Chapter 1 - Political Culture & Participation Flashcards
Define Political Culture
The ideas, beliefs and attitudes that shape political behaviour. How citizens view the political system
The UK political culture is traditionally defined by….
Homogeneity (of common heritage and identity), Consensus (submission to laws) and Deference (innate belief in the dominance of the elite)
In what year was electoral turnout at it’s lowest?
2001 at 59%
Why does low electoral turnout provide issues?
It reduces the legitimacy of the government and questions the strength of its mandate
What is differential turnout?
The average turnout often masks the extremes of difference in turnout. EG. Machester Central had just 47% turnout 2015, while Dunbarton East had 81.9%
What percentage of 18-24 year olds voted in 2015?
43%
What percentage of 65+ year olds voted in 2015?
78%
What percentage of people from AB and DE classes voted in 2015?
77% and 56% respectively
What was the turnout for European Parliament elections in 2014?
35.6%
What was the turnout at the London Mayoral elections in 2016?
45%
Name 4 reasons why there may be variable turnout?
Type of election, political apathy, ‘hapathy’, the relative value of a vote, the electoral system in operation, the role of mass media
Name 3 kinds of non-electoral participation?
Writing to/meeting with an MP, being a member of a political party, engaging in political protest/pressure groups and debating issues
How many members are there in the Conservative party? How many were there in 1951?
150,000
2,900,000
When was the POWER report? What did it suggest?
- There was popular disillusionment over the democratic institutions
How many members are there in the Labour party? How many were there in 1951?
380,000
295,000
