a huge fan of the Big Question series in the Independent.  These articles condense the nuts and bolts of topical issues onto one page, and recent features have covered everything from illegal downloading to the history of Batman.  The Indy usually throw in a few politics ones as well!  Today’s considers whether human rights have improved in the run up to the Olympics in Beijing.  As you will know from one of my previous blog postings, this was one of the promises of the Chinese government on winning the 2008 bid, but many human rights campaigners have been frustrated by an apparent lack of progress.

USA: a nation divided by wealth

Whilst scanning the Guardian site for updates on the American election I came across a couple of fascinating reports that I think will be of interest to those who want to understand what America is

Oh lord.  Will we ever see an elected upper house?

Another plan for Lords reform has been published.  But yet again there appears to be little political will behind the idea

AS revision: Parliament

Are tales of legislative decline exaggerated?

Constitutional reform revision: freedom of information

MPs and your right to know

Electoral systems revision: outcome of London 2008

This entry on the results of the London elections adds to previous postings examining the workings of the Supplementary Vote and Additional Member System

Politics Categories

Why democracy matters

Today democracy was the topic of discussion at one of our school’s PSHE sessions

Direct democracy in action? (Dec 2007)

It has been suggested to me that there is a gap in the AS revision guide in the shape of a section focusing on direct democracy.  Here, largely on the basis of a reworking of the section on referendums in the guide, the blog fills that gap. Happy revising!