Abstract
This paper explores the past history and present pitfalls hindering Conservative electoral success in Scotland. The paper analyzes the reasons behind the decline in the Scottish Conservatives' fortunes and looks at Scottish voters' political values and policy preferences. The paper examines the response of the Scottish Conservatives since their 1997 defeat and then discusses what the Scottish Conservatives can do to attract more votes.

Outline:
Abstract
Chapter 1 - The Current Electoral Situation
Chapter 2 - Reasons for Conservative Decline in Scotland
Chapter 3 - Scottish Voters' Political Values and Policy Preferences
Chapter 4 - The Response of the Scottish Conservatives
Chapter 5 - What Should the Scottish Conservatives do to Attract More Votes?
Chapter 6 - Conclusion

From the Paper
"It is obvious to state that the Conservatives have experienced electoral decline in Scotland since the 1950s. There are a variety of reasons which have been put forward by way of explanation for this particular case. One such idea is that put forward by Lynch who argued that the Conservative Party's successes in the 1950s would make its results in subsequent years seem appalling (Lynch 2001 p.142). In other words that, they were by their very nature a party which would not suit Scottish voters and that early success was the exception, rather than the rule. He considered Conservative success in Scotland in the 1950s to be exceptional given the strong working class alliance with the Labour Party in Scotland and also the long standing dominance of the Liberal party (Lynch 2001 p.148).
"Lynch argues that the Conservatives benefited from the Liberals' internal battles and organisational failures. In other words, that their success was more a representation of their opposition's failures, rather than a success based on its own merits. The Conservatives had prospered in Scotland with the formation of the Liberal Unionists, and from 1912 onwards when the Conservatives and the Liberal Unionists merged to form the Scottish Unionist Party. The Conservatives managed to attract sizeable numbers of disillusioned former Liberal voters. However, the recovery of Scottish Liberalism from around 1965 meant increasing Liberal vote share came mainly at Conservative expense. Such facts support the claims made by Lynch and raise important questions about how the Conservative party can gain power in the current political climate, given the relative strength of the opposition parties."

Tags:Cameron, Osborne, referendum, independence, Thatcherism, Holyrood

Abstract
This paper proposes a for and against argument on the issue of campaign finance reform. It examines how campaign finance reform has been raised as an important political issue for some time and there have been several recent proposals to deal with such reform. It looks at how these proposals deal with concerns about the growing amount of money needed for political campaigns and about how that money is acquired by candidates. It analyzes the McCain-Feingold Bill which addresses this issue and has been much debated for the constitutional issues involved. It evaluates how one side of the argument cites reasons why money is too prevalent in politics today and why the way campaigns are funded should be changed. It then cites the other side--that campaign funding is a matter of free speech and should not be changed in any way.

From the Paper
"For many people today, people who can be heard on talk shows across the nation, people who speak on television and campaign for change, people who refuse to vote or have anything to do with the political process--for these people and others, political corruption is such a fact of life that they cannot separate the idea of government and government officials from corrupt practices. One reason for this perception is the knowledge that politics is expensive and that running for office requires vast amounts of money, and people want to know what those giving large campaign contributions want for their money. Public funding is an alternative to the current system, and it would be enhanced further by caps on campaign spending. The scandal today, as numerous commentators have pointed out, is not what is illegal but what is legal, with distinctions made between "hard" money and "soft" money that serve the needs of the political parties and yet do not answer the concerns of the public."

Tags:mcCain-feingold, bill, constitution, government

Abstract
An examination of the the Electoral College and the support and opposition that exists for it. The author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the Electoral College arguing that the Electoral College is the best and most systematic and fair way to run elections. Included is a background to the Electoral College and a thorough description of its formation and duties.

) Why do we have the Electoral College?

2) The Founding Fathers disputed how the president would be chosen

i) By direct vote of the people

ii) By Congress

b) Compromised with the Electoral College

c) Thesis Statement

3) Description of the Electoral College

a) How many there are

b) How they are chosen

c) How the people vote for them

d) How the President is voted for

4) The Electoral College has opposition

a) Electors don?t have to vote the way they pledged

b) There can be a tie in the Electoral College

b) The popular vote winner may lose the election

5) There can be a tie

a) How there can be a tie

b) Why it could be a problem

6) Electors don?t have to vote the way they pledged

a) The states and their penalties

b) An Example of an elector changing his mind

c) Why it could be a problem

7) The popular vote winner may be the loser

a) How it is happening in this election

b) A past example

c) Hillary?s promise to abolish the Electoral College

d) What would happen without the Electoral College

8) Oppositions solution is to abolish the Electoral College

a) Why it should be abolished

i) A possible tie

ii) Electors can change their vote

iii) The popular vote winner losing the election

b) Why the Electoral College should not be abolished

i) One problem can be fixed

ii) Another has a solution

iii) The last is not really a problem

9) A possible tie

a) Unlikely because each state would have to go a specific way

b) The solution that is already made

10) Electors can change their minds

a) Only 9 of over 18,000 have

b) It is hard to get an elector to change his or her mind

c) The solution is to pass a law

11) The minority may win the election

a) The Electoral College forces candidates to include more people than if there is no Electoral College.

b) Without it, the election would be decided by people that lived in the large cities

c) Small communities would?t be significant enough for candidates to use their campaign money

d) The majority of the US would be left out

e) Why every vote counts in the Electoral College

12) The Electoral College is the best way to run an election

a) The elector flaw can be fixed

b) There is already a solution to the tie problem

c) The majority losing is better than only letting big cities have a say in the election

From the Paper
"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?" Gore has already won the popular vote! Three weeks later, and the US doesn't know who the 43rd president will be! Each candidate is still scrambling to get the 270 Electoral votes needed to win. But, if Gore has the most votes, why is there still a race? What are these Electoral votes? When our Founding Fathers were setting the policies for the elections, there was a debate. Some said the election of the President should come directly from the people; others said the people could not handle the responsibility, and Congress should do it. They compromised, and came up with the Electoral College. A couple hundred years later, the Electoral College is still in use, and there is support and opposition for it."

Tags:politics, voting, fair, equal

Abstract
This paper looks at how King Louis XIV of France used the remodeling of his magnificent palace at Versailles, and the visual art in the palace, as a propaganda tool. The author discusses Louis' constant campaign for absolute power as a divine ruler. The paper pays close attention to the architecture at Versailles.

From the Paper:

"King Louis XIV used visual arts within the palace of Versailles to establish the primacy of the French monarch. Louis XIV wanted to legitimatize his form of strict absolutism through art. The pinnacle of this propaganda campaign was the remodeling of the chateau of Versailles into a palace. He and his artists made specific choices to flaunt his wealth and give the king credibility. The gardens, grand staircase, hall of mirrors and salons parade with grandeur and thick allegorical comparisons between the Gods and Louis. The propaganda was effective in targeting its three intended audiences to the degree that later monarchs and artists mimicked it. "

Tags:allegory, art, france, history, king, monarchy, palace, louis, mirror, hall, ceiling, france

Abstract
The paper evaluates the level of influence social class has on the voting behavior in Britain. The paper explains that the divisions of class voting behavior are not as stark as in the past but it is still possible to determine a consistent effect from class consciousness on political outlook and electoral preference. The paper also discusses that in order to illustrate this progression, a number of different methods must be adopted, and must be done so by evaluating the theoretical aspect of voting behavior and the geographical factors that continue to direct voting behavior in Britain.

From the Paper
"The purpose of this work is to assess the extent to which class continues to impact upon British voting behaviour. As we will see, although the protracted divisions of class voting behaviour are not as stark as in the past, it is still possible to determine a consistent effect from class consciousness on political outlook and electoral preference. In order to exemplify this progression a number of different methods will be adopted. Firstly, the theoretical aspect of voting behaviour will be assessed and the geographical factors that still continue to direct voting behaviour in Britain. However, such analysis requires validated and empirical support. As such, throughout this work theoretical assumptions are supported on the basis of quantitative data and statistics."

Tags:divisions, electorial, consistent, consciousness

Abstract
This paper discusses how the British general election of 1959 was won by the Conservative Party and how the causes of the Conservative victory are varied and span a large period of time. It looks at how the social change that occurred in Britain throughout the 1950s can be attributed to the working class electorate shifting towards Conservatism and how the successful economic policies of the Tory government, stemming from the Labour government's socialist policies of the 1940s, can be linked to the social change, providing prosperity for large portions of the country and gaining votes for the Tories. It also examines how economic prosperity served to modify the public perceptions of public ownership, many seeing it as unnecessary and outdated, which harmed Labour's electoral strength as the party was synonymous with nationalization policies.

From the Paper
"By 1958 Labour had seemed to make inroads into the Conservative lead, with Gallup polls suggesting a close election and series of by election victories for Labour . However Prime Minister Howard Macmillan called the election at excellent time for the Tories, with high production, low bank rates, popular international relations with the superpowers and a Labour party under fire from the London bus strikes. The eventual election campaign saw the polls fluctuate initially to the left, however a costly mistake during a speech Labour leader Gaitskell regarding purchase taxes saw polls move swiftly to the right. As can be seen there were various factors in the Conservative victory in 1959, to come to a definitive conclusion each factor must be analysed in detail. "

Tags:Howard, Macmillan, conservative, labour, tories

Abstract
This paper discusses the concept of the welfare state in Britain in the twentieth century. Prior to the introduction of the Welfare State in 1948 there had been many changes in political ideology relating to social welfare. Economic Liberalism had dominated much of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, discouraging governments from spending money on welfare but towards the beginning of the twentieth century, with increasing disease and poverty, Social Liberalism became more influential, promoting state intervention. Gradually individualist ideas surrounding welfare were replaced with collectivist ideology. The paper covers provides an evaluation of legislation including the Community Care Act of 1990. It covers issues such as World War Two and election promises, Thatcherism, Blairism, social change, class inequalities and the future of the welfare state.

From the Paper
"Socialist ideas continued to influence politicians, and during the interwar period the government increasingly intervened to provide more welfare services. They realized the limitations of the National Insurance Act, and in 1941, Conservative leader, and prime minister, Winston Churchill, commissioned William Beveridge to investigate the effectiveness of welfare schemes and suggest improvements. As a result, the Social Insurance and Allied Services report was produced in 1942, outlining Britain's major social problems. These were known as the five giant evils, want, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness. The Beveridge report was recognized by the public and politicians as the way forward for welfare services, however the Conservative government did not act on the report initially due to reservations surrounding its proposals."

Tags:Fabian, Socialists, Winston, ChurchillWilliam, Beveridge, Conservative

Abstract
This paper examines Tony Blair's third term in office in comparison with his first and second terms. The paper draws parallels and links with Margaret Thatcher's administration. It looks at the characteristics and features of third-term governments, in general and evaluates whether they can be successful. In addition, the paper brings examples from around the world, including Japan, Australia, Sweden, South Africa and Italy.

From the Paper
"Tony Blair's third successive election victory of 2005 was championed by the government and its supporters as an 'historic' achievement. But as Blair began his final term in office, with a vow to 'focus relentlessly' on voter concerns, political commentators debated the topic of whether third term governments can be successful or whether they are doomed to fail. Now, halfway into his third term, amid scandals, allegations of sleaze, corruption and sheer incompetence, comparisons are being drawn between Blair's current government and Thatcher's disastrous third administration (1987-90), strengthening the argument that third term governments are doomed."

Tags:Blair, Thatcher, ministers, corruption

Abstract
The paper analyzes a speech delivered by Winston Churchill during the 1951 election campaign that would return him to the position of Prime Minister and return the Conservatives to power. The paper highlights how the speech is incredibly negative and is clearly directed at attacking the policies that the Labour party had pursued over the previous six years. The paper points out Churchill's subtle intention to glorify his role as war leader and notes the absence of any indication of how a prospective Conservative government would direct policy any differently. The paper discusses the many uses of this speech for a historian. The speech is included in an appendix to the paper.

From the Paper
"The attack on the record of the Atlee administrations comes from various quarters. Firstly Churchill outlines how Britain's position in the world has drastically diminished since the end of the war. He details in particular how countries that Britain played a part in liberating from Nazi domination, now perceive Britain to be weak and in decline. The retreat from empire is also a strong theme, highlighting the decline in British control over Egypt and Persia (Iran). The devaluation policy of the government is also attacked as seriously damaging the purchasing power of ordinary Briton's."

Tags:Conservatives, Labour, policies, war, leader

Abstract
An analysis of the functions of British political parties with particular attention to their place within UK culture and their promotion of democracy. The paper discusses the ideas of the Conservative, Labor and Liberal Democrats.

From the Paper
"Parties have a broad and complex impact on the political system. Their functions come in six main groups. Primarily, and very importantly, they respond to and articulate the views of opinions of members and voters. In this way, they make the government aware of much of societies needs and wishes. Parties also provide states with leaders. These leaders come from the 'training ground' of the party system, learning the nature of politics in modern culture. Parties provide society with the apparatus to set goals, and, in some cases, ensure they are carried out. In formulating programmes of government (in order to gain popularity), these parties urge policy formation from the executive."

Tags:england, english, parliament, politics, Thatcher