CHAPTER 6

Question 1

Define mandate

Answer 1

A claim to power. A claim to the legitimate exercise of power. In a democratic system such as Australia, the only legitimate claim to power is that which derived from the people (demos).
Those who win elections claim a political mandate.

Question 2

Define popular sovereignty?

Answer 2

The right to govern rests with the people. Democracy is based on the idea of popular sovereignty.

Question 3

Types of mandates?

Answer 3

• Will of the majority mandate
• Balance of power mandate
• Right to oppose

Question 4

Define will of the majority mandate?

Answer 4

Claimed by governments when they win an election. They claim that the people have delegated their sovereignty to the government and it should be able to implement its specific policies and laws in line with its general ideology.

Question 5

Define right to oppose mandate

Answer 5

Westminster theory, in which a government is loyal to the system of government but opposes the actual government in power, legitimises the role of the Opposition and provides it with a mandate to oppose government.
If a government is a minority government then the opposition will feel that the government lacks a clear mandate and will be inspired to exercise its ‘right to oppose.’

Question 6

Define balance of power mandate?

Answer 6

Claimed by the parties or or independents with the balance of power in either House of Parliament, but usually the Senate. The justification for amending, passing or repealing bills in Parliament. An extraordinary power they may wield because the Senate is such a powerful chamber.

Question 7

Define specific mandate?

Answer 7

A claim by a governing party to have authority to implement policies and promises that were specifically part of of an election campaign. They are the most successful claims to a mandate.

Question 8

Define general mandate?

Answer 8

A claim by a governing party to have authority to implement policies that reflect its ideology. They are a much less successful form of mandate.

Question 9

Arguments in favour of balance of power mandate?

Answer 9

• Section 7 means State voters directly elect the senate giving it a democratic mandate
• Dual voting gives the minor parties and independents the ability to argue that it expresses a democratic intention to hold the government accountable through the senate

Question 10

Arguments against balance of power mandate

Answer 10

• Malapportionment in the Senate

- Group ticket voting in the Senate