Democracy and Participation

Question 1

What is a representative democracy?

Answer 1

Citizens elect others to represent them in government, this is seen in larger populations

these are free and fair and all adults have the opportunity to vote for a rep, citizens will pass their authority to this person.

Question 2

What is a direct democracy?

Answer 2

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives, this is seen in smaller populations.

this is free and fair and all adults will have the opportunity to do this, individuals will express their opinions and this is not elective.

Question 3

advantages of a direct democracy?

Answer 3

equal weight to all votes

encourages participation

removes the need of trust for the rep

develops sense of community

This has been seen recently with the increase of referendums, the UK has seen more use of a direct democracy which may signal that the days where the people of the UK want to have trust in their local MP is changing to the local people wanting more of a say. This may be understood with the EU referendum when there was a turnout of 72.2%.

Question 4

disadvantages of a direct democracy

Answer 4

can be impractical in large countries

many people will not take part

sometimes people can be persuaded

minorities are disregarded

A large criticism of this is that they affect our parliamentary sovereignty and undermine our constitution as whole. The use of mediums such as referendums means that UK falls between a direct democracy and a representative democracy which means that we are somewhere in the middle which may undermine the power of the voter/representative.

Question 5

advantages of representative democracy

Answer 5

needs in large state

pluralist democracy

doesn’t override the minority rights

can representatives to account

politicians are better informed

They were implemented in order for people who were believed to have more power and education to govern. This view aligns with the patriarchal view of the conservatives one that suggests that superior people should be in power in order to look after and help inspire the more inferior electorate.

Question 6

disadvantages of a representative democracy

Answer 6

officials may be in power for a short period
officials may be deceptive because they want to remain in power
the official may serve their own needs and they may not represent the views of the people.
it is rare that politicians are held responsible for their actions
the official may misuse the peoples trust

Question 7

positive democratic features in the UK

Answer 7

free media

devolved government

independent judicary

free and fair elections

wide range of political parties and pressure groups

Question 8

negative democratic features in the UK

Answer 8

underrepresentation of minority viewpoints- the Green Party due to our “first past the post system”

House of Lords is wholly unelected

lack of protection for citizens rights- we don’t have a written constitution

control of sections of the media by wealthy for example Rupert mudoch, this can lead to one narrative being told.

there has been recent telling to suggest that the UK lags in its democracy with regards to other parts of the western world including Norway. In recent years, the EIU suggested that the UK would be ranked 11th in Europe for their stance on democracy.

Question 9

do we have a participation crisis in the UK?

Answer 9

Voter turnout- this is the most valuable way of seeing how many people in the UK are participating in politics, often voting is the most traditional way of participating in politics. between 1945 and 1997 the average voter turnout was 75% however in the modern age that has begun to fall. in 2001 only 58% of voted which was the worst since the end of the world war in 1918, since then there has been a steady increase though levels have never returned to pre-world war levels. for local elections this is even worse in 2017 38.8% of the electorate voted in stoke-on-trent.

party membership- only around 1.6% of the electorate belongs to a party, in 1983 this was 3.8% of the electorate. Though for the conservatives they have seen a decrease in party membership from 400,000 in the 90’s to 150,000. though for labour they saw an increase from 190,000 in 1997 and in 2016 this rose to 515,000 with Corbyn. there has also been an increase in people being involved in politics within smaller parties for example in 2015 24.8% of the electorate voted for smaller parties.

less traditional ways of being involved- pressure groups, there has been a stark increase in people attending demonstrations and fighting for a cause, this often with grab the medias attention for example the recent Just Stop Oil protests that took place.

social media, is also having a massive effect where politicians can be spoken about and messages can be sent. for example petitions can be advertised this way. though social media does have its negative effects. though this can damage the brand of social media if it is called into question.

protests

strikes

boycotts

pressure groups

social media

lobbying

open debate

Question 10

proposals to help with the participation crisis?

Answer 10

changing the day that we vote from a Thursday to the weekend to allow more people to vote.

Allowing people to vote anywhere in their constituency instead of having to go to a specific place.

Allowing people to vote over many days.

Question 11

Should E or I voting be introduced?

Answer 11

This could be effective for smaller countries because they are less likely to be affected by another country. for example, the UK is not politically neutral and foreign powers may like to interfere with our elections.
Positives:
more time efficient
may encourage people to vote because they don’t have to go anywhere- saved 11,000 hours of work in in Estonia.
Can better encourage young people to vote
May help people with disabilities who would not otherwise be able to vote.

Negatives:
this may affect the UK with regards to cyber attacks.
People may have a lack of trust within the system, for example Italy has high levels of fraud.
the Government may be able to manipulate to vote for them, for example advertising online.
There are concerns over the safety of this mechanism as in India, whilst participation has increased with E-voting that does not mean that this method is secure.

This may benefit a specific party for example the labour party has a younger demographic.

Question 12

Should compulsory voting be introduced?

Answer 12

in countries such as Australia this has increased turn out and only a small % of their population cannot vote. in 2010 the voter turnout was 93.22% and that is a figure that the UK can only dream of. When you remove the prospect of compulsory voting you get a turnout that reflects the UK where around 60% of people would vote.

it should be enforced:
it is a social duty to vote and people should be engaged
parliament would be more representative of the people
the government would have to plan their aims in relation to the entire party
you don’t have to vote for someone if you don’t want to it would be legal to spoil a ballot paper.

It should remain voluntary:
it could harm a democracy if you force people to vote.
politicians would still not focus their time on safe seats.
compulsory voting does not represent the reasons why people do not vote- for example tussle brand believes that just sent anyone to vote for.

Question 13

who cannot vote in the UK?

Answer 13

People who are under 18
People who are EU citizens
Members of the house of lords
prisoners
those who have committed electoral fraud and have been imprisoned for five years
people who have been detained under the mental health act.

Question 14

should 16 year olds have the vote?

Answer 14

The Scottish Government allow this group of young people to vote in elections that concern Scotland. significantly, 109,000 people registered to vote and 75% of those people voted, this proves that when young people are given the chance they do vote.

They should have the vote:
they are already given a lot of freedoms and that should be reflected in them being able to vote.
many 16 year olds will have jobs and are a huge part of society.
force politicians to acknowledge young people.
this would expand the electorate by 3% and would introduce a wider range of opinions.
Adults don’t have to prove their reasoning for voting which is a key reason that many are against 16 year olds voting.
education is for 16 year olds and they should be able to vote on topics that affect them.

They should not have the vote:
they are less mature and do not have the life experiences to vote- why Italy allow the vote at 25 years old in their upper chamber.
there may be a low turnout among young people.
16 year olds are still legally children and they need protecting.

The votes at 16 coalition in 2003 won much success and Labour MP Julie Morgan sponsored a private members bill in 2008 which unfortunately ran out of parliamentary time.

Question 15

Should prisoners have the vote?

Answer 15

there was the 2005 Hirst vs Uk case where Mr Hirst claimed that the blanket ban on prisoners not having the vote was undemocratic. He won his vote but the UK has political sovereignty and the parliament thus far have ignored the cause. a conservative MP who served time in prison believes that prisoners do not care about the vote and it is not a vital part of the rehabilitation process.

Question 16

what are the different types of pressure groups?

Answer 16

SECTIONAL
these groups represent a section of society members usually have a personal/economic interest
membership may be restricted and you usually have to pay to join

CAUSE
These groups campaign for a cause/issue and the cause is more important than personal gain.
membership is not restricted

SOCIAL
these are less formal and often lack a clear leader and these are not card-carrying members.
This is based on a shared sense of political interest.

INSIDER
These will have contact with policy makers and will hold expertise in certain areas, may be able to better influence change. they will have shared goals with the GOV.

OUTSIDER
these groups will have little to no contact with policy makers and this will not benefit their cause. some may say that they are fighting for unreasonable aims.

though this has been criticised:
the distinction is not clear cut
more groups have insider status than thought
the level of involvement with the GOV will vary.

Question 17

what resources will benefit pressure groups?

Answer 17

membership
stategic alliances
leadership and staffing
funding
esteem and social status
organisation

Question 18

how can the pressure group get the message across?

Answer 18

use of social media
esteem and social stautsu
their specialist knowledge- BMA
public support
insider groups are at a greater advantage.

Question 19

what is a think tank?

Answer 19

this is a groups of professionals that are invited to advise the government on a certain issue, the 1970’s think tank Centre for Policy Studies would massively help Margaret Thatcher. these groups are an alternate to the civil service and offer expertise and importantly have more time than politicians.

Question 20

what is lobbying?

Answer 20

this is when someone is payed by a professional organisation to seek to gain access to an MP, this will be done in order to gain influence particularly if the piece of legislation concerns the organisation. Many are concerned about the transparency of lobbying and it has been reported that journalists will claim to be lobbyists in order to gain close access to MPs. lobbying employs 4000 people and over £2 billion is spent each year on lobbying. some govenerment officials my become lobbyists after they leave government in order to remain relevant.
A 2006 survey conducted that 67% of people that felt that corporations had an influence on policy

Question 21

what are the key rights under the HRA 98

Answer 21

fair and equal treatment under the law
freedom of expression in speech and writing
freedom of conscience
freedom of movement
freedom to vote
freedom to be a part of a trade union

Question 22

what are the key acts regarding human rights?

Answer 22

the European convention on human rights- this was created in 1950 this was set up in Strasbourg if people were concerned about their rights being violated in their own country though it would be costly.

HRA98- this was passed by the new labour government which came into effect from 2000. these rights would be defended in a UK court and you would not have to go to Strasbourg.

the equality act 2010- this was brought about by earlier legislationn and it would identify 9 protected characteristics. it made it illegal for anyone to discriminate under any of these grounds, this included the workplace.

Question 23

has the UK developed a rights based culture?

Answer 23

since the passing the human rights act many people have claimed that we have developed a culture that always links back to the HRA98, it is important to remember that parliamentary sovreinity means that they have ultimate power and they cannot be compelled to do something.

Judicial review is on the rise with 4240 cases in 2000 and over 15,000 by 2013, though many of these cases will be unsuccessful and the GOV will win most of the ones that do enter a review.
it is important to note that with some of these cases often have disparity over article 8 and 10 of the HRA which is the right to privacy and expression, many judges have mis interpreted it. for example the public case of Max Mosely and the News of The World reporting on his scandal.

Abu Qatar is a key example of how the UK has become so focussed on rights, he was a radical islamic cleric and he would use violence and had spent time in prison, despite him being wanted legal advisers were able to fight deportation as the evidence was assumed whilst he was under torture.

Question 24

examples of a lack of clarity over peoples human rights?

Answer 24

walker have a right to “roam” someones property and this has led to many issues regarding celebrities and in particular Madonna. a order in 2004 ruled that people would have the right to walk on their property that was not near their house.

following the 7/7 bombings there has been much more severe treatment around people that may be terror suspects with the view that mps want to keep people the wider community safe. they would claim that they could detain such people even if they weren’t proven to be guilty and in 2004 this was ruled to be discriminatory.

Question 25

how did the 2019 tory manifesto attack the Supreme Court?

Answer 25

committed to a broad review of the constitution, “ensure that judicial review is not abused to conduct politics by another means or create needless delays”
this was submitted of the back of Brexit.

Question 26

should we keep the HRA98?

Answer 26

keep

council of Europe contains European countries
would create the British bill of rights, Cons, and may remove some of our rights and may even unsettle the Good Friday agreement
this gives people rights rather than responsibilities.

Not Keep

keeps parliament as sovereign.
the HRA has been attacked frequently and can be interpreted in many different ways. in both 2010 and 2015 the tory manifestos stated that they wanted to introduce a British bill of rights, and eradicate our current HRA.

Question 27

what is more powerful pressure groups or corporations?

Answer 27

pressure groups can be successful for example the BMA, their power was exemplified over the covid pandemic.
The pressure group stonewall have also contributed to many laws regarding people go the LGBTQ community. Though it is important to note that there is a vast difference between insider and outsider pressure groups, for example Extinction Rebellion who have gained little momentum despite their vast media coverage.
corporations can be more powerful as they can have a direct influence on the economy so the government will want then to succeed. Corporations will often receive help from the government for example £500 billion was announced in response to the global financial crisis.

Question 28

how democratic is the UK?

Answer 28

free elections, all adults have the right to vote though whilst some groups are excluded they are for good reason and no ones voice is truly underrepresented.
fair elections can be question under our current system of FPTP as it may lead to someone with with 27% favouring by the public becoming mp.
people can be involved in politics in many different ways and this can mean that our system is less-dictorial.
freedom of expression is largely valued in the UK and we have a free media, though sometimes there is an over emphasis on being un-biased in the uk.
our rights and liberties are mostly protected in the uk acts such as the equality act and the EHCR help to enhance our rights, though there is no written constitution which may undermine this.
an independent judiciary is very valued in the UK, though it does mean with parliamentary sovereignty it means that often the view of the court is not the most important decision, this can be seen with the Rwanda policy which was ruled to be unlawful on a human rights basis.

Question 29

pressure groups with their successes and failures?

Answer 29

amnesty international, which seek to campaign for human rights, it would help to secure the international arms trade treaty in 2013, they have been criticised for their high salaries for staff.

Oxfam, which helps to fight against poverty, in 2021 would help to reach over 25 million people through their work and they would be subject to a large amount of scandal for example they would tolerate poor behaviour and would fail to meet safe guarding needs.

Question 30

what helps to make a pressure groups successful?

Answer 30

if they are effective lobbyists and have a clear leader.
can help a large number of people for example 25 million for Oxfam.
if they have an effective internal democracy/hierachy system
if they can be an insider group and can gain access to gov officials they may be more successful.
if they can promote tangible change for example the international arms trade treaty for amnesty international.
if they can work with the media to change public opinion then that will be to their benefit- extinction rebellion would bot be able to effectively do this.

Question 31

does the human rights act go far enough?

Answer 31

people have been concerned that this would be replaced with a British Bill of Rights which would not defend the rights.
Chris Grayling would say in 2014 would say that the HRA infringes upon the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.
this highlights the fragility of this protecting citizens rights.

Many conservatives have cited examples where the HRA has failed such as a convicted rapist being given £4000 compensation because his second appeal was delayed.

Question 32

does the human rights act need replacing?

Answer 32

this has large been an issue that has been campaigned by the conservatives for example it was part of the conservatives 2010 manifesto and again in 2019.
there would be the creation of the IHRAR in 2020 which would find that most of the submissions to the committee would be in support of the HRA.

in 2021 the government would outline the key reasons why they felt that the HRA needed replacing.
there have been human rights claims people who themselves who have gone against the act.
public protection has been put at risk by the exponential expansion of rights
public policy has shift from parliament to the courts, the Gov believes that there is an over reliance on the act and which had led to too many people relying on the courts