Edexcel A-Level Politics | Component 3B | 2026 Predicted Paper | Mark Scheme Question 3(c)

11 hours ago

11 min read

Evaluate the view that nation states retain significant sovereignty despite the effects of globalisation.

You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way.

(30 marks)

The command word “Evaluate” requires students to consider evidence supporting and challenging the proposition, assess the relative strength of those arguments and reach a substantiated judgement. The question is worth 30 marks, 10 each for AO1, AO2 and AO3, so knowledge of sovereignty and globalisation must be used to construct analysis and evaluation rather than simply described. Pearson's Section C guidance requires candidates to consider both views in a balanced way, and answers which fail to do this cannot progress beyond Level 2.

The specification defines a nation state as a political community bound together by citizenship and nationality, and national sovereignty as the state's absolute power over its citizens and subjects. It then specifically requires students to consider how globalisation challenges state control, contributes to international law and affects the nation state and national sovereignty.

Levels-based mark scheme

Level	Marks	Indicative qualities
Level 0	0	No rewardable material.
Level 1	1–6	Superficial knowledge and understanding. Analysis is limited and evaluation is mainly descriptive, producing unsupported conclusions.
Level 2	7–12	Some accurate knowledge is selected appropriately. Some logical analysis and relevant evaluation are present, but judgements are only partly substantiated and conclusions tend to be generic.
Level 3	13–18	Mostly accurate and relevant knowledge supports focused analysis. Both sides are generally considered, with substantiated judgements and some justified conclusions.
Level 4	19–24	Accurate, carefully selected knowledge consistently supports coherent analysis and evaluation. Arguments and judgements are mostly substantiated and lead to focused, justified conclusions.
Level 5	25–30	Thorough and in-depth knowledge is selected effectively. Analysis is perceptive and sustained, making convincing connections between ideas. Evaluation is fully relevant and consistently substantiated, producing focused and justified conclusions.

These levels follow Pearson's published Section C model. Pearson specifies that AO1 should underpin AO2 and AO3, that students should analyse arguments both supporting and rejecting the stated view, and that the overall judgement should emerge from the preceding evaluation.

Indicative content

Arguments supporting the view: nation states retain significant sovereignty

1. The international system continues to recognise sovereign states as its fundamental political units

The United Nations itself is founded on the sovereign equality of its members. Article 2 of the UN Charter also states that the UN is not generally authorised to intervene in matters essentially within a state's domestic jurisdiction, subject to the Charter's enforcement provisions.