Definitions

Question 1

2015 General Election Outcome

Answer 1

Conservatives:
• 331 MPs
• 36.9%
Liberal Democrats:
• 8 MPs
• 7.9%
SNP:
• 56 MPs
• 4.7%
Green Party:
• 1 MP
• 3.8%
UKIP:
• 1 MP
• 12.6%
Labour:
• 232 MPs
• 30.4%

Question 2

Democracy definition

Answer 2

Rule by many
Rule by the people
> Of the people (everyone regardless of race, gender, etc should be allowed to stand for election)
> By the people (elected politicians pass laws that the people obey)
> For the people (elected politicians should govern on behalf of the people)

Question 3

Direct Democracy Definition

Answer 3

Where the will of the people is translated into public policy directly by the people
e.g. referendums/athenian democracy

Question 4

Representative Democracy Definition

Answer 4

A form of indirect democracy in which elected politicians act on behalf of the people through a system of regular and periodic elections which enable politicians to be removed from office and made accountable.
e.g. In Westminster elections, the electorate vote for MPs to represent their constituency’s wants and needs in Parliament

Question 5

Liberal Democracy Definition

Answer 5

Indirect and representative form of democracy
Free and fair elections - universal suffrage
Competitive elections
Guaranteed civil liberties and individual rights
Constitutional government based on legal rules
Civil society - free press
Capitalist economcy
e.g. protecting the rights of an individual - which are generally enshrined in law

Question 6

Parliamentary Democracy Definition

Answer 6

A form of government in which the party with the greatest representation in Parliament forms the government
Parliament is the highest source of political authority
Authority of the government is drawn from Parliament
Members of the government are drawn from Parliament
Government is accountable to Parliament
e.g. the Conservatives won a 36.9% majority in the 2015 General Election which allowed them to form the current government.

Question 7

Manifesto Definition

Answer 7

The document that sets out the party’s intentions for the bills that they will introduce should they be elected into governmental power
Voters base their decisions on these
e.g. 2015 - Conservatives promised on their manifesto to turn failing schools into academies and to open at least 500 new free schools

Question 8

Mandate Definition

Answer 8

The authority to govern
Granted to the party that wins the election
e.g. Cameron’s Conservative majority government of 36.9% as a result of the 2015 General Election gave the conservatives the mandate to carry out controversial policies such as benefit cuts

Question 9

Democratic Deficit Definition

Answer 9

A lack of people taking part in political life
A lack of actual power they can use to influence political decisions
e.g. House of Lords

Question 10

Participation Crisis Definition

Answer 10

Party membership declining
Voter turnout declining
Partisan dealignment

Question 11

Initiatives Definition

Answer 11

A form of referendum that s called by the citizens themselves

Question 12

Authority Definition

Answer 12

The right to govern

The right to tell people what to do

Question 13

Legal Sovereignty Definition

Answer 13

Ultimate political authority
Power to make enforceable laws
Exercised by the UK Parliament

Question 14

Political Sovereignty Definition

Answer 14

Ultimate political power

Held by the electorate at elections

Question 15

Referendum Definition

Answer 15

A vote on a single issue
A way of discovering whether voters support a specific policy
A way of exercising direct democracy
Government decides when to hold it and what the question is

Question 16

Power Definition

Answer 16

The ability to make people do things (that they might not want to do themselves)
e.g. a criminal with a gun could convince people to do almost anything

Question 17

Legitimacy Definition

Answer 17

Whether it is popularly accepted that a government, or any other political institution, has the authority to hold power and make rules
e.g. the Conservative government winning a majority in the 2015 General election gave them the legitimacy to rule

Question 18

Trustee (Burkean) Representation

Answer 18

Experienced, educated and informed MPs should consider constituents’ views but exercise their own judgement in Parliament
MPs should vote in the national, rather than local interest
> Even if it conflicts with the views of their constituents

Question 19

Delegate Represntation

Answer 19

The electorate chooses MPs to represent them in Parliament on their behalf
MPs make decisions with their constituents’ in mind

Question 20

Pressure Groups Definition

Answer 20

A group of like-minded people who attempt to influence government policy, particularly new legislation
e.g. RSPB

Question 21

Turnout Definition

Answer 21

The percentage of registered voters who actually vote in a particular election

Question 22

Differential Turnout Definition

Answer 22

The varying levels of turnout across the country

Question 23

Partisan Dealignment Definition

Answer 23

Where voters no longer strongly identify with a party

Their support changes between parties from election to election

Question 24

Apathy Definition

Answer 24

No interest in politics

Don’t care

Question 25

Hapathy Definition

Answer 25

People aren’t motivated to vote because they are largely content with the current situation
e.g. the majority voted NO in the 2011 AV Referendum because they were happy with FPTP