AQA A-Level Politics
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Paper 1: Government and politics of the UK
Government of the UK
3.1.1.1 - British Constitution - Sources and PrinciplesThis lesson explains the nature and sources of the British constitution, historical documents, codified and uncodified constitutions, rule of law, and parliamentary sovereignty. It defines the AQA key terms needed for this lesson. Detailed rights debates, post-1997 constitutional reforms, devolut...
3.1.1.1 - Rights and Constitutional ChangeThis lesson explains contemporary rights legislation, recent UK constitutional changes, debates about the extent of rights in the UK, and conflicts between individual and collective rights. It uses parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law only where they explain rights protection in this les...
3.1.1.2 - Parliament - Commons, Lords and the Legislative ProcessThis lesson explains how the Commons and Lords are composed, what each House does in debate and law-making, how a bill becomes an Act, and how this expresses parliamentary sovereignty. It only signposts representation, committees, opposition and detailed executive scrutiny because those sit mainl...
3.1.1.2 - Representation, MPs and PeersThis lesson explains AQA 3.1.1.2 on theories of representation, the roles and influence of MPs and peers, constituencies, party representation, mandates, delegates, trustees and parliamentary privilege. It links briefly to legislation and scrutiny only where they explain representation.
3.1.1.2 - Parliamentary Scrutiny and InfluenceThis lesson explains how Parliament scrutinises and influences the UK executive through the Commons, Lords, select committees, PMQs, opposition parties, backbenchers and legislation. It focuses on effectiveness in practice, including the limits created by party discipline, government control of t...
3.1.1.3 - Prime Minister, Cabinet and Policy MakingThis lesson explains specification point 3.1.1.3: the core executive, the Prime Minister-cabinet relationship, policy making, Cabinet committees, and individual and collective responsibility. It uses poll tax as the 1945-1997 anchor example and Iraq as the 1997-present anchor example. Wider accou...
3.1.1.3 - Prime-Ministerial Power and AccountabilityThis lesson explains specification point 3.1.1.3 on prime-ministerial and Cabinet power, government-Parliament relations, and accountability. It uses Thatcher and the poll tax as the required 1945-1997 example, and Blair and Iraq as the required 1997-present example. It signposts Cabinet responsi...
3.1.1.4 - The UK Judiciary and the Supreme CourtThis lesson explains the UK judiciary as a constitutional actor. It focuses on judicial independence, impartiality and neutrality; appointments; the Supreme Court; ultra vires and judicial review; rights and civil liberties; and the judiciary's relationship with Parliament and the executive.
3.1.1.5 - Devolved Institutions and PowersThis lesson explains the roles, powers and responsibilities of the Scottish Parliament and Government, Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament and Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. It focuses on devolved institutions, reserved and devolved powers, funding and accountability...
3.1.1.5 - English Devolution and the Impact on UK GovernmentThis lesson explains the debate around devolution in England, existing English devolution through London, combined authorities and metro mayors, and the impact of devolution on Parliament, the executive, party politics and the unity of the state. It uses Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only...
Politics of the UK
3.1.2.1 - Suffrage and the Development of ParticipationThis lesson stays inside AQA 3.1.2.1. It explains how the UK franchise widened from 1832 to the present, why campaigns for suffrage mattered, how voting rights connect to participation in a representative democracy, and why gender, class, ethnicity and age remain live debates.
3.1.2.1 - Democracy and Political ParticipationThis lesson explains the nature of democracy, direct and representative democracy, forms and patterns of participation, party membership, pressure groups, turnout, digital participation and partisan dealignment. It uses suffrage only as background and leaves detailed suffrage history, electoral s...
3.1.2.2 - UK Electoral SystemsThis lesson explains how majoritarian and proportional electoral systems convert votes into representatives in UK parliamentary and devolved-body elections. It focuses on FPTP, AMS, STV and the limited relevance of SV/AV-style systems, then evaluates proportionality, representation, strong govern...
3.1.2.2 - Voting Behaviour and Election Case StudiesThis lesson explains voting behaviour models and factors, then applies them to three AQA-required UK general election case studies: 1983, 1997 and 2019. Electoral-system effects are included only where they help explain voting behaviour and election outcomes.
3.1.2.2 - Referendums in the UKThis lesson explains the nature, use and impact of referendums in the UK for AQA 3.1.2.2. It focuses on referendums as direct-democracy votes within a representative and sovereign Parliament system, using EU, devolution and AV case studies. It does not reteach electoral systems except where the 2...
3.1.2.3 - Major UK Parties - Origins, Ideas and PoliciesThis lesson explains the origins, ideas, development and current policy positions of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties. It also uses relevant nationalist and green parties to show how minor parties can shape the political agenda.
3.1.2.3 - Party Structure, Funding and the Party SystemThis lesson explains party organisation, internal democracy, membership, funding, regulation, media, minor parties and the UK party-system debate. It uses Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat structures where they help explain organisation, but it does not reteach their origins, ideologies o...
3.1.2.4 - Pressure Groups, Pluralism and TypologiesThis lesson explains pressure groups and democracy through pluralism, insider and outsider status, sectional/interest groups, cause/promotional groups, elitism, corporatism, and one insider plus one outsider example. It uses methods and resources only as supporting evidence because the next press...
3.1.2.4 - Pressure-Group Influence and Other Political ActorsThis lesson explains how UK pressure groups and other political actors try to influence government and Parliament. It focuses on methods, resources, access, links with parties, government and media, plus think tanks, lobbyists, corporations, social movements and democratic evaluation. Typologies...
3.1.2.5 - The European Union and UK PoliticsThis lesson stays inside AQA 3.1.2.5. It teaches EU institutions, the aims of the EU, and the EU's impact on UK politics and policy making, with Brexit used only where it explains that impact.
Paper 2: Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics
Government and politics of the USA
3.2.1.1 - US Constitution - Framework and PrinciplesThis lesson explains the US Constitution as a codified and entrenched framework of government, the core constitutional principles behind it, separation of powers, checks and balances, and introductory links to federalism, amendment difficulty and rights. Detailed federal-state relations, the full...
3.2.1.1 - Federalism, Amendment and Rights ProtectionThis lesson explains the US federal system, federal-state relations, the Article V amendment process, the Bill of Rights, incorporation, rights protection and debates about constitutional change. It uses Supreme Court rulings as evidence for how rights and federalism work, but detailed Supreme Co...
3.2.1.2 - Congress - Structure, Representation and CommitteesThis lesson explains Congress's bicameral structure, House and Senate representation, elections and terms, the committee system, and congressional leadership. It signposts legislation, oversight, power of the purse and interbranch conflict only where they explain structure, because those are main...
3.2.1.2 - Congress - Legislation, Oversight and ChecksThis lesson explains Congress as a law-making and checking institution. It focuses on legislation, committees, the Senate filibuster and party discipline where they affect law-making, oversight, impeachment, confirmations, the power of the purse, and Congress's checks on the President. It signpos...
3.2.1.3 - Presidential Power - Formal and Informal SourcesThis lesson explains specification point 3.2.1.3 on sources of US presidential power, especially the difference between formal powers in Article II and informal powers built from leadership, persuasion, mandate, media, Cabinet, EXOP and executive-branch resources. It uses Obama and the Affordable...
3.2.1.3 - Presidential Constraints and Interbranch RelationshipsThis lesson explains constraints on the US President through checks and balances, Congress, the Supreme Court, federalism, Cabinet, EXOP, bureaucracy, parties, public opinion, media, elections and divided government. It focuses on how these checks affect presidents in practice. It does not teach...
3.2.1.3 - Imperial and Imperilled PresidencyThis lesson explains specification point 3.2.1.3 on the waxing and waning of presidential power and the debate between the imperial presidency and the imperilled presidency. It uses George W. Bush after 9/11 as the main waxing/waning example, with domestic examples from Trump and Biden, and evalu...
3.2.1.4 - US Supreme Court - Appointment, Composition and PowerThis lesson explains the US Supreme Court as an institution: how Justices are selected and confirmed, the Court's current composition as of 2026-06-22, life tenure and judicial independence, politicisation of appointments, and the Court's constitutional power and legitimacy. It signposts judicial...
3.2.1.4 - Judicial Review, Landmark Rulings and Public PolicyThis lesson explains the significance of judicial review in the US Supreme Court, the debate between judicial activism and judicial restraint, two landmark rulings and their controversies, and the judiciary's role in shaping abortion as a public policy area. It signposts constitutional interpreta...
3.2.1.5 - US Elections and Candidate SelectionThis lesson explains how US presidential and congressional elections work, and how candidates are selected through primaries, caucuses and national nominating conventions. It includes incumbency and campaign factors where they affect candidate selection and election chances, but leaves detailed E...
3.2.1.5 - Electoral College, Money and Campaign FactorsThis lesson explains the Electoral College, swing states, campaign finance, the FEC, PACs and Super PACs where they help explain electoral money, and the campaign factors of media, issues, leadership and incumbency. It does not reteach primaries, caucuses or national conventions; state direct dem...
3.2.1.5 - Direct Democracy and US Voting BehaviourThis lesson explains AQA 3.2.1.5: state-level direct democracy in the USA and the main variables affecting US voting behaviour. It focuses on initiatives, referendums, propositions, recalls, turnout, abstention, demographics, party identification, issue voting, party coalitions, realigning electi...
3.2.1.6 - US Parties - Ideology, Organisation and PolarisationThis lesson explains the Democratic and Republican parties as decentralised US party organisations. It teaches their broad ideologies, values, traditions, policy positions, voter coalitions and ideological change towards polarisation. It only signposts factionalism, party decline or renewal, part...
3.2.1.6 - US Party System - Factions, Weakness and Third PartiesThis lesson explains the US two-party system, party weakness and renewal, factionalism, realignment and dealignment, third parties, independent candidates and the barriers they face. It uses Democratic and Republican examples only where they explain the party system, not to reteach their full ide...
3.2.1.7 - US Pressure Groups and Political PluralismThis lesson explains US pressure groups as political pluralism in action: definitions, interest and promotional group typologies, lobbyists, access points, methods and tactics, examples, and democratic evaluation. Electoral finance, PACs, Super PACs, iron triangles and incumbency are signposted o...
3.2.1.7 - PACs, Super PACs and Pressure-Group FinanceThis lesson explains how US pressure groups use electoral finance and lobbying finance to gain influence. It focuses on PACs, Super PACs, campaign-finance law, Citizens United and SpeechNow where needed, soft and dark money, Washington insiders, iron triangles, incumbency, pressure-group power re...
3.2.1.8 - Civil Liberties and Rights Protection in the USAThis lesson explains how civil liberties and rights are protected in the USA through the Constitution, Bill of Rights, subsequent amendments, incorporation, and landmark Supreme Court rulings. It signposts civil rights, pressure groups and wider salient issues only where they help explain this as...
3.2.1.8 - Civil Rights Issues, Campaigns and Pressure GroupsThis lesson explains pressure groups and rights, plus salient US civil-rights issues involving race, gender, LGBTQ+ rights, voting, privacy, abortion and disability. It uses landmark rulings, Congress and the executive only where they explain campaigns, pressure-group activity and current rights...
Comparative politics
3.2.2 - Structural, Rational and Cultural ApproachesThis lesson teaches structural, rational and cultural approaches as the method spine for AQA Paper 2 UK-US comparison. It explains how to apply each approach to UK and US institutions, including constitutions, executives, legislatures, judiciaries, parties and rights. It does not teach every late...
3.2.2.1 - Comparing UK and US ConstitutionsThis lesson compares the UK and US constitutions as constitutional arrangements. It covers codification, sources, sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, devolution/federalism, rights protection, and constitutional amendment or change. It uses structural, rational and cultural app...
3.2.2.1 - Comparing Devolution, Federalism and LegislaturesThis lesson compares UK devolution with US federalism, and the UK Parliament with the US Congress. It focuses on powers, composition, structure, strengths and weaknesses, and on how similar legislative roles can produce different political effects. It uses structural, rational and cultural approa...
3.2.2.2 - Comparing the ExecutivesThis lesson compares the UK Prime Minister and Cabinet with the US President and executive branch. It covers roles and powers, accountability to legislatures, and relationships with other institutions of government. It uses structural, rational and cultural approaches where they help explain UK-U...
3.2.2.3 - Comparing the JudiciariesThis lesson compares the UK Supreme Court and US Supreme Court for AQA Paper 2. It covers similarities and differences, impact on government and politics, the relative extent and bases of judicial power, and the relative independence of the judiciary in the UK and USA. It uses structural, rationa...
3.2.2.4 - Comparing Electoral SystemsThis lesson compares elections and electoral systems in the UK and USA. It focuses on how votes become representatives or executive office, how Westminster, devolved, congressional and presidential systems differ, and how those differences affect proportionality, campaign incentives and democrati...
3.2.2.4 - Comparing Party Systems, Unity and FinanceThis lesson compares UK and US party systems for AQA Paper 2. It teaches two-party and multi-party patterns, campaign and party finance, party unity, third parties, independents and policy competition. It uses structural, rational and cultural approaches where they help explain the comparison. It...
3.2.2.5 - Comparing Pressure GroupsThis lesson compares the influence on government and the relative power, influence and methods of pressure groups in the UK and USA. It uses structural, rational and cultural approaches to explain similarities and differences. It does not re-teach every UK or US pressure-group typology, and it us...
3.2.2.6 - Comparing Civil RightsThis lesson compares civil-rights protection, civil-rights issues, and civil-rights campaign methods in the UK and USA. It focuses on the AQA Paper 2 comparative task: similarities and differences in rights protection, debates about civil-rights issues, and the methods, influence and effectivenes...
Paper 3: Political ideas
Core ideologies
3.3.1.1 - Liberalism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson explains AQA 3.3.1.1 Liberalism as a political ideology: core principles, the individual and freedom, classical and modern strands, internal tensions, and the six thinkers named in the AQA specification: Locke, Mill, Rawls, Green, Wollstonecraft and Friedan. It links those thinkers to...
3.3.1.1 - Liberalism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson explains the AQA liberalism named-thinker focus: Locke, Mill, Rawls, Green, Wollstonecraft and Friedan. It links them to liberal claims about human nature, the state, society, the economy, classical liberalism, modern liberalism and essay tensions. It uses core liberal ideas only wher...
3.3.1.2 - Conservatism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson teaches AQA conservatism through its core principles, its main strands from traditional conservatism to the New Right, and its internal debates about human nature, the state, society and the economy. It uses Hobbes, Burke, Oakeshott, Rand and Nozick as named thinker evidence, but it d...
3.3.1.2 - Conservatism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson explains the five conservative thinkers named in the AQA specification: Thomas Hobbes, Edmund Burke, Michael Oakeshott, Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick. It links each thinker to conservative claims about human nature, the state, society and the economy, and builds essay-ready tensions acro...
3.3.1.3 - Socialism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson explains AQA 3.3.1.3 Socialism through core principles, strands, internal debates and the five mandatory named thinkers: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Beatrice Webb, Anthony Crosland and Anthony Giddens. It focuses on socialist thinking about human nature, the state,...
3.3.1.3 - Socialism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson explains the AQA socialism named thinkers and the essay tensions created by their ideas. It links Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Beatrice Webb, Anthony Crosland and Anthony Giddens to socialist views of human nature, the state, society and the economy. It uses revolut...
Optional ideologies (choose one)
3.3.2.1 - Nationalism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson teaches nationalism as an AQA optional ideology. It covers the meaning of nation, popular sovereignty, core principles, minority nationalism, state nationalism, internal debates and the thinkers named in the AQA specification. It uses examples only to clarify the ideology, and does no...
3.3.2.1 - Nationalism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson teaches the nationalism thinkers named in the AQA specification as analytical tools for Paper 3 essays. It connects Jean Jacques Rousseau, Johann Gottfried von Herder, Giuseppe Mazzini, Marcus Garvey and Charles Maurras to human nature, the state, society, the economy, nationalist str...
3.3.2.2 - Feminism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson explains specification point 3.3.2.2 on feminism as an ideology: debates about the nature of feminism, core principles and values, main strands and internal tensions, and feminist thinking on human nature, the state, society and the economy. It uses the thinkers named in the AQA speci...
3.3.2.2 - Feminism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson explains the AQA 3.3.2.2 feminism named thinkers and essay tensions. It explicitly uses Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Simone de Beauvoir, Kate Millett, Sheila Rowbotham and bell hooks (Gloria Jean Watkins) to explain feminist thinking on human nature, the state, society and the economy. I...
3.3.2.3 - Multiculturalism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson explains AQA 3.3.2.3 multiculturalism as an optional Paper 3 ideology topic. It teaches multiculturalism's core principles, main strands, internal debates, and the thinkers named in the AQA specification as conceptual anchors. The sibling lesson on named thinkers and essay tensions de...
3.3.2.3 - Multiculturalism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsThis lesson explains the AQA named thinkers for multiculturalism and the essay tensions they create. It links Isaiah Berlin, Will Kymlicka, Charles Taylor, Tariq Modood and Bikhu Parekh to multiculturalist claims about human nature, the state, society and the economy. It uses equality of opportun...
3.3.2.4 - Anarchism - Principles, Strands and DebatesThis lesson explains anarchism as an AQA Paper 3 optional ideology. It teaches core anarchist principles, individualist and collectivist strands, internal debates, and the thinkers named in the AQA specification: Max Stirner, Mikhail Bakunin, Emma Goldman, Peter Kropotkin and Pierre-Joseph Proudh...
3.3.2.4 - Anarchism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsUse Stirner, Proudhon, Bakunin, Goldman and Kropotkin to analyse anarchist ideas about freedom, authority and the economy. Compare their arguments to build a judgement about unity and division within anarchism.
3.3.2.5 - Ecologism - Principles, Strands and DebatesExplore ecologism's view of the relationship between humankind and nature, then compare light-green reform with dark-green transformation. Use the prescribed thinkers to explain debates about sustainability, technology, the state and the economy.
3.3.2.5 - Ecologism - Named Thinkers and Essay TensionsUse Leopold, Carson, Schumacher, Merchant and Bookchin to explain different ecologist approaches to nature, development and democracy. Compare their arguments to judge whether capitalism and growth are the ideology's main dividing lines.