3.1.2.1 democracy and participation Flashcards
Democracy
A system where power is held by ‘the people’
Direct democracy
A system where the people are able to make decisions directly on an issue, usually in the form of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response
Represenative democracy
A system where the people elect a person or group of people to represent their intrests and make decisions on their behalf
pluralist democracy
A system of government where there is competition between different groups who represent popular concerns to the government of the day
Key features of a pluralist democracy
-there will be a wide dispersal of power among competing groups
-there will be no elite groups
-groups will be internally democratic
-group leaders will be accountable to their members
-there will be a range of access points
-the government should be politically neutral
what are the functions of democracy
-representation
-accountability
-participation
-power dispersal
-legitimacy
-education
arguments in favour of direct democracy
-a pure form of democarcy
-increased legitimacy
-improves participation
-increases public engagement
-improves political education
-it works
arguments against direct democracy
-it is not practical
-tyranny of the majority
-undermines elected representatives
-low turnouts
-emotional responses
-populist outcomes
positive aspects of democracy in the uk
-free and fair elections
-turnout
-universal suffrage
-the party system
-pressure groups
-parliamentary sovereignty
-devolution
negative aspects of dmeocracy in the uk
-unelected elements
-turnout
-the west lothian question and EVEL
-the voting system
-lack of meaningful choice
-elitist pressure groups
-weaknesses of the electoral commision
-lack of entrenched rights
purdah
A phrase used to describe the period before an election or vote where members of locsl councils or government are not allowed to make any new statements or propsals that could affect the way in which people vote. the period is usually between 4 and 6 weeks
pressure groups
a group of like-minded individuals who come together on the basis of shared interests or a commonly held cause in order to put pressure on policy makers at westminster and beyond
democratic deficit
A term used to describe the undemocratic nature of institutions or procedures that are suppossed to promote democracy
participation crisis
A term used to describe a failure of the public to participate in the political process, which can undermine democratic democracy
Franchise
the right to vote in elections
traditional methods of participating
-voting
-joining a political party and helping it to campaign
-joining a pressure group
-organising or signing a petition
-going on a march
-going on a strike
-writing a letter
-standing for public office
modern developments in participation
-e-petitions
-blogging
-protesting on social media
-organising a demonstartion via social media
slacktivism
this is the term used to describe new methods of participating, as they require little energy
what is a problem with low turnout?
as it questions the legitmacy of the elected government
what is corportism?
refers to the process of incorporating different groups into the workings of the government
In britain has the extent of power given to the people been limited
yes
Why is British democracy power limited?
- The House of Lords and the power of the monarch - for centuries only wealthy, male landowners had the right to vote for MPs.
what issues did many people vote on in the EU election which turned out to be due to a lack of education?
- parliamentary sovereignty
- immigration
- dissatisfaction with the government at the time
after the NHS claim
The claim was contested before the vote and, after the vote, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the claim should never have been made, because there is no guarantee that the money could be redirected in this way.
Liberal democracy
In this form of democracy, the right to vote will be widespread and representatives will act in the interests of everyone in society.
Majoritarian democracy
This is a system whereby the will or desires of the majority of the population are the prime considerations of the government
Parliamentary democracy
This is a system where parliament stands
as the highest form of authority. The executive branch will be drawn from and accountable to the people’s representatives in parliament.
Presidential democracy
This is a system where the executive will be
elected separately from the legislative body and is therefore chosen by and directly accountable to the people.
Representation (FOD)
There must be a means of the people being able to put their views to the government of the day.
Accountability (FOD)
There must be a process by which the government of the day can be made to explain and take responsibility for its actions.
Participation (FOD)
There must be a way in which the people can be
engaged and take part in the political process.
Power Dispersal (FOD)
There should be a system that ensures power is
spread across different political bodies to avoid one body becoming overly dominant.
Legitimacy (FOD)
The process for the selection of the different branches of government should have legal authority and fairly represent the will of
the people.
Education (FOD)
The political process should be open to all and there should be an educated and informed citizenry who are able to understand the issues and make informed decisions.
Why is direct democracy seen as the purest form of direct democracy?
as the people are able to express their opinions directly, without being misinterpreted.
What is the most common form of direct democracy?
Referendums
Initiative
A means by which the people, rather than the government, can call for a vote on a specific issue.
Petition
An appeal to make something specific happen, usually by demonstrating a high level of popular support.
The nature of representation
The nature of the representation can take many forms but essentially the electe representatives will debate and discuss laws on behalf of the people who have elected them.
The electoral commission
The Electoral Commission was created in 2000 by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. The Commission is independent from government and party influence and has the key responsibility of overseeing and strengthening democracy in the UK.
Responsibilties ot the electoral commission
- registering political parties
- advising and explaining the rules relating to campaign finance and election spending
- ensuring political parties comply with legal requirements
- setting the criteria by which elections are run
- reviewing and reporting on how well elections are run
Universal suffrage
This means that everyone over the age of 18 who is not a prisoner, mentally incapable or a peer, has the right to vote, on the basis of one person, one vote.
The party system
With so many political parties contesting elections and scrutinising each other, the parties raise the profile of political issues and help to create a better informed and educated population.
Pressure groups
The UK has thousands of pressure groups, covering every issue possible. Pressure groups provide an alternative avenue of representation, particularly on small or minority issues, that might not concern a majority of the electorate or the parties seeking majority support.
What do pressure groups do ?
- investigate issues
- raise public awareness
- help to develop government policies in order to educate the electorate
Parliamentary sovereignty
Parliament holds legal sovereignty, which means that the chosen representatives of the people hold the ultimate power in making, amending and repealing laws.
Devolution
The process of devolution has allowed the constituent parts of the UK (apart from England), along with many cities, to make decisions on a local basis.
Therotical limitations of the monarch and lords
the monarch and Lords are theoretically limited, this is only by convention, such as the Salisbury Doctrine, and can be ignored by the Lords if they choose to do so.
The west lothian question and EVEL
MPs are making decisions about things that affect people who cannot hold them accountable, therefore not very democratics
First past the post flaws
- wasted votes
- safe seats
- unrepresentative
- winner’s bonus
-discriminates against parties with widespread support - minority constituencies
- two-party system