Part 1: Understanding Left and Right

In politics, “left” and “right” are broad labels. Political parties may have a mixture of left- and right-leaning policies.

1. Which statement best describes a left-leaning political idea?

Government should do more to reduce inequality.

Government should provide fewer public services.

Businesses should always have fewer rules.

2. Which statement best describes a right-leaning political idea?

Government should own every business.

Personal responsibility, private enterprise and lower taxes are important.

Everyone must receive exactly the same result.

3. Tick two areas that governments commonly make decisions about.

Education

Weather

Health care

The colour of every house

4. New Zealand uses which voting system for general elections?

First Past the Post

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)

Preferential voting only

Part 2: Cloze Exercises and Wordsearches

Complete each sentence using the words in the box.

Parliament voters inequality policies coalition taxes

5. People who take part in elections by casting a vote are called ____________.

6. The plans and ideas that a political party promotes are its ____________.

7. A government formed by two or more parties working together is a ____________ government.

8. Find these words in Wordsearch 1: DEMOCRACY, PARLIAMENT, ELECTION, VOTER, CABINET, MINISTER, LEFT, RIGHT.

Wordsearch 1

DEMOCRACYX

PARLIAMENT

ELECTIONXX

VOTERXXXXX

CABINETXXX

MMPXXXXXXX

MINISTERXX

RIGHTXXXXX

LEFTXXXXXX

NZXXXXXXXX

9. Find these words in Wordsearch 2: IDEOLOGY, EQUALITY, FREEDOM, TAXES, WELFARE, MARKET, LABOUR, NATIONAL, DEBATE, POLICY.

Wordsearch 2

IDEOLOGYXX

EQUALITYXX

FREEDOMXXX

TAXESXXXXX

WELFAREXXX

MARKETXXXX

LABOURXXXX

NATIONALXX

DEBATEXXXX

POLICYXXXX

Part 3: Think and Explain

10. Explain one important difference between left-leaning and right-leaning political ideas. Give one example of a policy that could fit your explanation.

Example Answers

1. Government should do more to reduce inequality.

2. Personal responsibility, private enterprise and lower taxes are important.

3. Education and health care.

4. Mixed Member Proportional (MMP).

5. Voters.

6. Policies.

7. Coalition.

10. A left-leaning approach may support more government action to provide public services and reduce inequality. A right-leaning approach may place more emphasis on private enterprise, lower taxes and individual responsibility. Answers may vary; political ideas can overlap.

NZ Government: Left & Right

NZ Government: Left & Right

Part 1: Understanding Left and Right

Part 2: Cloze Exercises and Wordsearches

Part 3: Think and Explain

Example Answers

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