Edexcel Government and Politics A2 2016 - Unit 3 and Unit 4

Okay guys, got a 45 marker I have no idea how to answer...

'Anarchism demands the impossible, discuss'

I know it's about Utopianism but how do you answer this as a 45 marker...
As far as I'm concerned this question and the one about comparing collectivist and individualist anarchism are the only 2 that could come up as a 45 marker, so any ideas???

HEEEEEELP PLEASE 😂😂😂

They've never asked any other anarchism question that doesn't mean the same as these 2. Anarchism is like the ideologies in unit 4, when it comes to 45 markers they can only ask a couple or maybe 3... My teacher told us Anarchism was just thrown in unit 3 for balance purposes.

So because they just reword questions, the 45 marker can only be able for anarchism, the two types compared (linking individualism to liberalism and collectivism to socialism) Kropotkin, Proudhom, Sorel, Stirner etc... Or the Utopianism question, basically stating whether or not anarchists are idealistic or realistic.

Why do I think Anarchism will be a 45 marker? It wasn't last year, and AQA have never excluded one ideology as a 45 marker 2 years in a row. I'm sure anarchism will come up, and their variety of questions for it is LIMITED.

And I am a psychic I'm kidding... But seriously, revise your anarchism big questions, it's a simple ideology when broken down!

Hey that could also ask about anarchism and the future stateless society

Are doing Aqa or Edexcel?
How would you answer those questions

Can you expand
I really struggle with nationalism

Yeah so basically as long as you learn these paragraphs my teachers said you can answer the nationalism 45 in the same way cause every year the questions have actually meant the same thing they just worded it different.
I'm gonna use backward reactionary/progressive as the example.

Reactionary means seeking to turn back the clock to an earlier regime or era. This is the opposite of progressive, meaning forward looking and seeking to bring about progress in the sense of creating a nation-state.


The line of argument would be that nationalism is neither a progressive or reactionary ideology because it changes depending on the ideology it is associated with.

Firstly, liberal nationalism is a progressive ideology because it seeks political autonomy based on the consent of free sovereign individuals.

Then in this paragraph I would explain that liberals believe in self-determination and link that to their belief that people are rational. Explain that liberals believe individuals can offer their consent to their government etc. I would then also say that liberal nationalism is founded in the belief of universal inclusiveness. Thus liberal nationalism is forward looking because it believes in forming nation states where anyone can join.

People can all come together and join a nation state = progressive

Secondly, socialist nationalism is a progressive ideology because it seeks freedom from colonialism and is based on Marxist-Lenin thinking.

I would go on to say that socialist nationalists seek liberation and use nationalism as a means for liberation making it progressive. I would basically argue that socialist nationalism is progressive because they think change will progress the nation and end oppression.

Believe this change in society will be positive = progressive

Thirdly, conservative nationalism is a reactionary ideology because it seeks to promote social cohesion through traditions.

Then just explain why conservatives value tradition etc. So the reason they like nationalism is to endorse these traditional values and a common shared culture which they think humans need. Then I would also say how conservative nationalism is especially present when people feel threatened e.g. rise of Donald Trump support after terrorist attacks.

Want to conserve traditions and things of the past = reactionary

Finally, fascist nationalism is a reactionary doctrine as it seeks to restore the former glories of lost empires

Believe in enthocentirsm. This form of nationalism believes their nation is better than another, superiority. Can be racist as well thinking there is a hierarchy. Also lot of these nations wanna hark back to former success. Reactionary because does not exclusive.

Racist and stuck in the past = reactionary
So like lets say if I was like 'Britain was at its best when we colonised all those nations around the world, lets go back to the good old days' I would be a fascist nationalist...

Sorry this explanation is not great but hope it helps like a little bit!

Sorry don't know why I said AQA, I mean Edexcel. My other subjects are AQA.

Which questions?

Yeah so basically as long as you learn these paragraphs my teachers said you can answer the nationalism 45 in the same way cause every year the questions have actually meant the same thing they just worded it different.
I'm gonna use backward reactionary/progressive as the example.

Reactionary means seeking to turn back the clock to an earlier regime or era. This is the opposite of progressive, meaning forward looking and seeking to bring about progress in the sense of creating a nation-state.


The line of argument would be that nationalism is neither a progressive or reactionary ideology because it changes depending on the ideology it is associated with.

Firstly, liberal nationalism is a progressive ideology because it seeks political autonomy based on the consent of free sovereign individuals.

Then in this paragraph I would explain that liberals believe in self-determination and link that to their belief that people are rational. Explain that liberals believe individuals can offer their consent to their government etc. I would then also say that liberal nationalism is founded in the belief of universal inclusiveness. Thus liberal nationalism is forward looking because it believes in forming nation states where anyone can join.

People can all come together and join a nation state = progressive

Secondly, socialist nationalism is a progressive ideology because it seeks freedom from colonialism and is based on Marxist-Lenin thinking.

I would go on to say that socialist nationalists seek liberation and use nationalism as a means for liberation making it progressive. I would basically argue that socialist nationalism is progressive because they think change will progress the nation and end oppression.

Believe this change in society will be positive = progressive

Thirdly, conservative nationalism is a reactionary ideology because it seeks to promote social cohesion through traditions.

Then just explain why conservatives value tradition etc. So the reason they like nationalism is to endorse these traditional values and a common shared culture which they think humans need. Then I would also say how conservative nationalism is especially present when people feel threatened e.g. rise of Donald Trump support after terrorist attacks.

Want to conserve traditions and things of the past = reactionary

Finally, fascist nationalism is a reactionary doctrine as it seeks to restore the former glories of lost empires

Believe in enthocentirsm. This form of nationalism believes their nation is better than another, superiority. Can be racist as well thinking there is a hierarchy. Also lot of these nations wanna hark back to former success. Reactionary because does not exclusive.

Racist and stuck in the past = reactionary
So like lets say if I was like 'Britain was at its best when we colonised all those nations around the world, lets go back to the good old days' I would be a fascist nationalist...

Sorry this explanation is not great but hope it helps like a little bit!

does no one here do american politics?? lmaoo

Couldn't you also argue that anti colonial can be reactionary as well due to the fact that colonies attracted to socialism seeks to return to a previous period where communities lived and worked together, a key aspect of socialism?

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does no one here do american politics?? lmaoo

Guys
How are you structuring your answers?

I'm literally just going through all the past papers and mark schemes and updating it in terms of examples where necessary

I do also, I think there's also another chat specifically for unit 3c and 4c

For the 15 markers i'm doing 3 points relating to the question no intro or conclusion - just defining any key terms

For the 45 markers i'm doing 3 points for and 3 points against relating to the questions so if they ask whether Anarchists demand the impossible - 3 points for they do and 3 points for they dont etc.

I'm doing that too but do you think they'll ask any new questions?

Umm, it's a possibility, less likely with pressure groups which seems pretty much close ended( to me). I honestly have no clue though. There's a document that expands on the specification on the Edexcel website that you could form possible questions from so there's no surprises in the exam. Hope that helps!