democracy and participation Flashcards
1
Q
what is politics?
A
- politics is about power - who gets what and how
- scarcity of resources + competing interests and values = politics
2
Q
what is democracy?
A
a political idea and system of government where people choose their government and have the ultimate power
3
Q
what are the features of a democracy?
A
- respect for human rights
- multi-party system
- democratic voting system - allows public to vote
- respect for rule of law
- democratic governance - separating power
- citizen participation
4
Q
what is left wing?
A
- more liberal
- economic policies include reducing income inequality - increasing taxes for the wealthy + govt intervention in the economy
- characterized by equality, freedom, rights, progress, and reform
- believes in secularism
- holds progressive views
5
Q
what is right wing?
A
- economic policies include less regulation of the economy, low taxes, and promotion of the private sector for growth
- characterized by duty, hierachy, authority, order, tradition and nationalism
- believes religion important role in society
6
Q
what are parties like?
A
- parties broadly align with one end of the spectrum but nowadays often quite centrist
- parties evolve + change over time
- individuals within a party may have differing views
- party leaders may affect the direction and policy of their party at a given time
7
Q
what is a direct democracy?
A
- a system where political decisions are taken directly by the people - often considered a purer form of democracy
8
Q
what is a representative democracy?
A
- see citizens elect representatives to make political decisions on their behalf
- this system of ‘indirect democracy’ is the basis for the UK’s parliamentary democracy with MPs debating and working on issues on behalf of their constituents
9
Q
what are the positives of a direct democracy?
A
- accountability - out of step with large majority of citizens - MPs could not ignore Brexit
- enhances legitimacy - decisions have direct authority + mandate of the people - ex brexit - voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% - majority + they left
- works - d-democracy whether e-petitIons or refs - popular with voters + engages them
– turnout in 2014 scottish independence ref was a record 84.6%
10
Q
what are the negatives of a direct democracy?
A
- lack of political education - public may not fully understand question + reps may be better to analyse + evaluate - 70% of Britons without any qualifications voted Leave, while only 25% of voters with a university degree did - outcome could have been different?
- refs are not binding to the govt - can ignore results - brexit possibility of being ignored
- turnout often low for refs - ex - introduction of an AV in 2011 turnout meagre 42% - reduces any notion of democratic legitimacy
11
Q
what are the forms of democracy?
A
- liberal democracy - right to vote widespread + representatives will act in interests of everyone is society
- majoritarian democracy - desires of majority of population main concern
- parliamentary democracy
- presidential democracy - executive elected separately from legislative body
- direct
- representative
12
Q
what is a pluralist democracy?
A
- power widely + evenly distributed across society rather than concentrated in hands of elite
- government politically neutral
- dispersal of power across competing groups which are internally democratic
- range of access points
13
Q
what are the functions of democracy?
A
- representation
- accountability
- participation
- power dispersal - ensures power spread across different political bodies
- legitimacy
- education
14
Q
what are the positive aspects of democracy in the UK?
A
- free + fair elections - electoral commission protects from manipulation
- turnout - historic low - general election 2001 - 59% - to scottish indep
- universal suffrage
- party system - variety
- pressure groups - thousands
- parliamentary sovereignty
- devolution - make decisions on local basis
15
Q
what are negative aspects of democracy in the UK?
A
- unelected elements - unelected HofL + hereditary monarchy undermine rep democracy
- turnout - quite low - potential participation crisis
- west lothian q and EVEL
- voting system FPTP - wasted votes, safe seats, unrepresentative, UKIP 13% (2015) only 1 seat, SNP 56 seats with 2%, winner’s bonus - exaggerates support won by most popular party
- discriminates against parties with widespread support
- minority constituencies - does not gain more than 50% of total vote - majority of public did not vote for their rep
- two party system
16
Q
what are the weaknesses of the electoral commision
A
- often reactive rather than proactive - tends to pass judgement after an event after damage done
- loopholes over spending + use of social media that EC no power to control
17
Q
what are the positive aspects of a representative democracy?
A
- lack of education - better off with educated MPs who represent constituencies
- universal suffrage - March 2020- 47.6 million Parliamentary electoral registrations in the UK - the highest number ever recorded
- process of devolution - has allowed representatives closer to community they serve
18
Q
what are the negative aspects of a representative democracy?
A
- competition between pressure groups often unfair + elitist
- 1 in 4 black and Asian voters are not registered to vote - not truly representative
- FPTP leads to wasted votes + unrepresentative outcomes in parliament - HOWEVER - 80% confident elections are well run - AV ref
19
Q
who could vote before the franchise was extended?
A
- rich male landowners
- fewer than 4% of population
20
Q
what are all the reform acts?
A
- great reform act 1832 - 1/5 male adults could now vote
- second reform act 1867 - bigger in scope than previous act + allowed working class men in cities to vote (roughly 1/3) doubled size of electorate
- third reform act 1884 - all working men with a proper qualification could vote - but 40% still excluded (mainly rural)
21
Q
what are all the representation of the people acts?
A
- ROTPA 1918 - all men over 21 (/19 veterans) could vote - women over 30 could vote with proper qualification
- ROTPA 1928 - all men + women over 21 could vote + property qualifications removed
- ROTPA 1969 - voting age lowered to 18
22
Q
what were the debates about gender regarding universal suffrage?
A
- women seen as weaker + not intelligent enough for vote
- considered too emotional to vote rationally
- traditionalists believed her place was at home
23
Q
what were the debates about class regarding universal suffrage?
A
- wealth elite who had the franchise before 1832 worried the power they had reduced
- fears working class men too poorly educated to understand political issues
- some feared WC would support socialism - threatening econ welfare of other citizens
- contribution of their sacrifices during WW1 =no justified reason denying them the vote
24
Q
how are people from minority ethnic groups significantly underrepresented?
A
- 2020 - first chinese MP - first SA woman following 2019 elect, 65 MPs BAME
- november 2019 - 25% of black voters + 24% asian not registered to vote
- pressure groups such as operation black vote - focus efforts on ensuring minority ethnic groups register + promote equality
25
how is suffrage a human right?
- until 20th cent - regarded as a priviledge
- 1948 proclaimed in article 21 everyone has the right to take part in politics + will of people should be expressed in genuine elections which are universal and 'equal suffrage held at secret vote / equivalent free voting procedure' - adopted by other HR docs ex. ECHR
26
what did chartists want? what did they do?
- to end the oligarchy
- after great reform act, campaigned for votes for all men over 21, secret ballots, no property qualifications for MPs, pay for MPs, equal size constituencies + yearly elections to parliament
27
what did chartists want? what did they do?
- to end the oligarchy
- after great reform act, campaigned for votes for all men over 21, secret ballots, no property qualifications for MPs, pay for MPs, equal size constituencies + yearly elections to parliament
28
what is the significance of chartists?
- failure in short term but legacy significant + influenced creation of other political movements (reform league which helped to pass second reform)
- all three petitions rejected by parliament which had millions signs
- lacked a single leader
- some called for violence - many middle class supporters left - less money
- today all wishes met (except yrly elects)
29
what did the suffragists want? what did they do?
- securing votes for women
- focused on peaceful + constitutional methods including meetings, handing out leaflets, petitions, marches + lobbying etc
- 1897 formed a union
30
what is the significance of the suffragists?
- despite decades of campaigning - no closer by 1903 - resulting in formation of suffragettes
- union had more than 100k members by 1914
31
what did the suffragettes want? what did they do?
- votes for women
- pankhurst formed rival organisation to suffragists in 1903
- they used militant methods - window breaking, chaining themselves to railings and arson
- received harsh prison sentences - attempted to reduce by hunger striking
- davison killed intercepted king's horse
- leader went into hiding + campaign called off due to war
32
what is the significance of the suffragetes?
- some argue given vote due to war effort - others say govt eager to avoid return of violence by enfranchising women
- attracted national attention + coverage in news papers
- many key supporters left - funding
33
why is there a participation crisis in the UK?
- low turnout in recent elections - 2015 general election - 1/3 of enfranchised electorate did not bother to vote - BUT brexit - 72%
- membership of political parties declined in past few decades - steady decline in tory party membership levelled off - 1950 - approx 4 mil - 2019, 180,000 members (counterpoint- more modern ways to ptp- e-petitions)
- political apathy high among 18-24 year olds - turnout for them in 2019 ranged from 47% (counterpoint - however signs younger people re-engaging + indicated by groundswell of support for corbyn (nearly 60% in 2017)
34
what are methods of increasing participation?
- votes at 16
- online voting
- compulsory voting
- changing electoral system - everyones vote to count equally
- prop electoral system - benefit minor parties
- political education
- reducing membership fees
- more direct democracy
