Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

A Level Politics > Democracy and participation > Flashcards

Democracy and participation Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 6 features of a democracy?

A 
Participation
Education
Accountability
Representation
Legitimacy
Scrutiny
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is a representative democracy?

A

Representative Democracy is where citizens choose others to represent them, making important decisions on their behalf.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Name a country where representative democracy is used.

A

UK

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the advantages of a representative democracy?

A
  • The people cannot be expected to have the time or interest to make important and regular decisions
  • Representatives can educate the public on political issues
  • Representatives ensure the interests of all sections of society (including minorities) are taken into account, and can be held accountable for their decisions
  • Representatives are able to ‘aggregate’ the differing demands of people into a more coherent and politically logical programme
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the disadvantages of a representative democracy?

A
  • Representatives may distort peoples’ demands to suit their political preferences
  • Representatives may not make make themselves accountable enough between elections and can only be removed by elections if they lose the respect of the people
  • The electoral mandate of representatives is flawed, as voters have to accept or reject a whole manifesto, not being able to make clear which parts of it they oppose, and there is more information in this day and age for people to be able to make better decisions
  • Representatives also have to decide whether to be ‘delegates’ for their constituents, merely putting forward their view, or using their best judgement to ‘represent’ their constituents (a concept called ‘Burkean representation’)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a direct democracy?

A

With direct democracy, the people take decisions themselves (e.g. show of hands at a public meeting) or referendums.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Name a country where direct democracy is used.

A

Switzerland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is an initiative?

A

When the people can trigger a referendum by way of petition.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the advantages of a direct democracy?

A
  • Gives weight to equal votes, unlike a representative system where the varying sizes of constituencies mean that votes do not all have equal value
  • Encourages popular participation in politics by expecting people to take their duties as citizens seriously
  • Removes the need for trusted representatives, as people can take responsibility for their own decisions
  • Develops a sense of community and genuine debate
  • The only true form of democracy (rule by the people), especially as parties and pressure groups are often run by elites pursuing their own agendas, not truly representing the people)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the disadvantages of a direct democracy?

A
  • Impractical in a large, heavily populated modern state where decision-making is complicated
  • Many people will not want to- or feel qualified to- take part in decision-making, so political activists decide what happens
  • Open to manipulation by the cleverest and most articulate speakers, who will persuade people to support their viewpoint
  • Will of the majority is not mediated by parliamentary institutions, so minority viewpoints are disregarded (e.g. 48.1% of people voted against Brexit)
  • Politicians are (in theory) better informed than the average citizen about the many issues on which they must take a view
  • Referendums, the modern-day example of direct democracy is expensive: e.g. the estimated cost of conducting the EU referendum has been put at £142.4 million.
  • Politicians will only call referendums if they think they will win
  • Referendums can be divisive and controversial, upsetting many
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a pressure group?

A

An organisation with shared aims which seeks to influence policy through political means, without seeking political office itself.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

BMA case study (ban on smoking in cars carrying children).

A

BMA’s purpose is to protect interests of doctors (has credibility with the government).
Contributred to the ban of smoking in enclosed public spaces in 2007.
First made case in November 2011 and other pressure groups such as Asthma UK supported.
Case made to House of Lords and a Labour peer introduced an ammendment to the 2014 Children and Families Bill which was passed by Lords and accepted by Commons.
Ban came into force in October 2015.
Showed willing ness to focus on an obtainable goal.
Patient, resourceful and willing to protect children as a vulnerable group.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Occupy London case study-

A

In October 2011 a group of protesters put up tents in front of St Pauls Cathedral.
Evicted by the order of the High Court 4 months later.
Protested about corporate greed.
Demonstations happened in other places such as Wall Street, NYC.
Drew some attention but not long lasting due to the harshness of authorities.
Their aims were broad and incoherent.
Lacked the capacity to channel its unfocused idealism into practical political activity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Eight factors that help the success of pressure groups.

A
  • Clear, obtainable goal
  • Resources
  • Public support
  • Strategy and tactics
  • Methods and approaches
  • Government support/proximity
  • Leadership
  • Celebrity endorsement (Marcus Rashford- food poverty)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Name three examples of insider pressure groups.

A
  • Trade Union Congress
  • Amnesty International
  • BMA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the features of insider pressure groups?

A
  • Moderate and mainstream
  • Broad public appeal
  • Meetings + negotiations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Name three outsider pressure groups.

A
  • Fathers for Justice
  • Little Amal
  • Extinction Rebellion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the features of outsider pressure groups?

A
  • Lack of proximity to decision making
  • Tend to be small but some are large
  • Work more with public appeal
  • Can be more ‘theatrical’- e.g. publicity stunts.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are promotional pressure groups?

A
  • Promote certain ideas, values and interests
  • Tend to have open membership
  • E.g. Greenpeace and Mind
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are sectional pressure groups?

A
  • Protect/promote the interests of their members.
  • Closed membership
  • E.g. National Union of Teachers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Name a pressure group which frequently uses TV advertising.

A

WWF

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Name a pressure group which has a democratically elected leader.

A

NFU

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is pluralism?

A

Many opinions are shared and many people are involved in decision-making.
Considered to be a good thing in democracy.
Dispersal of power.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is elitism?

A

Few opinions are shared and few people are involved in decision-making.
Considered to be a bad thing in democracy.
Concentration of power.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Name three disadvantages of democracy.

A

Always a minority- ‘tyranny of the majority’
Leads to political polarisation
Could lead to weak governments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Name three advantages of democracy.

A

Accurate and fair ‘representation of views’
Ideas can be expressed without fear
Works around the idead of cooperation and consensus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Participation in the UK.

A
  • Low level of political party membership
  • Excluded groups from the franchise
  • Low turnout in elections (around 70% in general and 35% in local)
  • Young people less likely to vote
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Education in the UK.

A
  • Great number and variety of sources of information
  • No national political education
  • Media bias affects quality of information
  • Disproportionate influence of media
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Accountability in the UK.

A
  • MPs are elected

- Lords aren’t elected however.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Representation in the UK.

A
  • Wide range of parties
  • Disparity in turnout in wards
  • Only 650 MPs to represent the entire population
  • Many MPs come from a similar ‘entitled’ background
  • More pressure groups
  • Too ‘London-centric’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Scrutiny in the UK.

A
  • The process of law making
  • MP voting records are open to the public
  • Freedon of Information Act
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

What was turnout in the 2019 general election?

A

67.1%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What was the drop in voter turnout between 2017 and 2019 election?

A

1.5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

How many people voted in the 2017 election?

A

68.7%

35
Q

How many people voted in 1992 election?

A

77.7%

36
Q

What percentage of the population believe that politicians can be relied on?

A

21%

37
Q

What is political apathy?

A

When someone is indifferent in their attitude towards political activities.

38
Q

What was the turnout for the 2016 Police and Crime Commissioner election?

A

27.3%

39
Q

What was the turnout for the 1975 EEC membership referendum?

A

65%

40
Q

What was the turnout for the 2016 Brexit referendum?

A

72%

41
Q

What is clicktivism?

A

People can be engaged and involved with politics online, focusing on the issues they’re interested in.

42
Q

Name five reasons in terms of voter turnout why there isn’t a participation crisis in the UK.

A
  • Referendum turnout has increased.
  • Increase in suffrage and franchise
  • Turnout is a large majority of the population.
  • Often premature calls of a voter crisis when voting decreases by small percentages.
  • UK particiaption is higher than many other developed countries such as USA, Spain and Canada.
43
Q

How many political activist parties are there in the UK?

A

Over 150

44
Q

What was the turnout in the 2017 French election?

A

77.7%

45
Q

Name three reasons in terms of voter turnout why there may be a participation crisis in the UK.

A
  • Lack of interest in poorer areas
  • Complicated registration process
  • Democratic deficit
46
Q

How many spanish people say they participated in their general election?

A

76%

Spain had a fascist head of state until 1975 and still has a higher turnout than UK.

47
Q

What was the turnout in the 2017 Dutch election?

A

81.9%

48
Q

In 2004, how many people voted against a North East Assembly?

A

78%

49
Q

On average, how much of the population voted in local election across England?

A

34.6%

50
Q

Between 1983 and 2005 how much did political party membership decrease by?

A

84%

51
Q

Name four reasons relating to party politicial membership that many suggest there is a participation crisis in the UK.

A
  • Lack of direct democracy so limited opportunities for participation
  • Political parties are usually driven by white, privileged males and so aren’t representative.
  • There still is quite a large two party dominance.
  • Poorer people may not be able to afford to spend money on political party membership.
52
Q

After the 2014 Scotland Independence referendum how much did SNP membership increase by?

A

100,000

53
Q

What percentage of Green Party members are under 39 in 2019?

A

35%

54
Q

Name five reasons relating to party political membership why there isn’t a participation crisis in the UK.

A
  • Parties now offer a more flexible membership for example Reform UK only have ‘registered supporters’ so people may feel less tied down to one party.
  • Increased range of parties.
  • Labour Party had 5th highest membership of any European Party.
  • You don’t have to be a member to get involved with the party.
  • Membership can help increase political education.
55
Q

How can a representative democracy lead to lack of engagement?

A

MPs are elected but may not represent a constituency properly causing people to be less engaged.

56
Q

How can social media cause a participation crisis?

A
  • Increase in clicktivism and slacktivism
  • Extreme political oppositions could waste time disputing, without making a difference.
  • Advertising could lead to misinformation (Donald Trump 2016)
57
Q

How can social media prevent a participation crisis in the UK?

A
  • Rise in people becoming actively involved in politics and social justice as seen in BLM and with Sarah Everard.
  • Allows more opinions to be spread.
  • Can help with the spread of E-petitions.
  • Voter turnout in 18-24 year olds is at its highest since 1992, 54.5% in 2019.
58
Q

Advantages of lowering the voting age.

A
  • Increases franchise- R/P
  • Political decision impact 16-18 year olds (university)- L/A/S
  • Helps engage youth in politics- E
  • Introduce alternative perspectives- pluralism- R
  • Inconsistencies with other ages of consent
59
Q

Disadvantages of lowering the voting age.

A
  • Issues may only affect adults- R
  • May have less formed opinions
  • Why stop at 16?- L
  • Issue of political maturation- E
  • Parental bias and peer influence- A
  • 18-24 is lowest turnout- P
  • Not an adult until 18- S
60
Q

Advantages of complusory voting.

A
  • Increased participation
  • More people may attention to issues and so increased education
  • More legitimacy
  • We already have civil duties such as taxation
61
Q

Disadvantages of complusory voting.

A
  • Some people don’t feel educated enough

- Low income people are less likely to vote and so may be more likely to be sanctioned.

62
Q

Reasons relating to the public why there is a participation crisis.

A
  • Lack of engagement in issues
  • Lack of sufficient education
  • Voting behaviour- lazy reasons
  • Some people are hapathetic
63
Q

Reasons relating to the politicians why there is a participation crisis.

A
  • Lack of representation
  • Distrust in politicians
  • Elitism
  • Disconnect between public and politicians
  • Parties loss of connection with voters
  • Too personalised and less about policies
64
Q

Reasons relating to the media why there is a participation crisis.

A
  • Social media can polarise
  • Biased
  • lack of coverage on smaller parties
  • Too supportive of a two party system
  • Traditional media not connecting to some voters
65
Q

List three ways which could fix a participation crisis.

A
  • Lower voting age
  • Compulsory voting
  • increase use of new technology such as electronic voting.
66
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of online voting.

A

+ Can vote without having to leave home
+ Citizens become active and not passive participants in politics.
- Could erode its importance as it threatens to turn democracy into a series of push-button referendums.
- There is a risk of hacking (for example, this allegedly took place in the 2016 US presidential election).

67
Q

What are lobbyists?

A

Companies who get paid to gain access to government for their clients.
Lobbying companies often employ ex-politicians who know how to access decision-makers.
The ethics of this style of lobbying is often questioned, as companies can afford to pay lobbying companies’ fees in order to influence government.

68
Q

What are corporations?

A

Large companies who seek to lobby the government to encourage them to legislate (or not legislate) in certain areas.
For example, after the decision to revoke its license in London, Uber took to heavy lobbying to convince the public and authorities that Transport for London had made the wrong decision.

69
Q

What are think tanks?

A

Think tanks are privately funded, non-profit organisations that conduct research with a view to changing policies. Arguably, good think tanks are as rigorous as academic research and as accessible as journalism.
Well-known think tanks in the UK include-
- The Centre for Policy Studies
- The Adam Smith Institute
- The Centre for Social Justice.

70
Q

What are the strengths of pressure groups?

A
  • They enable individuals to participate in the political process between elections.
  • Pressure groups reflect the system of pluralist democracy, which gives citizens another voice in the decision-making process beyond parties.
  • Pressure groups counter-balance the tyranny of the majority by lobbying on behalf of minorities- Stonewall has been campaigning to get equality for gay people, in 2014, David Cameron legalised gay marriage which Stonewall had been campaigning on.
  • Pressure groups promote debate and educate and inform the electorate.
71
Q

What are the weaknesses of pressure groups?

A
  • Groups can be divisive and selfish (one powerful group can dominate an issue)- BMA strike 2012 and NHS workers in 2014.
  • Pressure groups are not accountable to the public as a whole despite the fact their influence on policy can be large- British Bankers Association has very close links to the government but it is suggested that heavy lobbying done by the group in the aftermath of the banking collapse stopped severe punishments to the banking sector.
  • Pressure groups have reduced the power of Parliament and undermined their sovereignty by working closely with ministers and civil servants. By the time Parliament sees legislation, it is all but decided.
72
Q

What are civil liberties?

A

The rights that citizens have in a democracy.

73
Q

Name four examples of civil liberties.

A

Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of association
The right to a fair trial

74
Q

Are civil liberties in the UK entrenched?

A

No, civil liberties are simply part of the law of the land and can be changed by governments.

75
Q

When was the human rights act?

A

1998

76
Q

What did the HRA incorporate into UK law?

A

The European Convention on Human Rights 1950- this meant citizens could challenge laws in UK courts instead of having to go to the European Court of Human Rights.

77
Q

Will Brexit have an impact on the ECHR?

A

No as it is nothing to do with the EU.

78
Q

What is the Freedom of Information Act (2000)?

A

Introduced to create a more open system of government.
Gives citizens the ‘right to know’ information regarding how and who made decisions.
Allows the public to access files from any government body- any person can request information and has a right to ave ti given to them.
It has some major exceptions however, particularly if it affects national security.

79
Q

What is the Equality Act (2010)?

A

Combined earlier legislation making it illegal to discriminate in 9 areas: religion, gender reassignment, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation, race and belief.

80
Q

What is the conflict between individual rights and collective rights?

A

Individual-

  • Right to privacy
  • Freedom of expression
  • Right to protest
  • Freedom of movement/assembly

Collective-

  • Freedom of the press
  • Upholding religion/racial tolerance
  • Right to peaceful existence
  • Security of the nation
81
Q

What is the Magna Carta (1215)?

A

Signed by King John, the ‘Great Charter’ was a series of written promises between the king and his subjects.
The king agrees to govern England and deal with its people according to the customs of feudal law.
It can be seen as the first example of an attempt to protect the people from being caused suffering- a forerunner to the idea of human rights.

82
Q

What do lobbying groups do?

A

They usually push their own members interests.

83
Q

Name two examples of lobbying groups.

A

Association of British Insurers

British Bankers’ Association

84
Q

Name an MP who created a think tank.

A

Iain Duncan Smith- Centre for Social Justice

A Level Politics (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions