Democracy and Participation

Question 1

Direct Democracy

Answer 1

Where the people themselves make their own decisions. In modern society this is often done through referendums.

Question 2

Representative Democracy

Answer 2

A form of Government where people elect or choose a representative to make decisions on their behalf. It also implies that representatives are accountable.

Question 3

Advantages of Direct Democracy

Answer 3

• purest form, everyone is heard
  -avoid delay and deadlock
• gives greater legitamacy

Question 4

Disadvantages of Direct democracy

Answer 4

• tyranny of the majority
• people may be too easily appealed by short term emotional values
• some issues may be too complex for the ordinary voter to understand

Question 5

Advantages of Representative Democracy

Answer 5

• required to be well informed about issues
• general public may be swayed by emotions and not be informed enough to make decisions
• elected politicians balance conflicting interests
• public vote in line with self interest rather than the effects on others

Question 6

Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

Answer 6

• MPs may be disengaged from the public interest
• MPs may have a second job
• Westminster Parliament is unrepresentative as it is elected FPTP
• Social make up of parliament is primarily white male

Question 7

Social Representation

Answer 7

the characteristics of elected representatives should be broadly in line with the characteristics of the population

Question 8

Functional Representation

Answer 8

This refers to the fact that some elected representatives will represent not only their constituency or region but also a particular occupational or social group.

Question 9

Casual Representation

Answer 9

Representative bodies are not representing people so much as ideas, principles and causes.

Question 10

Decentralisation

Answer 10

The process of spreading power away from the centre both towards devolved governments and regional governments.

Question 11

Electoral Mandate

Answer 11

The principle whereby the party that has been elected to govern has the authority of the electorate to carry out its manifesto arrangements.

Question 12

Strengths of the mandate

Answer 12

-grants clear authority to government
-allows parliament to judge performance
-shows clearly when government may be overstepping its authority

Question 13

Weaknesses of the mandate

Answer 13

-parties in the UK are always elected with less than 50% of the popular vote
-those who voted for the party may not agree with all manifesto pledges
-it is not clear if government can carry out anything not in its manifesto

Question 14

3 pressure groups that have a formal membership

Answer 14

-British Medical Association (BMA)
-National Farmer’s Union (NFA)
-Automobile Association (AA)

Question 15

3 pressure groups without a formal membership

Answer 15

-Age UK
-Stonewall
-British Driver’s Association

Question 16

Limited Government

Answer 16

The power of government should have strict limits and these limits will be enforced by the judicial system.

Question 17

How does the UK suffer from a democratic deficit?

Answer 17

-FPTP produces disproportional outcomes, renders many votes wasted and elects governments with a small popular vote.
-HoL is unelected
-Sovereignty of parliament implies unlimited powers
-European convention of human rights is not binding

Question 18

Pluralism/Pluralist Democracy

Answer 18

The idea that a wide variety of beliefs can flourish in a society and be tolerated

Question 19

Forms of political participation

Answer 19

1. Standing for public office
2. Active party membership
3. Active pressure group membership
4. Passive party membership
5. Digital activism
6. Voting

Question 20

Examples of changing political participation

Answer 20

-SNP had over 100,000 members in a population of 5 million
-run up to 2015 election UKIP gained over 50,000 members

Question 21

Referendum turnouts for: 2011 AV ref, 2014 scottish independence ref and 2016 BREXIT ref

Answer 21

2011: 42.2%
2014: 84.6%
2016: 72.2%

Question 22

3 E-petitions and No. of signatures recieved

Answer 22

2007: against a plan to introduce charges for using the roads, 1.8m
2011: to release documents relating to Hillsborough, 139,000
2016: second EU referendum, 3.8m

Question 23

Participation crisis

Answer 23

A point where the public has become disengaged from politics and voting levels have fallen

Question 24

Franchise

Answer 24

The right to vote in free elections

Question 25

Reasons for votes at 16:

Answer 25

-can generate mass enthusiasm and positive publicity
-encourages school and college debates
-could create cross party support
-Scotland implemented this in its 2014 referendum

Question 26

How did John Hirst influence prisoner voting?

Answer 26

Hirst raised significant influence in the government defying the European Court of Human Rights claiming it violated Article 3 of the first protocol.
However, it gained cross-party condemnation with 234 MPs voting against and 22 voting for.

Question 27

Reasons for compulsory voting:

Answer 27

-22 nation states have implemented this
-e.g Australia gained a 91% turnout and Belgium a 89% turnout
-enhances legitimacy and ensures that the majority of the population engages with the democratic process

Question 28

Reasons against compulsory voting:

Answer 28

-gives the state too much power to coerce citizens
-Russel Brand argues that choosing not engage with the voting process can be a powerful act of disproval
-would encourage younger voters to engage as in the 2010 election there was a turnout of 44% of 18-25 year old’s

Question 29

Pressure Group

Answer 29

Aim to influence policy making at a local, regional or national level without seeking to gain power

Question 30

Functions of pressure groups

Answer 30

-represent and promote the interest and sections of society who feel that they are not fully represented.
-promote causes that are not adequately taken up by parliament
-to call government to account over certain policy areas
-to give citizens opportunity to participate in politics

Question 31

Promotional/cause group

Answer 31

To promote a particular cause and convert the ideas into government policy or action. Examples include, Greenpeace, Friends of the earth, Liberty

Question 32

Sectional Group

Answer 32

These groups constitute a section of society and so constitute as part of the functional representation community in the UK. They are self interested in hopes that they pursue interests specifically in their own membership. Examples such as Age UK, BMA

Question 32

Success factors of pressure groups

Answer 32

-size, more supporters more influence it has
-finance, wealthy groups can afford expensive campaigns, employ lobbyists and sponsor political parties
-strategic position of sectional groups, they could be vital to the economy so could threaten to move overseas
-public mood, strong public sentiment can aid greatly
-attitude of the government itself

Question 32

Insider Groups

Answer 32

Seek to be involved in the early stages of policy or lawmaking. Some groups employ professional lobbyists that gain access from decision makers.

Question 32

Outsider Groups

Answer 32

Groups who do not entertain a special position in government circles. This may be because decision makers do not wish to be seen to be too close to them. Usually promotional groups.

Question 33

Methods used by pressure groups

Answer 33

-campaigning
-mobilising public opinion to promote themselves
-organising mass demonstrations, creating e-petitions

Question 33

Examples of pressure group campaigning methods:

Answer 33

-Plane Stupid: to prevent an airport expansions they invaded airports, blocked flights, organised e-petitions, delayed using judicial review
-Greenpeace: concerning environmental issues, destroyed generically modified crops, disrupting whaling and oil exploration

Question 34

Failure factors of pressure groups

Answer 34

-too small and limited funding can’t gain enough publicity e.g. rare medical condition representatives
-unsympathetic government
-powerful countervailing groups
-groups that are conservative in nature

Question 35

How do pressure groups enhance democracy

Answer 35

-disperse power and influence more widely
-educate public
give more opportunity to participate in politics
-promote interests of minorities
call government to account

Question 36

How do pressure groups threaten democracy

Answer 36

-elitist and concentrate power in few hands
-may distort information
-may not accurately represent the views of their supporters
-wealthy groups may wield a disproportionate amount of influence

Question 37

Civil Liberties

Answer 37

The rights and freedoms of citizens that protect them from unfair treatment by the state or government

Question 38

Common Law rights

Answer 38

-Every citizen is assumed to have rights unless prohibited by law
-Rights were sometimes specifically stated by a judge within a court case. E.g. married couples who split may dispute over possessions or what rights they have against each other

Question 39

Human Rights Act

Answer 39

-Establishes a wide range of rights to replace the patchwork of statute and common law rights in the UK
-Enforced in all courts in the UK and so any laws passed should conform to that level