1 democracy and participation Democratic deficit

Question 1

what is democratic deficit?

Answer 1

it is when a democracy is not operating effectively.

Question 2

name some points that cause this deficit?

Answer 2

lack of trust
mostly a participation crisis
voter turnout has decreased.

Question 3

what is political apathy?

Answer 3

citizens cant be bothered to participate in the country’s political system.

this can stem from lack of understanding of politics.

Question 4

what is political hapathy?

Answer 4

when people don’t vote as they are happy with the current government

happy with how things are going.

Question 5

explain how there is a election deficit

Answer 5

UK election turnout fell after 1997 although it is slowly increasing.

2001 saw lowest election turnout in history with a 59.4%
turnout.

Question 6

Why is the UK democracy in need of reform?

Answer 6

it is needed as there needs to be a re-inspiration of enthusiasm for democratic processes.

Question 7

define legitimacy?

Answer 7

legitimate authority means power that has been legally acquired and is exercised according to the rule of law.

Question 8

what proposals have been listed to improve democratic reform?

Answer 8

Further referendums
e-petitions
recall of MPs
further devolution
Hol reform
digital democracy
compulsory voting
electoral reform

Question 9

why should the voting age be lowered to 16?

Answer 9

increases representation
encourage more participation given that young people have major presence online.

limitations-might not be knowledgeable
not mature enough
vote whoever their parents voted for.

Question 10

what is a franchise/suffrage?

Answer 10

refers to the right to vote in elections and referendums.

Question 11

before 1852 what things did the right to vote depend on?

Answer 11

gender/men over 21 were allowed to vote

property/ you had to own property worth over a certain value.

location/small rural boroughs had more MPs than bigger cities.

Question 12

milestones in widening franchise explain them starting with
Great reform act 1832

Answer 12

reduced amount of property you had to own
enfranchised some members of middle class

Question 13

milestone explain
ballot act 1872

Answer 13

made secret ballots compulsory

Question 14

milestone explain
representation of the people act 1918

Answer 14

women over 30 allowed to vote
had to own property

Question 15

representation of the people act 2 / Equal franchise act 1928

Answer 15

extended the vote for men and women over the age of 21

(established universal suffrage)

Question 16

representation of the people act 3 1969

Answer 16

votes able to be done at 16

prisoners were not allowed to vote.

Question 17

define pressure groups

Answer 17

a organized group of people that seek to promote a certain issue or cause by influencing the policies and actions of the goverment.

Question 18

what is pluralism?

Answer 18

its the concept that power is dispersed in a democracy through competing groups with a wide range of beliefs, ideas, and ideologies.

Question 19

what are the main features of a pressure group

Answer 19

seek to exert influence not office
are external to government
have a narrow focus
consist of people united with the same shared belief.

Question 20

what are the main functions of pressure groups?

Answer 20

-education/information
-representation
-scrutinize those in power
-participate without voting

Question 21

what are the different types of pressure groups?

Answer 21

-sectional/interest groups
represent interests of a particular group within society e.g. Muslim council of Britain

-cause/promotional groups
promote a particular issue e.g. friends of the earth

-insider group
this group has privileged access to the goverment making decisions e.g., the british medical association.

-outsider group
don’t possess access to political decision making e.g. just stop the oil.

Question 22

how many members does the conservative party currently have

Answer 22

170,000 as of october 2021

Question 23

how many memebrs does Laubor party have?

Answer 23

430,000 as of October 2021

Question 24

what ways do pressure groups influence

Answer 24

wealth
insider status
celebrity endorsement
popularity
lobbying
influencing mps

Question 25

how does wealth cause influence

Answer 25

wealthy [prssure groups have funds to
employ research operate near government offices
Meet with people in goverment

e.g the CBI represnets 190000 businesses so their wealth allows them to employ policy researchers but their interests migt not align with goverment even if wealth is there

Question 26

insider status

Answer 26

Pressure groups with access to key political decision-makers, such as the prime minister and cabinet ministers, can directly argue for their cause and interest.
Governments consult certain pressure groups because of their policy expertise.
The government can use pressure groups to assess the reaction of affected groups to potential government policies.
The CBI in economic, industrial and trade policy and the BMA in health policy have direct influence.

Question 27

celebrity endorsement

Answer 27

it helps achieve popular recognition as the people are likely to be well known.
e.g. marcus rashford free school meals

Joanna Lumley part of the Gurkha campaign helped them to be allowed to settle in the uk even if they retired before 1997.

Question 28

popularity influence

Answer 28

snowdrop campaign advocacted for limited use of handgun ownership which led to the simple act of 1997 set after Dunblane massacre of 1996

Question 29

lobbying

Answer 29

Pressure groups can try to influence through hiring lobbyists who are individuals that work to put pressure on the government and influence them.

Question 30

influencing mps

Answer 30

Pressure groups try to influence MPs in the House of Commons and members of select committees to make sure group interests are represented in the bills debates and law-making.

Question 31

protests and direct action

Answer 31

Direct action is a form of political protest involving civil disobedience, illegal methods or violence.
The aim of direct action is to raise the profile of the pressure group’s cause attraction through local or national media coverage.

Question 32

what are think tanks and give examples

Answer 32

It is a group that generates ideas for political parties with whom they work closely. Like-minded think tanks can develop polkicys

e.g. Fabian society for labor

nother is the IEA for conserviative they influenced Liz truss who introduced a budget that lowered taxes but ultimately crashed the economy.

Question 33

talk about the UK right in context history where peoples right where protected eg magna carta

Answer 33

magna carta 1215
provided foundations for British civil liberties state law should be impartial no free man should be convicted of crime unless fairly tried

Question 34

rights in context
bill of rights 1689

Answer 34

William 3rd accepted the Bill of Rights and agreed to govern with the consent of parliament—the established principle of a constitutional monarchy bound by the law.

Question 35

rights in context
entick vs carrington 1765

Answer 35

Lord Camden established the principle that the government can only act according to the law, protecting the rights of citizens from despotic law.

Question 36

rights in context
the representation on peoples act 1926

Answer 36

established the principle of universal suffrage in the UK

Question 37

rights in context
human rights act 1998

Answer 37

it was passed which incorporated the European convention of human rights into British law.
into force 2000
establishes positive rights eg right to life and fair hearing.

use of act
Abu Qatada, a Jordanian national who was deemed to have connections to terrorist groups, was not able to be deported in 2012 because evidence used against him was gained through torture.

Question 38

rights in context
freedom of information act 2000

Answer 38

it established the right to access information held by public bodies, i.e. NHS so long as it does not compromise national security.

Question 39

Equality act 2010

rights in context

Answer 39

Parliament established equality before the law for all citizens.
states that in public life discrimination is illegal in nine recognised areas.

Question 40

effective of protecting rights

Answer 40

The Human Rights Act must be complied with by legislation.

The Human Rights Act has meant that citizens can ensure the protection of their rights through courts in the UK.
Illustrative background for Ineffective at protecting rights

Question 41

ineffective at protecting rights

Answer 41

As the Human Rights Act has not been entrenched it can be replaced and so does not offer sufficient protection of rights and liberties.
The Conservative Party has planned to replace the Human Rights Act with a ‘British Bill of Rights’.
The Human Rights Act is limited in its protection as it cannot overturn legislation which has been made in parliament.
The government can ‘set aside’ the Human Rights Act.
The rights of terror suspects were set aside after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Question 42

civil liberty pressure groups

LIBERTY

Answer 42

The biggest pressure group protecting civil liberties.
Aim to make sure freedom and rights of individuals and communities are protected

methods Work by public campaigning, working with parliament, giving out free advice and analyse policy.
Not affiliated with any political party, and doesn’t receive government funding.

Currently campaigning to end indefinite detention and take the government to court over the Snooper’s Charter.

Question 43

civil liberties pressure group

Amnesty international

Answer 43

established 1961
aim is to campaign to ensure all human beings enjoy the rights set out in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and other associated declarations.

It combines public activism with targeted lobbying of representatives to increase awareness of human rights.

seeks to achieve as close relationships as possible with political decision-makers. Nazanin Zaghari imprisoned in Iran for trying to topple the government husband went on 21 21-day hunger strike outside the foreign office mps attend Westminister.

amnesty international papers widely circulated among mp and ministers in uk.

Question 44

acts that have restricted civil liberty

Answer 44

anti-terrorism act 2001 gave government power to imprison foreign terror suspects without trial.

serious organized crime and police act 2005 limited right to outside protest.

johnson government police crime and Courts Act 2022 limited the impact of public protests.

2022 asylum seekers to Rwanda

Question 45

What was the main issue in the case of Lee vs. Ashers Baking Company? collective vs individual rights

Answer 45

The main issue was whether Ashers Baking Company could refuse to make a cake for a same-sex wedding based on their religious beliefs.

Question 46

What type of cake was requested by Gareth Lee?

Answer 46

A cake featuring the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’.

Question 47

how effectively are civil liberties protected in the uk

Answer 47

its no different to other acts of parliament and doesn’t represent higher law meaning it can be suspended.