Pyc4811 - 1214 Words

COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY PYC4811 UNIQUE NO: 536712 ASSIGNMENT 2 STUDENT NO: 48932930 Contents Cover page page 1 Contents page page 2 Introduction page 3 Principles of community psychology page 3/4 The Community page 4 The Problem page 5 Design of the programme page 6 Conclusion†¦show more content†¦1.4 Sharing power Sharing power is essential, the programme of prevention cannot be an us vs them mentality. 1.5 Sense of community Community psychologists sometimes strive to foster a sense of community in a group. Members participate in communities in part because their needs are met by connecting with other members. Members are also attracted to communities in which they feel influential, share commonly held ideals that can be pursued through involvement in the community and experience a sense of belonging (McMillan Chavis, 1986). 1.6 Level of analysis Intervention may concern itself with more than one level analysis as individuals exist in Microsystems. One person or a group can influence another. 1.7 Radiating effects This can go both ways either positive or negative. Change in social setting may have a direct or indirect result that was unintended. 2. The Community The community in which I live in and where the intervention will take place in located in Newlands East, Durban. There are 3 high schools in the area and 4 primary schools, there is one sports grounds in the area and a shopping centre where basics can be bought. There are single dwellings or houses in the newly developed area but majority of the residents live in flats and duplexes. Privacy is rare and this is a close knit community. There ade no recreational facilities except the sports ground. 3. The ProblemShow MoreRelatedPyc4811 Assignment 11430 Words   |  6 PagesPYC4811 Assignment 1- 657794 Student Number- 55560296 Community Psychology and Public Health’s Approaches to Social Problems Introduction Community Psychology and Public Health models both cover the same ground but with key differences in the explanation of causes and influences on mental illness. Community psychology has a primary focus on understanding, and working with, people in their wider social context. Public Health on the other hand is concerned with preventing disease andRead MoreCritically Compare and Contrast Community Psychology and Public Health Approaches to Social Problems851 Words   |  4 Pagesletter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013). The three most important reform movements were the â€Å"moral treatment† (early 1800’s), the â€Å"mental hygiene† (early 1900’s) and â€Å"deinstitutionalisation† (1960’s) (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811). Each of these movements was intended to view and treat mental illness as a social problem rather than an individual problem. It was also a move towards ‘prevention rather than cure’ concerning mental illness. (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811) According to TutorialRead MoreComparison with Community Psychology and Public Health1055 Words   |  5 Pages Gilbert, L. (1995). Sociology and the ‘New Public Health’ in South Africa. New Perspectives in Community Psychology. Reader for PYC4811. (2012), 74-83. 2. Seedat, M., Cloete, N., Shochet, I. (1988). Community Psychology: panic or panacea. New Perspectives in Community Psychology. Reader for PYC4811. (2012), 218-233. 3. Tutorial Letter 102, PYC4811 (2012). Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria. 4. Website one: The free dictionary. The American HeritageRead MoreComparison with Community Psychology and Public Health1049 Words   |  5 Pages 1. Gilbert, L. (1995). Sociology and the ‘New Public Health’ in South Africa. New Perspectives in Community Psychology. Reader for PYC4811. (2012), 74-83. 2. Seedat, M., Cloete, N., Shochet, I. (1988). Community Psychology: panic or panacea. New Perspectives in Community Psychology. Reader for PYC4811. (2012), 218-233. 3. Tutorial Letter 102, PYC4811 (2012). Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria. 4. Website one: The free dictionary. The American HeritageRead MoreA Comparison of Community Psychology and Public Health1179 Words   |  5 Pagesapproaches have several shortcomings there is much being done in order to further advance the fields of study and I look forward to learning more about the field. REFERENCES 1. Tutorial letter 101, PYC4811 (2011). Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria. 2. Tutorial letter 102, PYC4811 (2011). Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria. 3. Gilbert, L. (1995). Sociology and the ‘New Public Health’ in South Africa. South African Journal of Sociology, 264 (4):Read MoreCommunity Psychology1488 Words   |  6 Pages4. Novick, L., Morrow, C. (n.d.). Retrieved April, 17, 2014, Defining Public Health: Historical and Contemporary Developments (p. 1). Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 5. Tutorial letter 102, PYC4811 (2014). Department of Psychology (p. 5), University of South Africa, Pretoria. 6. Tutorial letter 102, PYC4811 (2014). Department of Psychology (p. 11), University of South Africa, Pretoria. Read MoreHmpyc80 Research Methodology3369 Words   |  14 Pages(PYC4802)(PSY481U) Plus five papers from one of the following streams (depending on the area of specialisation): Psychological Counselling (99422-COU) Community and Health Psychology (99422-CHP) Applied Psychology for Professional Context (99422-APP) PYC4811 (PSY461Q): Community and Health Psychology PYC4808 (PSY474V): Ecosystemic Psychology PYC4809 (PSY4999): Therapeutic Psychology PYC4804 (PSY473U): Personology PYC4808 (PSY474V): Ecosystemic Psychology PYC4803 (PSY482V): Social Psychology PYC4805 (PSY484X):

Don D. Rothman s The Neighborhood - 1233 Words

Notorious in the Neighborhood (Sex and Families across the Color Line in Virginia, 1787-1861) by Joshua D. Rothman In Notorious in the Neighborhood, Joshua D. Rothman represents the American society of the antebellum south and how race and sexuality operated in it. The books centers on how Virginians tried to retain white male supremacy while hundreds of men and women of both races crossed and altered the defined color line. It focuses on the importance given to law and how often it was used (or ignored) to control interracial sex and marriages. Using Case studies, Rothman traces the altering yet consistent positions given to people across color line over time, contextualizing them in different stories and scenarios. The book focuses on the different kind of interracial sexual connections in Virginia from 1787, when Sally Hemings left Monticello for France..to 1861, when Civil War began and would destroy slavery and consequently change the racial regime of Virginia in fundamental ways (p. 4). The first and the most important chapter of the book explores President Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings relationship. And how James Callender attempts to destroy the president s political image by releasing the story in press which in turn failed to have its intended impacts (p. 49), while the white locals and elites who strongly objected and opposed such associations maintained a code of silent in this case even when many speculations seemed justifiable (like, theShow MoreRelatedProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagestheir wives (Kevin and Dawn, Robert and Sally) and their children (Ryan, Carly, Connor and Lauren). C.F.G. â€Å"We must not cease from exploration and the end of all exploring will be to arrive where we begin and to know the place for the first time.† T. S. Eliot To Ann whose love and support has brought out the best in me. And, to our girls Mary, Rachel, and Tor-Tor for the joy and pride they give me. Finally, to my muse, Neil, for the faith and inspiration he instills. E.W.L Preface Since youRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul SingaporeRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesStauble, California State Polytechnic University; Donna Giertz, Parkland College; Don Hantula, St. Joseph’s University; Milton Alexander, Auburn University; James F. Cashman, University of Alabama; Douglas Wozniak, Ferris State University; Greg Bach, Bismark State College; Glenna Dod, Wesleyan College; Anthony McGann, University of Wyoming; Robert D. Nale, Coastal Carolina University; Robert H. Votaw, Amber University; Don Fagan, Daniel Webster University; Andrew J. Deile, Mercer University; Samuel

A Brave New World By Aldus Huxley Essay Example For Students

A Brave New World By Aldus Huxley Essay The novel Brave New World is like no other in fantasy and satire. It predicts a future overpowered by technology where the people have no religion. Has Huxley written about a degrading way of life or has he discovered the key to a perfect world that should be called Utopia? This essay will show that upon close analysis the way of life in the novel is justifiable and all the precautions that are taken are needed to preserve their lifestyle. This essay will also show that however different and easily looked upon, as horrible as their lives seem to be, in actuality it is better than ours. The first argument that would contradict the fact that Brave New World is a Utopia is the government overpowering the world, causing the loss of freedom and liberty in the people. Before judging their lives the reader must ask himself one simple question: Is it really that bad? Obviously no its not. In the novel, the people dont have to worry about having a job. One must remember that being born and raised in Utopia, one does not know what freedom is and therefore does not know what is missing. Freedom leads to happiness, and if one already possesses happiness, then there is no need for freedom, especially if your government is making sure that all your needs are satisfied. Religion plays an important role in peoples lives. It represents our principles and values. Religion guides us, gives us something to believe in and a set of rules to live by. However, who is to say that one hundred years from now people will still believe and practice religion? Mustapha Mond when referring to the Holy Bible says that theyre old; theyre about God hundreds of years ago. Not about God Now (Huxley, p.237). Mustapha Mond is saying that with the evolution of time the need for religion has disappeared and has been replaced by the worship of another God who is Ford. They basically live a fulfilled life and then they die. Also thanks to their conditioning they do not fear death but accept it as a way of life. That alone is a task that our world still has not been able to accomplish. In our world we must go through the ritual of the funeral. After one has died, his family must go through an enormous task of planning, organizing and dealing with the death of their now gone lov ed one. In utopian civilization, the people are isolated from one another, divided into five different classes. The classes range from the Alphas, the Betas, the Gammas, the Deltas and finally, the Epsilons. The members of each class are ranked according to their mental capacity and physical appearance. During the D.H.C.s lecture to his students he tells them how by depriving certain embryos of oxygen will affect their stature. The lower the cast, the shorter the oxygen. (Huxley, p.13) It seems unfair that even before you are born, your future is already written out for you. However upon further study, one will realize that this sort of precaution is necessary. In our world, one has to face racism and stereotypes because people feel threatened by what is different. This conditioning is how the utopian society eliminated the problem. First of all, each class is conditioned to love their ranking and to realize that everyone is important and is indispensable to the society. The i!mportant thing here is that the lower classes are not jealous of the superior classes but even believe that their work is too tiring for them. The mental inferiority is very important for the survival of the utopian society. If the lower classes got too smart they would want to move up in life and that would ruin the stability of the society. .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .postImageUrl , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:hover , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:visited , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:active { border:0!important; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:active , .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40 .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf3e80342c7f9481e56fff4be729cea40:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight EssayAnother precaution taken to prevent chaos to the society is the restraint of history, culture and art to the utopian civilization. According to our views, these things are unquestionably important and we would go as far as saying that we could not live without them. But for these people, they are insignificant. Education to us leads to knowledge and for us knowledge is power and power runs the world. However for them there is no need for education because they do not need power. Power will not get them any farther in life then what is already written out for them. The only kind of books in Brave New World accessible to the public are re ference books. Books with opinions and emotions are non-existing. This discretion is needed because those types of books could challenge the hypnopaedic propaganda served to the people. The hypnopaedia was given for a reason, it is the tool used to stabilize the society. If stability is threatened so will be the utopian world. Of course some will say that they will miss their families and relationships and most of all, love. But the people in Utopia once again have never experienced any of these. They were brought up in conditioning centers and feel that parents and family are primitive. The mere sound of the word annoys them. Mother, he repeated loudly rubbing in the science ; and, leaning back in his chair, these, he said gravely are unpleasant facts; I know it. But then most historical facts are unpleasant (Huxley, p.23). In our world, parents pass on to their children their own values and principles. What they may become as a result of their upbringing could be doctors, lawyers, accountants, robbers, rapists and murderers. In the utopian society everyone is raised and conditioned the same way abolishing the bad apples in our society. Monogamy is discouraged by the utopian society and considered improper Four months of Henry Foster, without having another man why, hed be furious!if he knew (Huxley, p.4 0). This restrains peoples from getting too emotionally involved and putting their loved ones needs before the societys. In the utopian society, everyone belongs to everyone else. One might easily point out that these precautions are too extreme. But one thing that can not be ignored is that in Brave New World there is no war, no diseases and no old age. For people in our world that would be utopia. In the utopian society, youre so conditioned that you cant help doing what you ought to do (Huxley, p.244). Thanks to their conditioning, nobody even considers fighting. And if ever anyone gets angry or depressed, there is always soma. In our world soma would be seen as a drug and should not be used. Nevertheless as one of their hypnopaedic quotes says, they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol(Huxley, p.53). That statement proves that once again values are what changes ones views towards situations. Our alcohol is their soma except for the fact that soma has no side-effects. There are only three characters in the Brave New World that do no like their lifestyle. Bernard Marx is an alpha-plus and therefore should be living the good life. But even though his mental status is that of an Alpha-plus, his physical appearance is similar to that of an Epsilon. They say somebody made a mistake when he was still in the bottlethought he was a Gamma and put alcohol into his blood-surrogate ( Huxley, p.46 ) He quickly becomes an outcast and does not get along with the opposite sex. Bernard criticizes the utopian civilization until he discovers John the Savage in the savage reservation and introduces him to society. Bernard then becomes somewhat of a celebrity and quite popular among the ladies. At that point, Bernard is always bragging about how many girls he has slept with and stops his complaining about the utopian life. All this proves that if someone hadnt made that mistake, Bernard would not have become an outcast, women would have liked!him and he would have liked this world. Bernard Marx is an exception of bad conditioning, his life should have been different from the start. Helmholtz Watson also does not like the utopian civilization. The problem with him is they let they him get too smart. That led him to want a better life, a dream he felt was unobtainable in Utopia. Once again, if his conditioning had been done right and his intelligence had been controlled, he would not have had a problem with his world. Finally, the third character unhappy in Utopia is John or better known as the savage. As a matter of fact, he should not even be considered as an unhappy civilian because he was not raised in the utopian civilization but in the savage reservation. He does not like it because he was not conditioned to be happy with who he is. In the savage reservation, he learned about God, religion and freedom, all things which are not taught in Utopia. His values are different from a utopians. For instance, he beats himself with a rope to get a good harvest, which proves that a person can not judge others through his or her own values but through theirs. .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .postImageUrl , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:hover , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:visited , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:active { border:0!important; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:active , .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue45ace58628abe6b8e5427118fcc57ac:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dead Poets Society (372 words) EssayIn conclusion one can clearly see that human beings can adapt to anything. The question is: do we want to adapt to a society like Utopia? This is a world that one can not help but be happy, a world that replaced not destroyed religion, a world that even eliminated racism and stereotypes. It is a world where you only possess knowledge you need, where everyone has the same values and principals. Finally here is a world with no war, no disease and no old age. This question seems difficult to answer at first. Lets rephrase this question. Forget adapting, is this a world you would want to be born in? That changes everything because you can no longer judge by your own values, principles and standards. You now have to picture how much you would like it if you were born there and followed the same treatment as the others. It was best said by Mustapha Mond at one point. The key to happiness is enjoying who you are and what you do. ( Huxley )Book Reports

Is the UK still a two

Background The United Kingdom is made up of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which form a constitutional monarchy with the Monarch being the head of state, and the prime minister being the head of government. Under this constitutional framework, the regional governments of Scotland and Wales, the executive of Northern Ireland, and the UK government exercise their respective executive powers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the UK still a two-party system? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the UK government exercises the legislative powers in collaboration with the two chambers of the legislature, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Furthermore, the Northern Ireland, the Scottish, and the Welsh assemblies do also exercise their respective legislative powers. Moreover, the judiciary is independent of the legislature and the executive, and the Supreme Court of the UK forms the hi ghest court (Ingle 3). Conversely, the UK political party system is made up of several political parties in which two major parties, the Conservative and the Liberal parties, control parliamentary politics and government business. In addition, the Labour party has since replaced the Liberal party as the second major party in the UK. Therefore, over the past few years, the parliamentary politics in the UK show the dominance of the Labour and the Conservative parties in forming either coalition or minority governments. Here, the two major parties have been enlisting the support of other nationalist or third parties to form the working majority (Bartle and Allen 4). As a result, the UK has other parties alongside the two major parties such as the Liberal Democrats, which was born out of the Liberal party joining forces with the Social Democratic Party in 1988. Other nationalist parties in the UK include Plaid Cymru in Wales (1925), the Scottish National Party (1934), the Democratic Uni onist Party (1971) and the Ulster Unionist Party in Northern Ireland (Ingle 5). Therefore, it is arguably correct to describe the British political party system as a two-party system because this has been the case scenario in Britain since the 18th Century through the post-war era (Webb 3). However, since the 1960s, several changes in the history of the British party system are notable, and therefore, the notion that the UK is made up of a two-party system is equally questionable. For instance, in the recent past, most third parties in the UK have shown the willingness to take up more seats during elections, and in some occasions, there has been an obvious change in electoral behavior. Additionally, the regional support for the Labour and Conservative parties is also declining significantly (Webb 4). As a result, this essay presents discussions for and against the notion that the UK is still made up of a two-party system.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The classic two-party system in the UK According to Webb (3), a party system is an integral part of the settlement involving the political and institutional aspects of parliamentary politics. Here, the party system is classified relative to the arithmetical criterion such as two-party or multi-party systems. On the other hand, the party system can be classified according to the level of cooperation between different parties in the system. As a result, parties can interact at the legislative, electoral, regional, and executive arenas, and in so doing, the interactions between political parties create several political authorities and jurisdictions (Kelly 7). As a result, the notion that the UK is made up of a two-party democracy depends on the level of political party interaction and the arena upon which the political interaction is based. That said, the original two parties, which constituted a two-party system in the UK were the Conservatives and the Liberals (Bassett 23). In the 19th Century, the Liberals appeared to be the major governing party in the UK before the party begun an extended period of decline especially after the victory of 1906. As a result, the original two-party system underwent dramatic changes particularly through the rise of the Labour party to replace the Liberals as the second major party. Furthermore, the Liberals’ dominance weakened due to the partition of Ireland and the divided support of the Irish people who had to choose between supporting the Labour Party and the Liberals. Consequently, by 1929, the political party system in the UK was made up of three parties (Robins and Jones 34). However, it is correct for one to argue that the political party system in the UK is a classic two-party democracy in the period from 1945 to 1970. During this period, the two major parties in the UK played a central role in the understanding of the political party system in the UK, which is a majoritarian democracy (Denver 588; Webb 8). Here, the existence of other parties in parliamentary politics of the UK is overshadowed by the fact that the two major parties receive most of the votes during elections, and that these parties control the government business in parliament. Additionally, the nature of electoral behavior can be described as disproportionate because the first-past-the-post system of voting that has been in place since 1945 encourages and sustains a two-party democracy in the UK, and thereby making it unlikely for other third parties to be recognized (Blau 431).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the UK still a two-party system? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Furthermore, the first-past-the-post electoral system denies the third parties the chance to receive national support, and as a result, these parties enlist the support of regional political jurisdictions, w hich means that their chances of forming the working majority in parliament depend on other major parties (Clarke et al. 123). Conversely, studies show that the Labour and the Conservative parties favor the first-past-the-post electoral system despite the efforts made by the Liberals to have the UK adopt a three-party system that gives all the three parties the opportunity to form the government relative to the number of seats held by a certain party (Johnston et al. 143). As a result, the first-past-the-post system has given either of the two main parties an added advantage of receiving the majority votes except in 1974 when the Labour Party received a narrow victory. Despite receiving a small majority vote, the Labour Party continued to dominate the UK parliamentary politics through 1977 because the party enlisted the support of other third parties particularly through the Lib-Lab pact that saw the Labour and the Liberal parties forming a coalition government (Sanders 13). Convers ely, apart from the first-past-the-post electoral system, the likelihood of either the Liberal or the Welsh and Scottish Nationalist parties dismantling the two-party system in the early 1950s was challenged by the lack of enough resources and well known candidates (Field 196). However, in 2001, the Liberal democrats and the nationalists managed to produce candidates for most of the contested seats. As a result, the move by the third parties to produce their own candidates against those of the Conservatives and the Labour Party has had a significant impact on the two-party system in the UK. Here, the supporters of third parties had a choice to make in terms of voting for either of the two main parties or none particularly when the party of their choice failed to produce the preferred candidate in a particular constituency. As a result, the third parties almost doubled their support and votes against the two main parties in the period from 1950 to 1997. However, vote sharing between the third parties and the two main parties in the UK shows a little or no impact at all on the dynamics of the two-party system because the Conservative and Labour Parties still maintain unwavering dominance relative to the overall number of seats held by the two parties in the parliament to date (Whiteley et al. 354). Furthermore, the two-party system in the UK has been linked to certain aspects of electoral behavior and class alignment. Here, the two main parties enjoy political dominance because they represent the working and the middle classes (Mughan 195). Conversely, the Liberal democrats and the nationalists do not enjoy any class representation, and thus they are said to be politically disadvantaged. This electoral phenomenon is known as class alignment.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, to control more votes and political power, the Labour party and the Conservatives must enlist the support of the majority of the working class and a considerable percentage of the middle class (Whiteley 581). That said, most studies show that the period from 1950 to 1970 was an era of class alignment whereby the strong link between electoral behavior and class status appears to have denied other third parties the opportunity to make a significant impact in the parliamentary politics (Bassett 45). During this period, the two main parties received the highest percentage of votes from the two main classes because the parties represented class interests and values. Furthermore, the Conservatives and the Labour Party had several strong-holds such as South-East England for the Conservative Party, and the North of Wale and England for the Labour Party (Denver 590). As a result, other unrepresented constituencies played a central role in deciding the electoral outcomes because the degree of support for the two main parties was marginal or more balanced. However, since the 1970s, the connection between the electoral behavior and class status has been weakening but very much intact because of another political phenomenon known as partisan de-alignment. Through partisan de-alignment, the Conservative Party managed to receive the highest support of the working class in the period from 1979 to 1992 especially after the government formed by the Labour Party became consistently incredible (Clarke et al. 126). However, the extra support for the Conservatives begun to decline in 1992 after the Labour Party regained its credibility, and the victories of the Labour Party in 1997 and 2001 can be attributed to the shift of the middle-class support from the Conservatives to the Labour party. Therefore, it is probable that the dominance of the two main parties in the UK is still intact though weak. The rise of the multi-party system in the UK Despite that the two-party system is still intact in British politics to date, the electoral behaviors and voting tactics relative to the support for the two main parties have changed in different aspects. For instance, the notion that the two main parties will take the first or the second positions in most constituencies is no longer feasible. Moreover, the Conservative Party’s popularity in some political jurisdictions such as Scotland is on the decline due to the emergence of the strong support for Liberals and nationalists. Additionally, considering that the Conservative Party was the most famous political party in Scotland, and the second best in Wales until the 1950s, it is probable that the Conservatives have lost the Welsh and Scottish support because the party has failed in many ways to represent the people of Scotland and Wales (Kelly 54). Moreover, the intensified calls for devolution in some political jurisdictions further ruined the dominance of the Conservatives. However, during Margaret Thatcher’s reign as the Prime Minister, the Labour Party survived losing out on majority votes while the Conservatives lost almost all seats in Scotland and Wales. Here, the Welsh and Scottish people supported the Labour Party because the party stood for the devolution agenda in the two regions, and therefore, through the combined support from the Liberal Democrats and other Nationalist Parties, the Labour Party survived the storm, and went ahead to regain power and political dominance at Westminster (Denver 596). On the other hand, the Liberal Democratic Party enjoys the support from most regional political jurisdictions as the second best party in parliamentary politics. In some of these regions such as England, the existence of three competing parties makes it difficult for one to clearly define the political party system that is in place (Webb 15). For instance, in the recent past, there has been evidence of a two-party system in England whereby the electorate chooses bet ween either the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives or the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats instead of the usual trend of Labour and Conservatives (Sanders 15). Furthermore, in more balanced or marginal political jurisdictions, the battle for majority votes can either be three-way or four-way. For example, in Scotland and Wales, which have their respective regional assemblies, there is evidence of proportional representation of four different parties in parliamentary elections (Johnston et al. 154). Therefore, proportional representation of political parties in some regions of the UK shows that third parties have almost regained the support of different social classes, and as a result, their influence in parliamentary politics cannot be ignored. Furthermore, most Liberal Democrats propose that introducing electoral reforms in the UK will not only end the era of social class-oriented party representation, but it will also rid the UK of unpopular policies by single parties that pretend to represent the interests of the majority of voters (Field 200). In addition, the popularity of a two-party system in the UK has declined significantly due to tactical voting. Here, tactical voting entails the various techniques used by most third parties to challenge the dominance and governance of the two major parties (Robins and Jones 56). As a result, tactical voting has been used to replace unpopular governments and ineffective opposition parties in the UK for many decades now. However, the most spectacular show of tactical voting appears in 1997 whereby the Labour Party enjoyed a clean sweep of majority seats despite the Liberal Democrats claiming a reasonable number of parliamentary seats. In addition, the Conservatives suffered a disastrous blow during the 1997 elections because the party lost almost all the seats in some regions where the tactical voting technique was successfully executed (Sanders 20). Subsequently, the Labour Party was also affected by tactical voting in 2005 whereby most voters failed to support the party because they felt that the Iraq war was unwarranted, and thus the voters were out to punish the political elite. Consequently, other third parties gained from tactical voting with the Liberal Democrats obtaining a historical tally of 62 parliamentary seats in 2005 (Denver 604). Thus, it is probable that the majoritarian system of a two-party democracy is weakening, and it will soon come to an end. Relative to the discussions above, it is arguably correct to state that the UK is still made up of a two-party system despite that the system’s popularity is weakening due to proportional representation of political parties, which threatens to replace the two-party system with a multi-party system. However, in some regions such as Scotland and Wales, the two-party system has been completely replaced by a four-party voting system whereby the Labour Party is still the dominant party, and the Liberal Democrats together with other Nationalist parties assume the second place while the Conservatives are trail in the last position (Bartle and Allen 45). Furthermore, the two main parties in the UK can no longer form the government on a minority vote, and thus, the two parties depend on the first-past-the-post system to form the working majority in parliament. Through the first-past-the-post system, which manipulates the balance the seats held by a particular political party and the total votes cast to favor the dominance of the two main parties, the influence of other third parties in politics at the national level is still overshadowed (Blau 453). Therefore, the first-past-the-post electoral system gives the impression of the existence of a two-party system in the UK to date. For instance, in the period from 2005 to 2010, there is evidence of a return to the traditional voting tactics despite the emergence of new and powerful party leaders. And in the 2010 elections, the Conservatives demonstrated their d ominance in British politics despite the popularity of the Liberal Democratic leader increasing suddenly (Bartle and Allen 65). Furthermore, Scotland shocked many by supporting the Labour Party as opposed to the Liberal Democrats, and in other regions, the support for the two main parties was almost the same as in the past years. Therefore, the probability that a two-party system is still intact in the UK is relatively high despite the electorate expressing concern over the credibility of the two main parties in delivering popular policies relative to the ever changing political and economic environments. Conclusions The essay presents the discussions for and against the notion that the UK is still made up of a two-party system. The foregoing discussions show that the Conservatives and the Labour party have been enjoying political dominance over the years with the period from 1945 to 1970 being characterized by a classic two-party system. Furthermore, the two-party system has been i n place parallel to the existence of other third parties such as the Liberal Democrats and the nationalists, which are at a political disadvantage because they lack enough resources and candidates who can make a national political impact. However, the period from 1970 to date has been marked by the emergence of strong support for third parties against the two main parties. Therefore, despite that the third parties have failed to replace the two-party system with a multi-party system, the parties have made a significant impact in British politics in terms of encouraging proportional representation of most political parties in some political jurisdictions in the UK. However, the first-past-the-post electoral system is still intact and in full support of the two-party system, and thus more needs to be done in terms of encouraging electoral reforms to counter or replace the two-party system in the UK. Works Cited Bartle, John and Allen Nicholas. Britain at the polls 2010. London: Sage P ublications Ltd, 2010. Print. Bassett, Reginald. Essentials of parliamentary democracy. 2nd ed. London: Charles Birchall Sons Ltd, 1964. Print. Blau, Adrian. â€Å"A quadruple whammy for first-past-the-post.† Electoral Studies 23.3 (2004): 431-453. Print. Clarke, Harold, Stewart Marianne, and Zuk Gary. â€Å"Politics, economics and party popularity in Britain, 1979-83.† Electoral Studies 5.2 (1986): 123-141. Print. Denver, David. â€Å"The results: how Britain voted.† Parliamentary Affairs 63.4 (2010): 588 606. Print. 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London: Sage Publications Ltd, 2000. Print. Whiteley, Paul, Sanders David, Stewart Marianne, and Clarke Harold. â€Å"Aggregate level forecasting of the 2010 general election in Britain: the seats-votes model.† Electoral Studies 3.1 (2010): 354-361. Print. Whiteley, Paul. â€Å"Evaluating rival forecasting models of the 2005 general election in Britain-An encompassing experiment.† Electoral Studies 27.4 (2008): 581-588. Print. This essay on Is the UK still a two-party system? was written and submitted by user Thomas Blevins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.