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Politics Paper 1 > Democracy and Participation > Flashcards

Democracy and Participation Flashcards

1
Q

Types of participation

A 
Writing to MPs
Signing petitions
Attending campaigns
Pressure group membership
Social media
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2
Q

When has voter turnout been low

A

2001: 59.4% - people knew a vote for anyone but Labour would be wasted
2019: Kingston Upon Hill - 49.3%

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3
Q

When has voter turnout been high

A

1951: 83%
Voter turnout has always been above 60% since 2001
European,, local and referendums (with the exception of Scottish, 85%) have been low.

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4
Q

What has happened to party membership?

A

Membership of political parties has been in decline in the UK since the 1950s, falling by over 65% from 1983 (4%) to 2005 (1.3%).
Conservative = 180,000
Labour = 485,000
Green = 48,500

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5
Q

What has happened to pressure group membership?

A

Around 40% of the UK is part of a Pressure Group.

Unite union is the largest trade union in the UK, with 1.4 million members.

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6
Q

What has happened to e-democracy

A

Petition signed by 4.1m people for a 2nd EU Referendum

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7
Q

Arguments for and against reform of electoral system?

A

+FPTP limits voter choice (Green got 2.6% of votes but 1 seat, SNP got 48 seats but 4% of votes)
+FPTP favours 2 main parties (e.g. won 87% of seats in 2019, but 75% of votes)
-proportional causes coalitions (SNP has only ever had 1 majority in Scotland)
- People voted to keep it in 2011
- in 2019, most people did vote Con and Lab

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8
Q

Arguments for and against reform of devolution

A
  • no appetite for a Parliament in England: 78% against in North West
  • Police Commissioner Turnout was 25% in 2016
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9
Q

What was turnout in 2019. Also what was turnout of 19-21

A

turnout was 67% in 2019

41% of 18-21 year olds voted

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10
Q

Whats a promotional group

A

Promote a cause or set of values

-> Greenpeace, Age UK

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11
Q

What is a sectional group

A

Represent a section of socirty and interested in their own values
-> BMA, The Law Society

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12
Q

What is an insider group

A

Have close links with policy makers, see to be involved in policy making and be consulted through appointing lobbyists
E.g. BMA close to Department for Health and Social Care, NFU which is close to Department for Agriculture

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13
Q

What is an outsider group

A

Do not have such links as they do not wish to be involved with each other.
Usually promotional and use media/campaigners
-> Greenpeace

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14
Q

How do Pressure groups use access points

A

Will sit on policy committees and keep offices

-> Lobbying: David Cameron for Greenpeace

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15
Q

How do Pressure groups use campaigns

A

To mobilise public opinion

-> Extinction Rebellion 2 week protest in London in August 2019

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16
Q

How do Pressure groups use making grantsq

A

Trade Unions finane Labour

Under Corbyn, Unite gave Labour £3m in 2 weeks in November 2019 alone

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17
Q

Methods of pressure groups

A

Make grants
Campaigning
Access points
Lobbying
Parliamentary representation (UsForThem is supported by 17 MPs
Media Campaigns (The Muslim Association of Britain organised protests in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Bradford, in opposition to the Palestine Crisis. There was a march of 180,000 in Hyde Park in May.)
Illegal Methods (Insulate Britain 2021; Greenpeace Destroying GM Crops in Norfolk 2000)

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18
Q

Success factors o a pressure group

A

Size (e.g. 2015: RSPB invited 500,000 members to join its Birdwatch)
Finance (e.g. 2012: British Bankers Association paid lobbyists to cut corporation tax).
Public mood (e.g. Forest pro-smoking is ineffective)
Government (e.g. Lib Dems saw success come to groups like Child Poverty Action group with Child Poverty Act 2010)
Insider Status (e.g. in 2014, Howard League for Penal Reform ended ban on prisoners receiving books)

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19
Q

Failure factors o a pressure group

A 
Limited funds (e.g. StopTheWar Coalition was not as well funded as the pro-War)
Unsympathetic government (e.g. BMA campaign against 7 day NHS has failed in 2015- Con. government)
Counterveiling forces (e.g. ASH versus Forest)
Violence (e.g. Insulate Britain often falls foul of success as they alienate many).
20
Q

What is a thinktank

A

Research aspects of policy
Left wing = Centre for Social Justice
Moderate = Chatham House
Right Wing = Adam Smith Society

21
Q

Examples of thinktank activity

A

Owen Patterson - shows they are not good for democracy, he set one up after leaving Cabinet
Adam Smith has been very influential, especially under Thatcher and achieved fix rate of poll tax in 1990.
Institute for Government did explain Coronavirus Act 2020 implications

22
Q

What role have lobbyists made

A

They are highly secretive, so not much is known. They operate in the revolving door syndrome - David Cameron for Greenshill is an example of this, and are onl accessible to the rich (Cameron made $10m on Greenshill).
Furthemrore, there are 4000 lobbyists in the UK and Britain’s biggest listed companies have spent at least £25 million on political and lobbying activities from 2015 to 2017.

23
Q

Where have Thinktanks undermined democracy?

A

2019: Thinktank Policy Exhange released a report labelling the pressure group Extinction Rebellion ‘extremists’ (but was funded by energy companies).

24
Q

What role have corporations made

A

Can act as lobbying bodies.

Uber lobbied London Transport in 2017, and managed to overturn a ruling that withdrew their license in 2020

25
Q

What do An Act for An Act Want?

A

Campaigns for a Bill of Rights. Addressed a letter to michael gove with 3300 signatures in 2015

26
Q

How did An Act for An Act help Mark Neary

A

Used it to get his son put back under his cre instead of state care because he was autistic in 2016

27
Q

Whats the magna carta

A

1215:
set up 2 key principles
-no fair man should be imprisoned unfairly
-right to trial by jury and habeas corpus

28
Q

What did the HRA 1998 do

A

gives effect to ECHR 1950 (however there have been plans from 2021 to replace it)

29
Q

what did FoI do

A

2000
Citizens can access info held by public bodies
-> triggered MP expenses scandal 2009

30
Q

What was the Equality Act 2010 do

A

Brought togethr 116 pieces of legislation

31
Q

what did Anti Terrorism Crime and Security Ac do

A

2001

Suspected foreign terrorists could be held indefinitely

32
Q

what did Serious Organsied Crime and Police Act do

A

2005

Limited the right of protest outside Parl

33
Q

What did Terrorism Act do

A

2006

Extended time suspected terrorists could be held: 28 days (reduced from 90)

34
Q

What did Investigatory Powers Act do

A

2016

Also known as Snoopers Charter: extends surveillance powers

35
Q

What is happening to the right of protest

A

May be significantly encroached with the Police, Crime and Sentencing Act 2022, if it is passed

36
Q

What are clear responsibilities

A
  • Jury service
  • Pay tax
  • Obey the law
37
Q

What are disputed responsibiliteis

A
  • Vote
  • Serve in armed forces
  • Respect rights of other citizens
  • Respect societal values
38
Q

How has right to life been encroached on by mental health

A

Rabone and antoher v Penniro Care NHS Foundation Trust 2012

The NHS had not took enough care to protect a woman who hung hersel following discharge from hospital.

39
Q

How has protection from cruel punishment been encroached on by mental health

A

MS v UK 2012
EC found that police breached this by detaining a man for three days, where he banged his head repeatedly and drank toilet water.

40
Q

What rights can mental health impact

A

Right to liberty
Right to private and family life
Prohibition from discrimination

41
Q

What is the problem with rights in the UK

A

Parliament is sovereign so can remove any law
Civil rights are uncodiied
The government can ignore laws
Rights can also be suspended - COVID, NI Internment

42
Q

Whar are some aboslute rights

A

Article 2: Right to life

43
Q

What are some lmited rights

A

= limited, but on rare occasion

Article 4: right to be free from forced labour (not in prison)

44
Q

What are osme qualified rights

A

=frequently limited

-Article 11: freedom of assembly

45
Q

Where have thinktanks enhanced democracy?

A

When in 2020 the Institute for Government released a report explaining the extra powers that the government would get through the Coronavirus (Emergency Powers) Act in March

Politics Paper 1 (5 decks)

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