Chapter 6 : Political Mandates

Question 1

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

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

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

Right to Oppose

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

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

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

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 the 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 the balance of power mandate

Answer 10

• Malapportionment in the Senate

- Group ticket voting in the Senate