How do I structure a 25-mark essay question, such as '‘Democracy in Britain in 1885 was little different from that in 1846.’ Assess the validity of this view.'

Key with structure at A-Level: keep it simple and consistent. Introduction: outline key themes and issues (and any hazy definitions), and end with what you'll conclude. Main body: essentially, yes and no. Its easier to be analytical if you write yes with corresponding nos.Conclusion: say what you've said. Must take a line - usually the nuanced answer is a form of 'yes but only a little'.So - with the example '‘Democracy in Britain in 1885 was little different from that in 1846.’ Assess the validity of this view.' Introduction - key themes include the make up of 'democracy' - voting, parliament, and the process of the vote and politics. Point one: Numbers voting YES no change = half the population excluded, proportionately still minority of men who could vote.NO change = physical size of electorate increase 6 fold due to the Second and Third Reform Acts Point two: ParliamentYES no change = make up of parliament very similar in 1885 as to 1846 - mainly upper class in House of Commons, unelected House of LordsNO change = actually, the presentation of those political parties had changed a lot - the political parties changed who they were presenting to, aiming to appeal to people they hadn't in 1846 (appealing to wider electorate of working class, e.g. villa Toryism) also no = the 1885 Redistribution Act = both a change in the process of politics and the make up of parliament - end of country seats, more equal sized constituencies Point three: Process of politics YES no change = two main parties stayed the same after a period of change, aristocrats leading politicsNO change = appealing to others, secret Ballot Act (1874), even female suffrage arguments, Midlothian Campaign first modern political campaign. Tactics in the House of Commons = modern politics. Conclude: which has outweighed which - here, I would argue that there had been SOME change, and so it disagrees with the questions however nuance - it was not massively different in its make up.