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British Politics > Democracy > Flashcards

Democracy Flashcards

1
Q

What kind of democracy is the UK?

A

Representative democracy

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2
Q

What is representative democracy?

A

Voters elect politicians to make decisions on their behalf.

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3
Q

What principle is representative democracy based on?

A

Representation. Elected politicians should represent the interests of all constituents.

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4
Q

What is the main advantage of representative democracy?

A

Government is carried out by professional politicians whoa re well informed about political issues. THey are more likely to make educated decisions than a public who may not have the time to fully understand the issue.

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5
Q

What do politicians consider when making a decision?

A

All conflicting interests of their constituents. This protects the rights of all citizens, especially minorities, ensuring that implications for all community members are examined.

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6
Q

What other principle is enshrined in representative democracy?

A

Accountability
Elections allow voters to decide whether to renew their representatives mandate.

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7
Q

Who else can have influence over MPs?

A

Pressure groups, lobbyists and the london-based media. This separates MPs from their constituents.

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8
Q

What can contribute to an MP having a compromise of representation?

A

MPs can have second jobs.

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9
Q

What is an example of an MP having a second job?

A

2021
Owen Paterson resigns as MP after being criticised by Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards
He was lobbying on behalf of companies that employed him.

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10
Q

How do electoral systems weaken representative democracy?

A

FPTP is highly unproprtional.

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11
Q

How does the bicameral legislature weaken the representativeness of MPs?

A

House of Lords is unelected.

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12
Q

What % of the UK is privately educated?

A

7%

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13
Q

What % of the 2019 parliament is privately educated?

A

29%

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14
Q

What % of the nation is female?

A

51%

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15
Q

What % of the 2019 parliament is female?

A

34%

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16
Q

What is a counter argument to a representative parliament?

A

Legislation advancing rights has been passed by people not of those identities, eg: 2010 equality act.

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17
Q

What is direct democracy?

A

A form of democracy where decisions are made directly by the public without being channeled through representatives.

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18
Q

What are the 3 elements of direct democracy in the UK?

A

Referendums
Electronic petitions
Open Primaries

19
Q

How are electronic petitions used?

A

If a petition on a government website gets 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in government.

20
Q

What is a positive example for electronic petitions?

A

2020
Marcus Rashford’s petition for free school meals gained over 1 million signatures
Persuaded government to commit to free school meals for children during school holidays.

21
Q

How are E-Petitions weakened?

A

They can raise fake expectations and consume parliamentary time.

22
Q

What is a negative example of electronic petitions?

A

A petition to revoke Tony Blair’s knighthood gained more than 1 million signatures but could not be judged on as the monarch bestows knighthoods.

23
Q

What are open primaries?

A

The public directly decide who candidates should be in constituencies.

24
Q

What are open primaries?

A

The public directly decide who candidates should be in constituencies.

25
Q

What is an example of open primaries?

A

IN 2015 13 conservative candidates were selected in this way.

26
Q

What do supporters of direct democracy argue?

A

It engages the public and makes politicians more responsive to what people really think.

27
Q

What is a benefit of direct democracy for the MPs?

A

Representatives are kept better informed of developing attitudes through referendums and other things.

28
Q

What do critics of direct democracy argue?

A

Includes all things against referendums
It can lead to MPs not representing their own wishes

29
Q

What do critics of direct democracy argue?

A

Includes all things against referendums
It can lead to MPs not representing their own wishes

30
Q

What is an example of direct democracy creating a weakened representative democracy?

A

Theresa May was pro-remain but had to lead a leave campaign.

31
Q

When was the Great Reform Act?

A

1832

32
Q

Who passed the Great Reform Act?

A

Lord Grey

33
Q

What did the Great Reform Act do?

A

Allowed one in five male adults to vote
Eliminated rotten boroughs such as Old Sarum

34
Q

What is a rotten borough?

A

A constituency with almost no voters that still elected MPs.

35
Q

When was the Second Reform Act?

A

1867

36
Q

What was the second Reform Act 1867?

A

Allowed many working class men in cities to vote and doubled the size of the electorate

37
Q

Who passed the second reform act 1867?

A

Benjamin Disraeli

38
Q

When was the Third Reform Act?

A

1884

39
Q

What was in the Third Reform act?

A

All working men who met a property qualification could now vote.
A total of 40% of adult men were still excluded.

40
Q

When were the representation of the people acts?

A

1918, 1928 and 1969

41
Q

What was the first representation of the people act?

A

All men over 21 could vote
Women over 30 who met property qualifications could vote

42
Q

What was the second representation of the people act?

A

All men and women over 21 could vote

43
Q

What was the third representation of the people act?

A

voting age was lowered to 18

British Politics (10 decks)

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