1.1 Current systems of representatives and direct democracy.

Question 1

What does direct democracy mean? + give an example

Answer 1

All individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf. For example, a referendum (single political question)
Happened during brexit.

Question 2

Advantages of direct democracy

Answer 2

• Encourages participation - take their duties as a citizen seriously.
• Develops a sense of community.
• Remove the need of trusted representative, people can take responsibility for their own decisions.

Question 3

Disadvantages of direct democracy

Answer 3

• Open to manipulation by the cleverest speakers.
• Impractical in a large, heavily populated state.
• Many people will not want to vote - or feel they are not qualified to.

Question 4

Why and when did referendums been used?

Answer 4

Referendum enable the public to directly express their views.
- In brexit, 48% voted in favour of remaining.
- in 2014, 55.3% voted in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK.

Question 5

Advantages of Referendum

Answer 5

1) Providing the public with direct choice can help to settle controversial issues.
2) Since the public have voted directly, the results can claim greater legitimacy than a decision reached by representatives.

Question 6

Disadvantages of Referendum

Answer 6

Critics notes that referendums require detailed understanding of the issues, which is something the public may lack.

Question 7

Why and when did electronic petitions be used.

Answer 7

If a petition on the governments reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate either in Westminster hall or the chamber of the house of common.
In 2021, several important issues were raised by e-petitions, such as making it a legal requirement for night clubs to search guest upon entry.

Question 8

Advantages of electronic petitions

Answer 8

1. Wider Reach: They can easily reach a large audience quickly through the internet, allowing more people to participate. (Eg. : In 2020, england footballer, Marcus rashfords #EndChildFoodPoverty gained over 1.1 million signatures, generating huge public enthusiasm and persuading governments to free school meals for low-income families during school holidays. )
   
   2. Convenience: People can sign and support petitions from anywhere, at any time, without needing to attend in person.

Question 9

Disadvantages of Electronic petitions

Answer 9

1. Digital Divide: Not everyone has internet access, so some people might be excluded from participating.
   
   2. Verification Issues: It can be harder to verify the identity of signatories, which may lead to fraudulent or inaccurate counts.