Scottish Higher Higher Modern Studies Syllabus

Higher Modern Studies syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Higher Modern Studies in Scottish Higher, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom

   4 topics

   • Devolution and the Scottish Parliament
     • Reserved and devolved powers
     • The Scottish and UK electoral systems
   • Representative Democracy
     • Role of MSPs and MPs
     • Pressure groups and the media
   • Voting Systems
     • First Past the Post
     • Additional Member System
   • Participation and Citizen Influence
2. 2

   Social Issues in the United Kingdom

   4 topics

   • Social Inequality
     • Causes of poverty and wealth inequality
     • Gender and ethnic inequality
   • Government Responses to Inequality
     • The welfare state and benefits
     • Effectiveness of government policy
   • Crime and the Law
     • Causes and consequences of crime
     • Responses to crime and their effectiveness
   • Theories and Evidence of Inequality
3. 3

   International Issues

   4 topics

   • A World Power Study (e.g. the USA or China)
     • Political system and influence
     • Socio-economic issues and responses
   • A World Issue (e.g. development or conflict)
     • Causes and effects of the issue
     • International and individual responses
   • The Role of International Organisations
   • Effectiveness of Responses to Global Problems
4. 4

   Research and Decision-Making Skills

   4 topics

   • Detecting and Explaining Degrees of Objectivity
   • Drawing and Supporting Conclusions
     • Using multiple sources of evidence
   • Evaluating the Reliability of Sources
   • Synthesising Evidence into a Decision

Higher Modern Studies flashcards for Scottish Higher

24 of 52 cards from the Higher Modern Studies deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is devolution?

   The transfer (delegation) of certain powers from the UK Parliament at Westminster to a subordinate body, such as the Scottish Parliament, while ultimate sovereignty remains with Westminster.

2. In which year did the Scottish Parliament reconvene, and following which referendum?

   1999, following the 1997 devolution referendum in which Scots voted Yes to a parliament and Yes to it having tax-varying powers.

3. Distinguish between reserved and devolved matters for the Scottish Parliament.

   Devolved matters (controlled by Holyrood) include health, education, justice, and transport. Reserved matters (kept by Westminster) include defence, foreign affairs, immigration, and most aspects of the constitution.

4. How many MSPs sit in the Scottish Parliament and how are they elected?

   129 MSPs: 73 elected by First Past the Post in constituencies and 56 elected from 8 regions (7 each) by the regional list using the Additional Member System.

5. What powers were transferred to Holyrood by the Scotland Act 2016?

   Further powers including control over some income tax rates and bands, a share of VAT revenue, and certain welfare/social security benefits, making it one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world.

6. Name three ways the Scottish Parliament holds the Scottish Government to account.

   Committees scrutinising legislation and conducting inquiries, First Minister's Questions (FMQs), and parliamentary debates plus votes of no confidence.

7. Define representative democracy.

   A system of government in which citizens elect representatives (e.g. MSPs, MPs) to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf, rather than voting directly on every issue.

8. What is the main difference between representative and direct democracy?

   In representative democracy, elected representatives make decisions for the people; in direct democracy, citizens vote directly on the issues themselves (e.g. through referendums).

9. State three features of a healthy representative democracy.

   Free and fair regular elections, freedom of speech and a free press, and the rule of law with respect for human rights and political opposition.

10. Explain the term 'mandate' in relation to elected governments.

    A mandate is the authority granted to a winning party by voters, through an election victory, to carry out the policies set out in its manifesto.

11. How does First Past the Post (FPTP) work?

    Voters mark one X for a single candidate in a constituency; the candidate with the most votes (a plurality) wins the seat. It is used for UK General Elections.

12. State two advantages and two disadvantages of First Past the Post.

    Advantages: simple to understand and use; tends to produce strong single-party majority governments. Disadvantages: not proportional (votes don't match seats) and produces many wasted votes for losing/smaller parties.

13. Describe how the Additional Member System (AMS) works in Scotland.

    A mixed/hybrid system: voters cast two votes — one for a constituency MSP under FPTP, and one for a party on the regional list. List (top-up) seats are allocated using the d'Hondt formula to make the overall result more proportional.

14. What is the d'Hondt formula used for in AMS, and what is its divisor calculation?

    It allocates the regional list seats to make results proportional. The formula is $\text{Quotient} = \frac{V}{S+1}$, where $V$ is the party's regional votes and $S$ is the seats it has already won in that region. The highest quotient wins each successive seat.

15. Describe the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system used in Scottish local elections.

    A proportional system using multi-member wards. Voters rank candidates in order of preference (1, 2, 3...). Candidates must reach a quota; surplus votes and votes from eliminated candidates are transferred according to preferences.

16. State one advantage and one disadvantage of proportional systems like AMS or STV.

    Advantage: seats more closely reflect the share of votes cast, so fewer wasted votes and greater voter choice. Disadvantage: often produce coalition or minority governments, which can be less stable or lead to compromise/horse-trading.

17. List four ways a citizen can participate in democracy.

    Voting in elections, joining/standing for a political party, joining a pressure group or trade union, and signing petitions or attending demonstrations/protests.

18. What is the difference between an insider and an outsider pressure group?

    Insider groups have direct access to and are consulted by government (e.g. BMA), often working within the system. Outsider groups lack this access and use methods such as protests, petitions, and media campaigns to apply pressure.

19. Explain how trade unions allow citizens to influence decision-making.

    Trade unions represent workers collectively, negotiating with employers over pay and conditions, organising industrial action such as strikes, and lobbying government on employment law and workers' rights.

20. What is meant by 'social inequality'?

    The unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, wealth, income, health and status between different groups in society (e.g. by class, gender, ethnicity, or geography).

21. Define the 'poverty line' or relative poverty as used in the UK.

    Relative poverty is typically defined as a household income below 60% of the UK median income (after housing costs), measuring poverty relative to typical living standards in that society.

22. Distinguish between absolute poverty and relative poverty.

    Absolute poverty is lacking the basic resources needed to survive (food, shelter, clean water). Relative poverty is having significantly less income/resources than the average in one's society, so being unable to participate fully in normal life.

23. Give two examples of how social inequality affects health.

    People in deprived areas have lower life expectancy and higher rates of illness; for example, men in Scotland's most deprived areas live significantly fewer years in good health than those in the least deprived areas.

24. What is the gender pay gap?

    The difference in average earnings between men and women across the workforce, usually expressed as a percentage of men's earnings; it reflects factors like occupational segregation, part-time work, and discrimination.

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