definitions - democracy and political participation Flashcards
what is legitimacy
the right to and validity of a claim
what is direct democracy
forms of direct participation of citizens in democratic decision making
originated in ancient athens
public meetings
all adult males had a say
what is a pluralist democracy
Power is distributed among many different interest groups, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few elites
what is representative democracy
citizens vote for representatives to rule on their behalf
people elect representatives - expected to exercise their judgement, can be removed at next election
usual form of democracy in the modern world
what is casual representation
mostly carried out by pressure groups, not representing people so much as ideas, principles and causes
what is occupational and social representation
representatives represent a particular occupation or social group and will vote to support these interests
what is party representation
parties have specific opinions on issues and policies and party representatives should vote in their parties favour
what is constituency representation
the whole constituency has similar social and geographical concerns which the MP will represent and speak about to the elected body. Issues could be form the constituency as a whole, individual grievances or asking constituency about national issues
what is representing the national interest
represent the interests of the nation by doing what is right, not just what the general public wants
what is social representation
representatives should be similar in character to the characteristics of the people they represent, same proportion of women and people of colour
what is a peaceful transition of power
prime ministers/presidents/political parties transfer their power to the newly elected prime ministers/presidents/political parties without struggle or fight not guaranteed in many societies, those who lose power by democratic means accept the authority of those who have won
what are free elections
all adults are free to vote and to stand for office, described as ‘universal suffrage’
what are fair elections
everyone has one vote and all votes are of equal value
what is freedom of expression and information
right of the people to express their opinions and criticise the government, civil liberty, people cannot be arrested or persecuted for expressing negative opinions of those in power, their policies or their competence, should be free access to public information to enable the people to check the government and how well it is governing
what is freedom of associated
Linked to freedom of expression, means the freedom to form parties or pressure groups, provided their aims and methods are legal, Parties and pressure groups are such vital vehicles for representation that if they did not exist, or were suppressed, democracy would be almost impossible to sustain.
what is the protection of rights and liberties
rights and liberties of citizens should be firmly safeguarded, there should be some kind of enforceable ‘Bill of Rights’ or ‘Basic Laws’ to protect rights and liberties in such a way that the state cannot erode them
what is the rule of law
basic principle that all citizens should be treated equally under the laws, the government itself should be subject to the same laws as its citizens
what is an independent judiciary
members of the judiciary (the judges) must be independent from government and the whole process of politics
what is a constitution
firm limits to the power of government, usual way to set the limits of government power to define them in a constitution that will be enforced by the forces of law.
what is a democratic deficit
the lack of democracy in political institutions and procedures compared to an ideal model
what is a participation crisis
a decline in the number of people actively engaging in political activities or voting in elections
what does standing for public office involve
Attending meetings, campaigning, meeting constituents, reading information and making decisions, devote much of their lives
what does having an active party membership involve
Attending local meetings of party, voting for officers, campaigning in community and canvassing at election time
what does being an active pressure group member involve
Helping to raise money and awareness of cause they support, attending/organising demonstrations
what does having a passive party or group membership involve
Join party/ pressure group, helping at election time, signing petitions
what does being a digital activist involve
take part in online campaigns and movements, signing e-petitions, join social media campaigns, expressing support for a cause on social media
what does voting involve
going to vote in elections and referendums
what is franchise/suffrage
right to vote
what is the great reform act
1832 - franchise extended to new social groups including shopkeepers and small farmers and anyone whose property attracts a rent of at least £10 per annum, 6% of adults allowed to vote now, risen from 4%, no women
what is the second reform act
1867 - doubles electorate to about 2 million, women, propertyless and tenants of cheap properties excluded
first petition for womens suffrage presented to john stuart mill in advance of this
what is the ballot act
1872 - introduces secret ballot, votes can no longer be bought by corrupt candidates, voters free to make up mind
what is the third reform act
1884 - representation of the people act, addresses imbalance between men’s votes in boroughs and counties, most working men can vote now, 60% of adults can vote
what is the representation of the people act
1918 - allowed women over the age of 30 who met property qualification to vote, 40% of female population in UK, all men over 21, electorate increased from eight to twenty-one million, still huge gender inequality
what is the parliament (qualification of women) act
1918 - allowed women to stand as candidates and be elected as MPs
who is the first female MP to take her seat
1919 - first woman to be elected to commons was Constance Markievicz but as she was in Sinn Fein she did not take seat
nancy astor took seat and held position until she stood down in 1945
what is the equal franchise act
1928 - women over 21 able to vote, same voting rights as men, increase number of women able to vote to 15 million
what is the representation of the people act (later)
1969 - men and women over 18 could vote
what is the scottish elections (reduction of voting age) act
voting age lowered to 16 in scotland for scottish parliament and local government elections
what were the aims of the WSPU?
To get the vote (30 year old case)
Transform public opinion
Make a spectacle of themselves
what tactics did the WSPU use? how did they go about promoting their cause?
Wore purple, green, white to show their support - scarves, sashes, button pins
Pank a squith board game
chained themselves to railings of 10 downing street
Broke windows with toffee hammers
Put letter bombs into pillar boxes
Shouted and jumped on chairs in parliament
Black Friday - protest turned to violence, police were to intimidate suffragettes and the women were assaulted physically and sexually
Fire bombed politicians houses
Burned churches
Hunger strikes
Jumped in front of a horse at races and died
why did people oppose ‘vote for women’? what arguments were used against it?
Unfeminine and unnatural to be interested in politics
Some part of the world should be without the scramble and rough and tumble of politics
People would scared women would stop having children and the human race would die out
If they gave the vote to women on the same terms as men, it would be property owners which meant it would boost conservative votes which liberals didn’t want
Not all men could vote
what arguments were used to support ‘votes for women’?
Women showed themselves as capable during the war
Taking place in other countries as well
how did the authorities respond to the actions of the suffragettes?
Put in prison
Physically and sexually assaulted them on black Friday
Force fed
Cat and mouse act - release prisoners on hunger strike, let them recover, rearrested and repeat
groups excluded from voting
Those under 18
Prisoners
those sectioned under the mental health act
peers currently serving in the house of lords
the homeless
Members of the royal family do not vote (could if they choose to)
activities/methods to campaign to extend the franchise to over 16s
producing and publishing information through website
Providing templates and advice on how to email local MPs to raise the issue in Parliament
Providing information and advice on how to raise awareness and campaign locally, in schools and universities
Providing advice on how to lobby MPs
Organising an initiative called ‘adopt a peer’ to encourage members to contact members to contact and lobby specific members of the House of Lords
what are pressure groups
democratic processes operating through elections and political parties are supplemented by the existence of pressure groups
functions of a pressure group
To represent and promote the interests of certain sections of the community who feel they are not fully represented by parties and Parliament
Protect the interests of minority groups
Promote certain causes which have not been adequately taken up by political parties
Inform and educate the public about political issues
Call the government to account over its performance in particular areas of policy
Pass key information to the government to inform and influence policy
Give opportunities to citizens to participate in politics other than through party membership or voting
sectional pressure group
represents particular group of people, limited specific goals, potentially highly technical
BMA, age UK, muslim council of britain, taxpayers’ alliance, confederation of british industry (CBI), the MS society
causal pressure groups
for a specific cause, more controversial, divisive issues
greenpeace, friends of the earth, liberty, unlock democracy, people for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA), campaign for nuclear disarmament (CND)
insider pressure groups
access to key decision-makers but must ‘play by the rules of the game’
outsider pressure groups
Outsiders groups that do not enjoy a special position within governing circles
what are think tanks
a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture
Where did the term think-tank originate?
During second world war as a military term to describe bodies that developed strategy and ideas
What are the main roles of think tanks?
Carry out research on specific areas
Give one similarity and one difference between a think-tank and a pressure group.
The main objectives of thinks tanks and pressure groups are to influence government policies
Pressure groups are often working to change the governments mind on an issue whereas thinks tanks work with the government to make informed decisions on policies and laws
what are lobbyists
Distinct organisations or individuals that sell expert knowledge of the political process to those who can afford to hire them
what is lobbying
When an individual or a group tries to persuade someone in parliament to support a particular policy or campaign. Lobbying can be done in person by sending letter and emails or via social media
What do lobbyists do, on a basic level?
Employ people with close relationships to those in power and with expertise in which bodies, committees and groups they target
create strategies for their clients to access the political process - selling insider status
give advice to clients on how to achieve their goal (blue print on how to put pressure on those in power) - for charity seeking additional government funding or wanting government to adopt new strategy, for businesses trying to secure exemptions from certain laws or taxes that might impact them.
What can lobbyists also provide at the higher levels?
Arrange events for clients to have opportunities to meet those in power - offers political figures free tickets to events next to clients who have paid for it, persuades politial figures to have private meetings with clients,
what are local authorities and devolved bodies
uk has additional system of elected local authorities and elected devolved bodies in scotland wales and northern ireland
what is the party system
democratic in that a number of parties compete for power, affording the public a choice of candidates and manifestos at election time
what is parliament
uk is parliamentary democracy, formed as a result of parliamentary elections and as such is the source of all political power, established link between government and the people, making sure government are accountable
house of lords and commons, highest source of authority in the UK’s democratic structure
what are elections
based on democratic rules (universal adult suffrage, free and fair elections and regular elections either within a maximum term or according to fixed terms), use to elect representatives to Parliament and other representative institutions,
what are referendums
representative democracy in the uk has increasingly been supplemented by the use of referendums, especially to resolve major constitutional issues, referendums are a device of direct democracy
What are universal human rights?
Everyone has rights, no matter what, cannot be taken away, not privileges
Who chooses and enforces human rights?
UN set up rights
criticisms levied at universal human rights
Not easy to universally enforce rights
what is the magna carta
1215 - First set of civil liberties introduced to the uk, limit power of monarch, protect against arbitrary rule, right to trial by jury, only tax imposed with consent of the people
what is the bill of rights
1689 - Influence of john locke, drafted by parliament, protect people from potential military dictatorship, monarch could not take people into warwithout agreement that people were free from ruel and unsual punishment
what is the race relations act
1965 - Outlawed discrimination of most kinds on the grounds of a persons race or ethnicity
what is the equal pay act
1970 - Required employers to offer equal pay to men and women doing the same job
what is the human rights act
1998 - HRA brought about the european convention on human rights, established by the council of europe in 1950, uk helped to draft but didn’t accept as binding until 1998, negative rights rights, people allowed to do anything as long as it wasn’t expressly forbidden by law, 2000 - positive rights, protected and respected by law, enforced at al levels of court inn the uk
what is the freedom of information act
2000 - Government were too secretive about information compared to other democratic governments - view information known about them by tax authorities, social security, schools - and to view information that would be in there interest to know, improved public services
what is the equality act
2010 - All legislation and decision making in government must take into account age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation
Can’t discriminate with employment and pay, government services, healthcare, housing, education, financial services, policing and law enforcement
