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Politics Unit 1 > 1. Democracy And Participation > Flashcards

1. Democracy And Participation Flashcards

1
Q

What is democracy?

A

Where people have real influence over political decisions that will affect them and the government are accountable to the people

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2
Q

What is legitimacy?

A

The idea that the government has the right to govern, normally granted through elections implying that is has the consent of the people

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3
Q

What are the key features of a democracy?

A
  • people have influence over political decision making
  • government is accountable to the people
  • free and fair elections
  • different political beliefs/parties/associations are tolerated
  • media is free and independent
  • rights of citizens legally guaranteed
  • legal limits to government powers (established by constitution and independent judiciary)
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4
Q

What is direct democracy?

A

where the people themselves make important political decisions

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5
Q

What are the key features of direct democracy (referendums)?

A
  • people make decisions directly
  • government acts on the instructions of the people
  • people make decisions based on single issues
  • people must be educated and engaged in the issues and process
  • decisions based on majoritarian outcomes
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6
Q

What are the advantages of direct democracy?

A
  • purest form of democracy
  • avoids deadlock/delay in political system
  • very legitimate
  • decisions made by people can’t be overturned by political leaders
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7
Q

What are the disadvantages of direct democracy?

A
  • can lead to ‘tyranny of the majority’ (winning majority ignores the minorities interests)
  • people easily swayed by short term, emotional appeals/charismatic individuals
  • issues are too complex for an ordinary person to understand
  • people cannot be held accountable to themselves so could act irresponsibly
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8
Q

What are the 4 examples of modern day direct democracy?

A
  • referendums
  • e petitions
  • consultative exercise
  • leadership elections
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9
Q

What are e petitions?

A
  • A petition is a formal written request sent in to Parliament by members of the public calling for some form of action by the Government
  • accessed online
  • needs 10k signatures to be debated in parliament
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10
Q

What is representative democracy?

A

where the people are represented by elected officials/bodies or through representative groups

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11
Q

What are the features of representative democracy?

A
  • decisions made by elected bodies (parliament)
  • relies on regular elections
  • different groups = choice for people
  • political activity organised in groups
  • people vote for a programme of options
  • gov must act on best interests of the nation
  • gov answers to people (elections)
  • public engaged and informed during election campaigns
  • process demands little from people in between elections
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12
Q

What are the advantages of representative democracy?

A
  • representatives have expertise and experience the public don’t have
  • representatives are less likely to be swayed by emotional appeals = rational decision making
  • elected representatives are accountable and should behave responsibly
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13
Q

What are the disadvantages of representative democracy?

A
  • elected representatives may be more interested in party politics than in the national interest
  • parties may exercise too much control over elected members
  • representatives may not represent and reflect the views of their constituency
  • uk electoral system is flawed = unrepresentative result
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14
Q

What are the similarities between representative and direct democracy?

A
  • popular consent is important
  • the people have an active role
  • decisions of gov derive from the people
  • actions of gov = accountable to the people
  • public must be informed and engaged in political matters
  • processes governed by constitutional laws and rules
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15
Q

What are the differences between representative and direct democracy?

A
  • direct democracy= people make decisions, decisions made by referendum and people decide on single issues
  • representative democracy = elected representatives make decisions, decisions made by government or elected assemblies and people choose between full political programmes at elections
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16
Q

What is pluralist democracy?

A

A type of democracy where a government makes decisions as a result of the interplay of various ideas/contrasting arguments from competing groups/organisations.

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17
Q

What is democratic deficit?

A

A flaw in in the democratic process where decisions are made by those who lack legitimacy as they have not been appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability.

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18
Q

What are the main problems with uk democracy?

A
  • The House of Lords is unelected
  • in general elections, fptp, produces unrepresentative outcomes (gov does not need a majority of votes to achieve a majority of seats)
  • small parties = under represented, other parties = over represented
  • devolution has led to power imbalance
  • lack of government accountability between elections
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19
Q

What are 3 reform proposals that could be introduced to encourage public participation in the uk?

A
  • fairer electoral system
  • widening the franchise to 16+ voters
  • compulsory voting
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20
Q

How are protection of rights and liberties strengthened in the uk?

A
  • UK signed up to European convention of human rights (ECHR)
  • Supreme Court + judiciary enforce rule of law
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21
Q

What is the rule of law?

A
  • no one is above the law
  • all citizens treated equally under the law
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22
Q

How is the protection of rights and liberties weakened in the uk?

A

Parliament is sovereign - can remove/weaken protection of rights

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23
Q

How has public participation been weakened in the uk?

A
  • election turnouts remain low
  • party membership is decreasing
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24
Q

What are 2 reform proposals that could improve the distribution of power in the uk?

A
  • give devolved governments further powers
  • introduce more English devolution
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25
Q

How could Parliament be reformed to make it more democratic?

A
  • introduce an elected second chamber (hol= unelected)
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26
Q

How does Parliament strengthen uk democracy?

A
  • The hoc can hold the gov to account
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27
Q

How has the distribution of power already been improved in the uk?

A
  • Devolution has spread power to national regions
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28
Q

How has the use of fptp in general elections weakened uk democracy?

A
  • fptp distorts support for parties and produces an unrepresentative hoc
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29
Q

What is meant by participation crisis?

A
  • a lack of engagement or participation by the public in politics
30
Q

What are the 4 main ways people can participate in politics in the uk?

A
  • voting in elections and referendums
  • being a member of a political party
  • being a member of a pressure/campaign group
  • being involved in online political campaigns (eg signing e-petitions)
31
Q

What are 4 pieces of evidence that the uk has a participation crisis?

A
  • election turnout has remained low
  • party membership has declined
  • political apathy (especially among young people)
  • support for 2 main parties has declined
32
Q

What are 4 pieces of evidence that the uk does not have a participation crisis?

A
  • several e petitions have had high response rates (eg for a second eu referendum in 2016 (3.8 million))
  • young people more involved in pressure groups, social movements, online campaigns
  • support for alternative parties has grown
  • support for pressure groups has grown
33
Q

What are some proposals that could be introduced to increase voter turnout and participation?

A
  • compulsory voting
  • online voting
  • weekend voting
  • more political education in schools
  • extend franchise (to 16/17 year olds)
  • reform electoral system
34
Q

When was the Great Reform Act?

A

1832

35
Q

In what 3 ways did the Great Reform Act extend the franchise?

A
  • abolition of rotten boroughs (constituencies with very few voters that were able to elect an mp)
  • redistribution of seats (more representation for growing industrial towns and cities)
  • expanded electorate (voting to middle-class men owning property above a certain value)
36
Q

Who was the vote given to in 1918?

A

Married women over 30

37
Q

When was the vote given to all women?

A

1928

38
Q

When was the voting age reduced to 18?

A

1969

39
Q

What representation of the people act took place in 1948?

A

Abolishment of plural voting - one vote per person

40
Q

What are the arguments that 16 and 17 years olds should be given the right to vote?

A
  • young people are better informed about politics than ever before (school, internet, social media)
  • could encourage younger people to engage with politics
  • if you can serve in the army, get married, pay tax you should be able to vote
41
Q

What are the arguments against 16 and 17 year olds being given the right to vote?

A
  • too young to make rational judgements
  • issues are too complex for young people to understand
  • turnout amongst the young (18-24) is much lower than the rest of society
  • few people in this age group pay tax
42
Q

In what elections/devolved nations can 16 and 17 year olds vote?

A

Local and devolved elections in Scotland and Wales

43
Q

What are the 5 types of pressure group?

A
  • sectional/interest groups
  • cause/promotional groups
  • social movements
  • insider groups
  • outsider groups
44
Q

Who do sectional groups represent?

A

A particular occupation or group in society

45
Q

What is the focus of sectional groups?

A

Promoting the interests of their members

46
Q

What are the membership requirements for members of sectional groups?

A

Membership is limited to people in a particular field/group in society

47
Q

What is the focus of cause groups?

A

promoting particular ideas/issues that may not be of direct benefit to group members

48
Q

What are the membership requirements for members of cause groups?

A

Open membership

49
Q

What is a social movement?

A

a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal

50
Q

What are insider groups?

A

Pressure groups that have close access to the government - may be regularly consulted by the gov/dependent on the gov in some way

51
Q

What are the 2 types of insider groups?

A
  • high profile - use of media as well as working alongside gov
  • low profile - rely on discreet behind the scenes contacts rather than seeking publicity
52
Q

What are outsider groups?

A

Not consulted/influenced by the government and their objectives may be far outside of the political mainstream

53
Q

What type of pressure group is the BMA (British medical association)?

A

A high profile, insider and sectional group

54
Q

What do the BMA (British medical association) do?

A
  • Represent and support uk doctors and medical students
  • fighting for the best terms and conditions
  • campaigning on the issues impacting the medical profession.
55
Q

What type of pressure group is extinction rebellion?

A

Outsider, social movement

56
Q

What is a think tank?

A

A research organisation that focuses on a specific topic/area of social, political or economic policy.

57
Q

What are the 2 functions of a think tank?

A
  • research area of expertise/interest
  • use findings to seek to influence government policies
58
Q

How do think tanks differ from pressure groups?

A
  • think tanks don’t engage in direct campaigns for changes to policies
  • think tanks present points through research
59
Q

What is the Fabian Society?

A

A centre left think tank focused on advancing the principles social democracy

60
Q

What is the Adam Smith Institute?

A

A think tank focused on promoting neo liberal and free market ideas

61
Q

What are lobbyists?

A

Lobbyists are employed by a client to try to influence the political process to the clients advantage, particularly concerning legislation

62
Q

What are Corporations?

A

Major companies/businesses that can use their power to influence government policy

63
Q

What are 5 major milestones in the development of rights in the uk?

A
  • Magna Carta 1215
  • Bill of Rights 1688
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Freedom of Information Act 2000
  • Equality Act 2010
64
Q

When was the Magna Carta signed?

A

1215

65
Q

When was the Bill Of Rights passed in the uk?

A

1688

66
Q

When was the Human Rights Act passed in the uk?

A

1998

67
Q

What did the Human Rights Act 1998 do?

A
  • brought the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK law
  • strengthened the protection of rights and liberties
68
Q

When was the Freedom of Information Act passed in the uk?

A

2000

69
Q

What did the Freedom of Information Act do?

A
  • created a public “right of access” to information held by public authorities
70
Q

When was the Equality Act passed in the uk?

A

2010

71
Q

What did the Equality Act 2010 do?

A
  • brought together various anti-discrimination laws into one single act - simplifying the law
  • protects people against discrimination
72
Q

What is the modern form of direct democracy?

A

Referendums

Politics Unit 1 (4 decks)

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