1.1 Democracy and participation Flashcards
What are the main features of direct democracy?
- Individuals express own self-opinion
- Not Elective
- Citizens are more active in decision making
What are the main features of representative democracy?
- Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf
- Elections for representatives are free and fair
- All adult citizens have the right to vote
- Citizens pass their authority to representatives
What are the advantages of direct democracy?
- Gives equal weight to all votes
- Encourages popular participation in politics
- Develops a sense of community and encourages genuine debate
- Removes the need for trusted representatives = responsibility of own decisions
What are the disadvantages of direct democracy?
- Impractical in a large, heavily populated modern state
- People may not want to, or may not feel qualified enough to participate in the vote
- Open to manipulation by clever speakers
- Minority viewpoints are disregarded
What are the advantages of representative democracy?
- The only practical system in a large modern state where issues are complex and need a rapid response
- Parties bring coherence and pressure groups encourage a pluralist society
- Reduces the impact of the ‘tyranny of the majority’
- Elections allow people to hold representatives to account
- Politicians are better informed than the average citizen on the many issues on which they must take a view
What are the disadvantages of representative democracy?
- May lead to reduced participation as people choose to hand responsibility to politicians
- Parties and pressure groups run by elites and people pushing their own agenda
- Minorities find themselves under-represented
- Politicians skilful in avoiding accountability, especially as general elections are usually 5 years apart
- Politicians may be corrupt or incompetent
In which ways can direct democracy be used in a representative system?
- National Referendums
- 2015 Recall of MPs act
What is the 2015 Recall of MPs act?
- If an MP is sentenced to be imprisoned or is suspended from the HoC for more than 21 days a petition is triggered
- If more than 10% of constituents sign this petition, a byelection is called
Where does government derive its consent from?
The people
What are the positive features of the UK’s democracy?
- Free and Fair elections
- Elected HoC
- Devolved Governments
- Independent Judiciary
- Free media
- Wide range of political parties and pressure groups
What does the term ‘democratic deficit’ mean?
Decisions are taken by people whose appointment lacks adequate democratic input, or who are not subject to proper accountability
In what ways is the UK’s system undemocratic?
- Inefficiencies of First Past the Post (FPTP) causing lack of representation of minority views
- House of Lords lacks democratic legitimacy
- Lack of protection for citizen’s rights
- Control of sections of the media by wealthy, unaccountable business interests
What does the term ‘participation crisis’ mean?
A lack of engagement with the political system
In what ways can a participation crisis be measured?
- Voter turnout
- Party membership
What % was the turnout in the 1997 election?
71.4%
What % was the turnout in the 2001 election?
59.4%
What % was the turnout in the 2017 election?
68.7%
In what elections is turnout usually lower and why?
- Smaller elections such as the local elections
- -> Because voters see less powerful bodies as unlikely to make a major difference to their lives
What % turnout occurred in the 2012 police and crime commissioner elections?
15%
What % of people belongs to one of the 3 main parties?
1.6%
What is the current Conservative membership?
124,000
What is the current Labour membership?
540,000
What is the current SNP membership?
125,500
In what informal ways can citizens become involved within politics?
- Pressure groups & demonstrations
- Social Media
- E-democracy (e-petitions)
