Evaluate the impact of changing social and economic policies on the population of one democratic state.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the impact of changing social and economic policies on the population of one democratic state by weighing up the strengths and limitations of those changes. Social policies evaluated may include education, social welfare, policies towards women and minorities, the arts and media, policies relating to health. Economic policies evaluated may include the distribution of wealth, taxation, employment regulation, unemployment benefits, industry regulation, infrastructure development. For example, the significant impact of India’s Five-Year plans could be evaluated along with the impact in Japan of the Labour Union Law (1945) and agricultural reform post-Second World War. Candidates may evaluate the positive benefits of changing policies including, for example, increased access to goods and services; more equality; increased standards of living. Or the negative impacts of changes to policies may be evaluated including loss of access to goods and services, lack of equity, reduction in standards of living. The extensive social welfare reforms enacted by the Weimar government in Germany offer a rich example. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required candidates to make an appraisal of the impact of changing social and economic policies on the population of one democratic state by weighing up the strengths and limitations of those changes. In the few responses seen, candidates had some difficulty in identifying social and economic policies, and responses were, for the most part, descriptive rather than analytical, with few attempts made to link the content to the question.