GCSE Citizenship Studies

Unit 1(c): Global Community

Revision Pack

1. Sustainable development

Key words

What is sustainable development?Sustainable development means we can improve the way people live today without harming the prospects of future generations. New materials can be designed to use less energy; different resources can be used so that scarce of dangerous materials are not needed.

Economic Growth: this happens when the country produces more goods and services from ear to yearLEDC: less economically developed countryMEDC: more economically developed countryRenewable: able to be replaced or restoredSustainable development: living now in a way that doesn’t damage the needs of future generations

Why sustainable development?In MEDC’s such as the UK we expect our standard of living to improve. People buy more and more things to make their lives more comfortable. Many of these are luxury items have a major impact on our carbon footprint and cause more natural resources to be used and increase pollution. Sustainable development means thinking and producing good to ensure future generations don’t suffer.

Sustainable solutionsEnergy – supplies of coal, oil and natural gas are limited, therefore we are forced to use alternatives. The UK already has many wind farms in Wales, Scotland and Cornwall. The world’s wind-generated electricity has grown x5 this decade. Offshore wind farms could in theory produce twice the UK’s electricity requirements.

Food – overfishing in the North Sea has not allowed enough time for fish to breed and stocks to recover; now fishing is strictly controlled and stocks are starting to recover.

Resources – if you cut down trees for timber and paper faster than nature can replace them, you will end up with no trees. Many countries are now planting fast growing tree varieties to replace the ones they have cut down. You now see goods labelled ‘made from timber from sustainable forest’.

Agenda 21: providing local solutions

In 1992 world leaders met in Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations ‘Earth Summit’. In this meeting countries agreed to work together to promote sustainable development around the world.

Local Agenda 21 sets out how this will work. Although Local Agenda 21 is a global plan, it is actioned locally by communities and people. LA21 should therefore meet the needs of the local communities and they should be the ones to do it working in partnership with their local councils.

Working towards sustainable solutions:

Many countries are working hard to find sustainable solutions. As such many have set themselves goals, some of which are outlined below:

UK: to reduce C02 emissions by 60% by 2050 USA: To reduce emissions to their 1990 level by 2020, and by 80% by

2050 EU: EU wide cuts in greenhouse gas emission, however some eastern and

central European countries are unhappy with the impacts these cuts are going to have on their economy.

Worldwide - UN Millennium goals: If people are fit, healthy and well educated they are more likely to look after the environment.

The UN Millennium goals identify a number of target areas: Prevent extreme poverty and huger Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Develop global partnership for development – all countries to support each

other Ensure environmental sustainability Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases Reduce child mortality (death rates)

Some of these are not issues in the UK, but are significant problems in other parts of the world. They have been identified as UN priorities for sustainable development.

2. The Economy

EconomyEveryone in the UK is part of the economy, either by being a consumer, producer or citizen. We are all consumers in that we buy products and services.Some of us are producers because we make something or provide a service to others.

Key wordsEconomy: this is made up of all the organisations that provide goods and services, and all the individuals and organisations that buy themPrivate sector: this section of the economy is made up of businesses or organisations that are owned by individuals or buy share holdersPublic sector: this is made up of organisations owned or run by the government of local councilsProfit: the money that you gain when you sell something for more than what you paid for it or than what it cost to makeShareholders: someone who has invested some of their own money into the business and therefore owns a share of it.

The economy is measured by adding up everything produced or the value of everything consumed in one year. Both calculations should come to the same amount. In 2007 this figure was £2.4 trillion in the UK. Divide this by the total number of people in the UK it works out to £23,000 per person.

Private sectorBusinesses are run and/or owned by individuals or shareholders. Shareholders own part of a company but leave the day-day running of it to managers. The main objective is to make a profit for the shareholders and all decisions are based on this principle.

Third Sector (charities) Charities often provide communities with vital local services. They often have staff with specialised skills who have an in-depth knowledge of the local area.

Public sectorAre owned or run by the government and local councils. They include social services, fire, policy, education, defence, law, community and sports centres, housing and transport. Some of these services are contracted out to private sector firms or charities that often can do the job more efficiently and at a lower cost, however they are allowed to make a profit.

Success or failure?A company that succeeds has a very positive effect on our economy by...

1. Supporting individuals Employees are paid and may receive training to develop their skills. Employees will then be able to use or transfer their skills to a new job.

2. Supporting communities Employees will help other businesses by spending money in local shops e.g. in a cafe at lunch time. All businesses pay taxes, these taxes provide the government and local councils with money to spend in the local area on communities.

3. Supporting the wider community A growing business helps to create or support jobs in other businesses by...

Communicating more (telephone companies etc) Use more energy and water Buy extra equipment such as computers Buy more materials from suppliers By more services from other businesses such as solicitors All these things help the country’s economy to grow. Successful

businesses create more jobs, pay more taxes soothe people benefit

Negative effects of business…When businesses or services fail due to mismanagement or a downturn in demand for their products it can cause devastation for the communities in which they are based. The closure of the mining industry in the 1980s, the steel mills in the 1990s and the downturn in the car industry in the 2000s are examples of this.

Markets failing communitiesWhen markets move on and factories close, people lose their jobs. Some businesses that supported the industry may also close down. Local shops and traders lose out because people have less money to spend. Those employees made redundant may have the wrong skills for new types of businesses i.e. computer technicians. New businesses won’t move into areas where there are no

people with the skills their industry needs, or where other businesses are failing. This creates a vicious cycle of unemployment and can often lead to long term reliance on benefits which are then hard to changeWhen Prices rise or fall

KeywordsDeflation: the general fall in pricesInflation: the general rise in pricesRate of inflation: the rate at which prices rise

Why do prices change? When things we buy get more expensive as time goes on this is known as

inflation. If things we buy decrease in value this is known as deflation. Inflation can happen if people want to buy more so demand is higher than

supply Deflation happens if people want to buy less so demand is lower than

supply

Who is affected when prices rise? People with savings lose out because their savings will not by as much in

the future People with wages that do not grow with inflation will lose out because

their pay will always remain the same The rise in prices makes our products more expensive to buy so some UK

businesses can lose out if inflation is lower in other countries Borrowers will gain because the value of their deposit will fallWho is affected when prices fall? Savers gain because their money can buy more Borrowers lose because they have to replay money that is now worth less

The knock on effectIf prices rise too fast people stop buying products. This means that sales are down and businesses make less profit. To save money they make people redundant and unemployment rises. This means that people in the community have less money to spend on products. The government has to work hard to keep the economy on track, keeping inflation at a steady pace so it doesn’t rise or fall too much.

How to control inflation:1. Change in interest rates

If inflation is increasing the bank of England will raise interest rates so that people will borrow less and thus spending will be controlled.

2. Make sure there are enough staff If there is a shortage of skilled workers wages will go up and therefore so will inflation. The government makes sure that there are enough skilled workers to stop this happening by providing training courses and helping businesses train others.

3. Keep business costs down In order to make a profit and be competitive businesses have to keep their costs down. To do this they have to keep their payment for land, materials and staff as low as possible. Balancing budgets

Key termsInterest: extra payment made to a lender by someone who as borrowed moneyPoverty line: the income level below which someone cannot afford to live

Redistributing income: taking money from wealthier people through taxation, to give to poorer people through benefits

Is borrowing the Solution?If you want to borrow money you have to find someone to lend it to you. The lender will then expect interest on the money that they have lent you so you pay back more than what you have borrowed. If you cannot afford to pay back the money the interest will still be added to the amount you owe. So it’s only safe to borrow money if you can afford to pay it back.

People with low incomes and skills find it hard to borrow money because they can’t afford to pay it back. They may use pay-day lenders who charge massive interest rates and often people end up paying far more than they initially borrowed. They may be below the poverty line which means they don’t have enough money for food, housing, heating etc.

In Britain.... 18% of the UK population live below the poverty line 1 in 6 families will have no-one in employment 35% of families have no savings

Redistributing taxes The government uses the money it receives from taxes to help the poor. People who earn more pay higher taxes which are redistributed to people with lower incomes.

Providing real opportunitiesThe government doesn’t want people to rely on benefits so they try to get them back into work by training people and giving them skills.

Balancing the BudgetKey TermsBudget: every year the Chancellor of the Exchequer explains how the government will raise and spend its moneyChancellor of the Exchequer: member of government who is responsible for the nation’s financesGovernment Revenue: Money raised by the government

What does the government spend its money on?The way the money is divided can vary from year to year. In 2011 the government spent the following (in £ billions);

Social protection 200Health 126Education 89Debt interest 50Defence 40Public order and safety 33Personal social services 32Housing and Environment 24Transport 23Industry, agriculture and employment 20Other 74Total Government spending 71

1

They raise this income from the following areas;

Receipts 2011-12 Revenues (£bn)

Income Tax 158National Insurance 101Value Added Tax (VAT) 100Corporate Tax 48Excise duties 46Council Tax 26Business rates 25Other 85Total Government revenue 589

Taxes explained Income tax: people are taxed on a % of how much they earn. People on

more money will pay more. Income tax may not be paid by people who earn very little

National insurance: again a tax that it taken out as a % of what you earn

VAT*: value added tax. Is paid on almost everything we buy apart from food. When you buy a CD 20% of what you paid goes to the government

Corporation tax: % of the profits each business makes Excise duties: this is the taxes added to goods such as alcohol and

cigarettes Other taxes: other taxes include those put on petrol and cars. These are

raised sometimes to reduce the amount we buy Local taxes: taxes raised by the local council include council tax and

business rates* The value of VAT is generally 17.5%, but in recent years that amount has been subject to change. In 2010 the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition government raised VAT to 20% to help pay off the countries’ debts. But the previous Labour government had lowered VAT to 15% to lower the cost of goods for people to buy.

Making ends meetThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for deciding where the money comes from and how it is spent. They work closely with government departments such as education who decide how much they need.

Just like everyone else if the government wants to spend more than its income it has to borrow money. It then has to pay interest on the money it borrows. As you can see our government has been spending more money than it receives through total taxation. Peoples’ voting decisions often depends on what the political parties say about taxing and spending.

3. Making a difference

Why volunteer?People volunteer for a number of reasons, mainly for personal satisfaction that they are helping the local community.Reasons given include....

To improve things/ help people The cause was important to me I had time to spare To meet people To learn new skills To give something back

Business VolunteersSome businesses encourage their staff to volunteer, this benefits both sides. A business gives its staff time off work to become involved and they learn new skills to benefit the business. This also raises the businesses profile in the local community and makes them look like a caring company. This is called Corporate Social Responsibility and is increasingly important in a world where trust and belief in business is declining.

4. The European Union

Key wordsMember state: a country that is a member of the EUCustoms duty: taxes on products bought from other countriesEuro: The name of the single currency used by a group of countries within the European Union.

The European Union (EU): Promotes economic and social progress Give the EU a voice on the international scene Develops an area of freedom, security and justice Maintains and establishes EU regulations

How the EU worksAll member countries (known as member states) elect a European member of parliament (MEP). A MEP has a much larger area to represent than a UK MP. There are 732 MEPs altogether. Compare this to the UK we have 646 MP’s and 78 MEP’s.The European parliament is one of the five organisations that run the EU.

Where does the power lie?

The European Commission Proposes new

regulations

Makes sure EU

The Court of Auditors Checks that EU

money has been spent properly

What is the European Union (EU)?At the end of the Second World War many country were adamant that a war should not break out again. By joining together and working with each other closely they felt another was less likely. Since 1958 even more countries have come together and worked closely in all sorts of areas such as environment, economics and politics.

Goods in and outside the EUEurope has a population of around 500million; more than the USA and Japan combined. This makes Europe a very big market to sell to. It also means that there is a lot of competition so prices should be lower.The downside is that good bought outside the EU are more expensive because a tax or Customs Duty needs to be paid on goods from other parts of the world. These goods will be more expensive for EU consumers. These factors have meant that the UK buys and sells more products to EU countries than any other country in the world.

The EuroThe Euro was set up on Jan 1st 1999The UK decided not to join the Euro because our economy was very strong it would have weakened it and would not have been in our best interest at the time.The Euro has advantages...

You don’t have to change your money when you go on holiday. This makes it cheaper because banks charge you for changing your money

It makes it easier for businesses’ to know and understand costs and profits

*Not everyone is in favour of the Euro as it reduces a countries control over its own economy.

Citizens of the European UnionAny citizen of a country within in the EU is automatically an EU citizen. The advantages to us as citizens are...

Freedom to live and work within any EU country

The European Parliament Discusses proposals

for new regulations put forward by the European commission

Enforces EU regulations

Can call of New EU policies or for them to be amended/changed

The European Commission Proposes new

regulations

Makes sure EU

The court of Justice Decides whether

regulations has been broken

The Council of Ministers Main decision making

body Made up of one

minister from each member state/ country

Discusses proposals for new regulations put forward by the European Commission

The right to vote of stand for election in any other EU country – this means that if you live in Spain you can vote in Spanish parliament or become a member of the Spanish parliament

The right for EU citizens to be protected by representatives of any member state – so if you need help in Kenya any EU representative from any country can help you if the British representative is absent e.g. French embassy

The right to appeal to the European ombudsman – if you feel that EU rulings have not been carried out properly you can appeal to the European ombudsman to investigate

5. The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth todayThe Commonwealth of Nations is an association of countries, most of which were once ruled by Britain. The commonwealth has 1.7 billion people make up 30% of the world’s population. It includes nations like Canada, Sri Lanka and India.

The modern Commonwealth helps to advance democracy, human rights, sustainable economic and social development within its countries and beyond. The Queen is head of the Commonwealth.

If countries do not conform to Commonwealth policies they are thrown out. Zimbabwe was thrown out in 2003 because it infringed human rights and its elections were not democratic. However, Sri Lanka has not been thrown out despite alleged human rights abuses in the recent civil war.

How does the commonwealth help?

The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC)Promotes economic and social development and helps to overcome poverty in member states. The skills in members’ countries are used to help others. Advisors go to other countries to help with agriculture, enterprise, trade, legal issues etc.

The Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative (CYCI)A small enterprise scheme for young people providing micro-credit, training, enterprise development which can bring economic self-sufficiency to the poorest young people.

6. The United Nations

192 countries are members of the UN. This means that those countries agree to accept the UN charter. The aims of the charter are:

To maintain international peace and security To develop friendly relations among nations To cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect

for human rights

The UN is not a government and does not make laws

International court of justice

International crime court Economic and social council

Secretary GeneralImplements recommendations

Security Council makes decisions5 fixed members 10 non permanent

(Peacekeeping forces)

General Assembly.192 members

1 country = 1 vote

5 permanent = China, Russia, France, USA, UKNon permanent elected for 2 years at a time

It does help to resolve international conflict and makes policies on matters affecting us all.

The organisation of the UN

The AgenciesThe UN agencies deal with a wide range of issues including the environment, population, food, agriculture, health and tourism. The carry out activities agreed by the general assembly and the Security Council. E.g. of agencies

UNDP: united nations development program UNIFEM: united nations development fund for women UNESCO: united nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation WB: World bank IMF: International Monetary Fund

Peacekeeping: the work of the UN Security Council

The Security Council has 5 permanent members as in the general assembly and 15 non-permanent members elected for 2 years. The Security Council...

Can investigate any international dispute Can recommend ways of reaching a settlement Is responsible for peacekeeping forces

UN Millennium Goals

In 2000 world leaders agreed that development in the poorer parts of the world was moving too slowly. They all agreed on 8 ‘millennium goals’ which aim to support and encourage development.

Prevent extreme poverty and hunger – reduce hunger and poverty by half Achieve universal primary education – primary education for all girls and

boys

Promote gender equality ad empower women – access to secondary education for all women

Improve maternal health – reduce the number of women who die giving birth by 3/4

7. A fairer World?

LEDC’s/ MEDC’sThis is a basic way of splitting the world into rich and poor countries.

MEDC’s: more economically developed countries such as the UK LEDC’s: less economically developed countries such as Niger and The

Gambia

Debt: a cause of poverty41 poor countries (33 of which are in Africa) owe 150 billion in debt to western rich nations. In order to repay their debt they spend less on healthcare, education and other vital services.

The Beginnings of international debtIn the 1970’s rich nations lent money to poorer countries. This money was sometimes lent to undemocratic and corrupt governments who would spend money on weapons or waste it.Countries like Niger have fallen into the poverty trap in that their economies are growing slowly; they only rely on the sale of primary products such as bananas and coffee which they get very little money for. This means they have to borrow more and causes greater debt.

The UN Says‘debt relief has been or will be provided to 33 out of 41 eligible countries, cancelling more than 90% the debt the owe to other countries.’

Globalisation: the challenges

Key termGlobalisation: the increasing interdependence of the world

A shrinking worldModern technology and improved communication and transport has meant that trade between companies in different countries has been made easier. The internet allows us to buy products from anywhere in the world. The world is becoming a smaller place.

Consumer powerConsumers can buy from anyone so they have the power to choose. Businesses try to produce goods as cheaply as possible to attract customers. People can chose to buy the cheapest option or one that has been made a little more fairly

Producer PowerProducers can be very large; they have the power to...

Force down the price they pay for resources because suppliers are frightened of losing their biggest customer

Keep wages down, because workers have few alternative jobs Fix prices higher if there is no competition Fail to look after the environment if there are no laws to protect it

Who is more powerful: big businesses or nations?Some company’s sales are bigger than many countries economies. E.g.

Microsoft sales: $60 billion Economy of Niger: $3.4 billion

A country is stuck in one place whereas a multinational company can move to produce wherever the costs are lower. Many countries welcome multinational companies because they provide employment and skills and will help the country’s economy grow.

Can businesses be good?More and more companies now want to be fair to the communities they serve. The body shop, Co-op Bank and fair-trade organisations monitor their actions. This is often difficult to carry out because of the amount of shops and workers involved.

8. Sweat Shops

Key TermsBoycott: to refuse to use or have anything to do with somethingFair trade : a way of buying and selling products that aims to pay the producer a fair priceFree trade: trade between countries which is not restricted by things like high taxes in imports

Making trade fairerThe World Trade Organisation is responsible for negotiating international trade agreements.Free trade – rich countries want a free trade agreement in which the prices of goods are determined by the amount that people want to buy and sell. Most believe that this system favours rich nations such as USA and Japan and want the WTO to be reformed.

Fair-trade – this system favours the producer, it ensures more of the price consumers pay goes to the producer. Fair trade staff would be paid a fair wage, have good working conditions and be allowed to form trade unions to defend their rights.

The work of international organisationsThere are three major international organisations

The World Trade Organisation – helps shape rules on trade so that it makes selling to other countries easier

The World Bank – provides loans to poorer countries to reduce poverty The International Monitory Fund – promotes financial co-operation and

economic growth of international trade

ProtestsProtests are greatest when international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organisations (WTO) meet to discuss free trade, poverty and wealth.Protestors are drawn from various pressure groups, this increases the number of protestors but they have different aims, some may be protesting against global warming, others poverty.

Pressure group vs. international organisation

Anti Globalisation Movement International Trade Organisation Organisations such as IMF and

World Bank cause poverty because they encourage free trade, this can damage LEDC’s because they have to compete in world markets

The movement itself represents the poor, who have no choice themselves

Globalisations and free trade are good for the poor, international trade brings more jobs to poorer countries and will therefore reduce poverty

Protest groups are undemocratic because they haven’t been elected and sot therefore they cannot claim to represent the people

Protest groups are, in effect, preventing global efforts to tackle poverty

Too Loud a MessagePressure groups can promote their case through publicity, including internet sites. However some protests can result in violence and damage to property. McDonalds is an easy target for them.Anti-globalisation pressure groups are usually protesting about other people’s human rights, but limit others in the process. Such actions are breaking the law, it may get media attention but they could lose sympathy from the public.

9. The Environment

Key TermsFossil Fuels: a naturally occurring fuel, such as coal or natural gasGlobal warming: the rise in the average surface temperature of the earth

Climate change and global warmingOur climate is changing but scientists disagree about why it is happening and the long term effects these changes will cause. Many scientists believe the burning of fossil fuels is responsible for global warming. The concentration of Carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas) is now at its highest in 400,000 years. Temperatures are rising more quickly than they have done in the last 1000 years.

What are the effects?There can be positive and negatives effects of global warming. On average LEDC’s suffer more than MEDC’s, e.g. water shortages in countries such as Rwanda, Somalia and Kenya.

Rise in sea level

Over half the world’s population lives on lye lying land around coastal areas, millions of people can become environmental refugees.

Hurricanes, flooding and droughtsPossibility of more extreme weather threatens the livelihood of many of the poorest people in the world. Richer nations produce the vast amount of greenhouse gases, but they will also be affected by weather extremes.

DiseaseWarmer and wetter countries will see an increase in water born infections such as malaria, diarrhoea and dysentery. Higher temperatures will increase the number of pests, weeds and diseases. Famers ay have to increase their use of pesticide and weed killers, which could lead to polluted rivers and lakes.

Cutting Carbon: The Kyoto Protocol In 1998 world leaders met in Kyoto (Japan) to discuss how to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions They agreed to reduce emissions by 5% below the 1990 levels by 2008 Since then all EU countries have agreed to reduce emissions by 20% by

2020 UK has set its target at 60% by 2050

10. Global Crisis

Key termsAIDS: acquired immune deficiency syndrome, a disease that destroys peoples natural defences against diseasesHIV: human immunodeficiency virus, a virus that reduces people’s resistance to illness and can cause AIDS

Dying of ignorance Half of all new HIV infection occurs in young people In 2000 the number of 10-19 years olds reached 1 billion – most of these

living in LEDC’s Poor countries can’t afford to set up clinics to provide HIV testing and

distribute free condoms UNICEF (UN agency) estimates that one half of today’s 15 year olds in

Botswana and South Africa die from AIDS.

UNICEF Project – wake up to HIV/AIDS Kindlimuka is Mozambique’s first self-help group, supported by UNICEF, to

help people living with AIDS and HIV 20 million people in Mozambique are HIV positive 600 new people are diagnosed every day, 45% are under the age of 25 Kindlimuka works with local school children to educate them on AIDS and

HIV and helps reduce the stigma (negative reputation) that goes with having HIV and AIDS

RefugeesFor more than 5 decades the United Nations High Commission on Refugees has been helping the worlds uprooted people.The agencies first task was to help 1 million people after WWII. During its lifetime it has assisted and estimated 50 million refugees restart their life.

International JusticeKey terms

Geneva Convention: an internationally accepted set of rules on the treatment of people in warGenocide: mass murder of a racial, national or religious group

International criminal courtThis was set up in 2002. Over 100 countries have signed up however some important countries have not signed because they are critical of the court these are USA, China, Russia and India.The court only deals with the most serious crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.The court is the last resort; it will not deal with cases that countries are dealing with themselves.

What Law?For the court to make ruling it needs laws on which to base its decisions. The Geneva Convention sets out rules on how people should be treated in war.

The Geneva Convention/ Rules People who are not involved in the conflict should be protected and

treated fairly It is forbidden to kill or injure an enemy who surrenders The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for by the people who

has them in their power People who have been captured (soldiers and civilians) are entitled to

respect for their lives, dignity, personal rights and convictions. They have the right to contact their families and to receive relief

No one shall be held responsible for an act they have not committed. They should not be subject to physical or mental torture, corporal punishment or cruel or degrading treatment

It is prohibited to use weapons of methods of warfare to cause unnecessary losses or excessive suffering

Civilians must not be attacked, only attacks should be directed to military objects

The use of biological and chemical weapons and anti personnel mines are prohibited

Who hasn’t conformed to this law?The international court of justice was asked to rule on the west bank barrier, which is Israel claimed had to be built to protect the country from terrorism. The opposition to it claimed that Israel was preventing Palestinians from moving freely in the area – including going to work. The international court of justice ruled against the wall and said that it was illegal. Israel rejected the ruling and the wall is still there.

Protecting Human Rights

The European Court of JusticeThis was set up by the council of Europe. It aims to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. All 47 member countries (countries member to the EU) have signed. The court can award damages but doesn’t not have the power to set punishments. A country could be expelled from the council if it did not accept the rulings. The EU watches carefully to see what the member states are up to.