democracy and participation Flashcards
1
Q
what is direct democracy?
A
when voters vote on every decision that needs to be made
2
Q
where in the world regularly uses direct democracy?
A
switzerland
3
Q
what is an example of direct democracy?
A
referendums
4
Q
what are the positives of direct democracy?
A
- the government hears directly from the people (people-power)
- government accountability
- raises political awareness
- prevents power being held by the elite
5
Q
what are the negatives of direct democracy?
A
- tyranny of the majority
- requires a high level of participation to be effective
- decisions take a long time to be put into place
- population size makes it impractical
- expensive
- topics can contradict, making it impossible for the government to carry out what the people vote for
6
Q
what is representative democracy?
A
when voters vote for people to represent them and their beliefs.
7
Q
what are the positives of representative democracy?
A
- it’s quicker
- holds politicians accountable
- practical
- politicans are educated on subjects and have more time for research than the general public
- represents the minority
8
Q
what are the negatives of representative democracy?
A
- it easily reaches a stalemate
- trust from the people to the politicans is required (may be hard to come by, could result in less people voting)
- requires frequent communication between politicans and constituents
- politicans may not represent their constituency’s opinion
- small parties in the uk never win so some opinions are not represented
9
Q
what is a legitimate government?
A
a government that is popularly accepted as having the authority to hold power and make the rules
10
Q
what makes a government legitimate?
A
winning an election
