Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Challenge of Money and Muscle Power:
Political parties focus on winning elections at any cost. They nominate candidates who have or can raise large amounts of money. Rich people and big companies who fund parties influence their policies and decisions. In some cases, parties even support criminals who can win elections, ignoring merit and public interest.

Effect on Quality of Democracy:
This seriously harms democracy. Ordinary citizens without wealth or criminal connections cannot contest elections. Policies are shaped by the rich rather than the common people. When criminals enter politics, governance suffers. Democracy becomes a tool for the powerful, weakening fairness, equality, and genuine public representation.

Source: Political Parties, Challenges to Political Parties — Chapter 4

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• The examiner expects two clear parts: (1) explanation of the challenge and (2) its impact on democracy. Missing either part costs marks.
• Key terms to use: nominate candidates, money power, muscle power, criminals, influence on policies.
• Do not just list points — write in connected sentences for a 3-mark answer.
• The textbook explicitly states parties "support criminals who can win elections" — include this as it shows direct textbook alignment.