General Paper Flashcards

What is the 'digital divide'?

Answer: The disparity between those with access to modern technology and the internet and those without, often related to income and geography

The digital divide refers to the socioeconomic gap between those who have access to digital technologies (internet, devices) and those who do not, often along lines of income, education, age, and location.

What is the argument for freedom of the press?

Answer: A free press acts as a watchdog on power, ensuring accountability, providing accurate information, and protecting democratic values

A free press holds governments and institutions accountable, investigates wrongdoing, informs citizens, and facilitates democratic participation. John Stuart Mill's marketplace of ideas supports press freedom.

What is 'soft power' in international relations?

Answer: The ability to influence other countries through attraction and persuasion (culture, values, diplomacy) rather than coercion

Soft power (Joseph Nye) is the ability to shape others' preferences through attraction rather than coercion — through a country's culture, political values, and foreign policies seen as legitimate.

What does 'meritocracy' mean in the context of social mobility?

Answer: A system where advancement is based on individual merit — talent, effort, and achievement — regardless of background

Meritocracy holds that people advance based on their abilities and efforts. In the GP context, students debate whether Singapore's meritocracy is truly fair or whether structural inequalities persist.

What is the main argument against capital punishment?

Answer: It is irreversible, has no proven deterrent effect, risks executing the innocent, and constitutes a violation of the right to life

Key arguments against capital punishment include: irreversibility (executing innocent people is possible), lack of proven deterrent effect, the moral argument that the state should not take a life, and disproportionate application.

What does 'climate justice' mean?

Answer: The recognition that climate change disproportionately affects poorer, less developed nations that have contributed least to emissions

Climate justice addresses the inequity that developing nations (least responsible for historical emissions) suffer the worst climate impacts, demanding that richer nations take greater responsibility and support adaptation.