Democracy 2

Question 1

3 ways participation is falling

Answer 1

Turnout

Party membership

Partisan dealignment

Question 2

Example of falling: Turnout

Answer 2

Turnout has dropped 9% in the last 25 years

in 2017 was just 68.8%

Question 3

Example of falling: Party membership

Answer 3

Party membership has halved since 1980 to under 1 million

Question 4

Example of partisan dealignment

Answer 4

Conservative membership - 1.2M in 1980 to just 0.17M in 2010

Question 5

What is political participation

Answer 5

Opportunities for and tendencies of the people to become involved in the political process

Question 6

3 ways participation is increasing

Answer 6

Large demonstrations

Large petitions

Pressure group membership

Question 7

Example of large demonstrations

Answer 7

Anti university tuition fees campaign in 2010-11

Anti-Iraq War demonstration had over 1 million demonstrators

Question 8

Example of large petitions

Answer 8

Prevent Trump from making a State Visit to the UK has over 1.8M signatures

Question 9

Example of large pressure group membership

Answer 9

RSPB has over 1M members

Question 10

How participation can be increased

Answer 10

1. Compulsory voting
2. Reduce the voting age
3. More referendums
4. Electoral reform

Question 11

Example of how participation can be increased: Compulsory voting

Answer 11

Australia since 1924

Question 12

Example of how participation can be increased: Reduce the voting age

Answer 12

Scottish referendum 84.4% - Included 16 year olds

Question 13

Example of how participation can be increased: More referendums

Answer 13

Scottish referendum

EU referendum

Question 14

Example of how participation can be increased: Electoral reform

Answer 14

Proportional representation means that fewer votes would be waster

Question 15

Problems of referendums

Answer 15

Too complex for the majority of people to understand

Response may be emotional

Campaigns are expensive and richer side may win

May be used to represent dissatisfaction with certain party or government

Tyranny of the majority

Not legitimate if turnout is low

Question 16

Example of problems with referendums: Too complex for the majority of people to understand

Answer 16

EU referendum

Question 17

Example of problems with referendums: Response may be emotional

Answer 17

Scottish referendum held at same time as commonwealth games

Question 18

Example of problems with referendums: Campaigns are expensive and richer side may win

Answer 18

‘Yes’ campaign in 1975 European Community referendum – major businesses were in favour of remaining and thus used their wealth to good effect

Question 19

Example of problems with referendums: May be used to represent dissatisfaction with certain party or government

Answer 19

AV referendum 2011

Question 20

Example of problems with referendums: Tyranny of the majority

Answer 20

EU referendum close result. 52% - 48%

Question 21

Features of parliamentary democracy

Answer 21

Parliament is sovereign

The govt. is drawn from parliament

Govt. is accountable

Parliament represents the national interest. This may involve the defeat of the govt.

Question 22

Features of parliamentary democracy: Example:

Parliament is sovereign

Answer 22

Parliament decided to take the UK out of the European Union

Question 23

Features of parliamentary democracy: Example: The govt. is drawn from parliament

Answer 23

All MPs in govt also represent a constituency. Eg. Chris Grayling

Question 24

Features of parliamentary democracy: Example: Govt. is accountable

Answer 24

Compulsory elections every 5 years maximum

Question 25

Features of parliamentary democracy: Example: Parliament represents the national interest, This may involve the defeat of the govt.

Answer 25

March 2016 – Govt, plans to allow English and Welsh councils to extend Sunday Trading opening hours were defeated as 27 Conservatives rebelled