2018 - WAEC Government Past Questions and Answers - page 3

A confederation is a union of sovereign states, united for purposes of common action often in relation to other states. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with the general government being required to provide support for all its members.

Confederation failed because of the lack of a strong central government. because they left too much power with the states. The central government had no power to levy or collect taxes, no power to regulate trade, and no power to enforce laws.

 

In presidential system of government, the executive is elected and is not responsible to the legislature, which cannot in normal circumstances dismiss it. Such dismissal is possible, however, in uncommon cases, often through impeachment. The president is responsible to the electorates  who elected him into office. Unlike the paliamentary system where the head of state is accountable to the parliament who elected him/her into office.

A centralized government is one in which power or legal authority is exerted or coordinated by a de facto political executive to which federal states, local authorities, and smaller units are considered subject. There is centralization of power in a federal system of government through the federal government to the state governemnt down to the local government.

Supremacy of the Constitution: The Constitution is binding on the Federal and the State Governments. The Central Government as well as the State Governments derives their powers from the Constitution. Also, neither of the two Governments should be in a position to override the provisions of the Constitution related to the powers and status enjoyed by the other.

It is vitally important in a democracy that individual judges and the judiciary as a whole are impartial and independent of all external pressures and of each other so that those who appear before them and the wider public can have confidence that their cases will be decided fairly and in accordance with the law.

An ombudsman, ombudsperson, ombud, or public advocate is an official who is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or a violation of rights. The ombudsman is usually appointed by the government or by parliament, but with a significant degree of independence.

Political parties and pressure groups work to achieve democratic goals. In a democracy, political parties and pressure or special interest groups are free to develop policies to achieve goals they have created. They also are free to work to elect candidates that will support and will advance those policies.

Apart from public funds, electioneering campaigns and other party activities,  elections are supported through private sources including monies and in-kind contributions made to political parties or candidates from: subscriptions, fees and levies from party membership, fines, proceeds from investments made by party faithfuls.

A pressure group, also known as an interest group or lobby, is an organization formed by like-minded people who seek to influence PUBLIC POLICY to promote an interest. Motives for action may be based on a shared political, religious, moral, health or commercial position. 

Public opinion can be influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion,occupation, etc., as well as the economic situation during or concerning a public issue. Public opinion is mostly influenced by mass media which includes television, magazines, radio, and newspapers. This is so because, it reaches a wide range of audience and opinions about governement policies and style of leadership is formed based on what is reported by the mass media