Democracy And Participation

Question 1

Functions of elections

Answer 1

Choosing a government

Accountability

Representation

Policy choice

Question 2

Models of representation

Answer 2

Delegates - represent constituents’ views

Trustees - giving something the authority to use their own judgment to act on their constituents’ interests (MPs)

Question 3

Definitions of representation

Answer 3

Constituency representation - an MP representing the interests of their constituency

Party representation - an MP acting in the interests of their party

Social representation - an MP acting to further the interests of a particular social group

Question 4

How many female MPs are there?

Answer 4

34% of HoC at 2019 GE (224) - up from 142 in 2010

Question 5

How many LGBT MPs are there?

Answer 5

8% (‘gayest Parliament in the world’)

However, NO trans representation

Question 6

How many BAME MPs are there?

Answer 6

10% of HoC in 2019 (15.2% of people BAME as of 2019)

Question 7

What is liberal democracy?

Answer 7

A form of representative democracy in which the power of the government to dictate to individuals is limited by constitutional rights.

Question 8

Features of liberal democracy

Answer 8

Rule of law

Non-partisan civil service

Pluralist democracy

Free and fair elections

Question 9

What is an illiberal/authoritarian democracy?

Answer 9

A system where democracy exists but protection of individual rights is only partial. For example, Russia, Belarus

Question 10

What is direct democracy?

Answer 10

A democracy in which citizens directly and continuously participate in making and implementing policy.

Question 11

Weakness of direct democracy

Answer 11

Not possible in any sizeable state today (only existed in city states in Ancient Greece)

Impossible to please everybody - e.g. in the last few weeks, two petitions have been debated in parliament, with one calling for LGBT content to be removed from the curriculum, and the other calling for it to be maintained

Question 12

Manifestations of direct democracy

Answer 12

Petitions (any petition with over 100,000 votes considered for debate in Parliament) - e.g. recent debate to hold a parliamentary vote on assisted dying on 29th of April 2024

Referendums

Recall votes (2015 Recall of MPs Act) 3 held in past 3 years - e.g. Labour MP Fiona Onasanya in 2019 after being charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to 2 speeding offences

Question 13

Issues regarding extension of franchise

Answer 13

Votes at 16

Voter ID

Prisoners’ votes

Question 14

Arguments for prisoner’s votes

Answer 14

Not allowing them votes is actually a violation of the ECHR. In 2005, a prisoner called John Hirst challenged the restrictions of his right to vote. The ECtHR ruled in his favour, calling the ban a ‘general, automatic and indiscriminate restriction’ which violated the right to free and fair elections

Cameron ignored the ruling, saying that the thought of prisoners ‘damn well shouldn’t’ be able to vote, arguing that it ‘should be a matter for Parliament… and not a foreign court”.

Prisoners will return to society and so should be included in the political process

Question 15

Arguments against prisoners votes

Answer 15

Deprivation of the vote part of prisoners punishment?

Question 16

Arguments for Voter ID (brought in by 2022 Elections Act)

Answer 16

Prevents voter fraud (however little evidence of this being a problem)

The government argued that it would increase public confidence in the legitimacy of elections

A policy paper published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities in January 2023 said the requirements to produce photographic identification are “common” in democracies across the world, including most European countries.

The Electoral Commission has recommended it since 2014

Question 17

Arguments against voter ID

Answer 17

Accusations of inconsistency in terms of which forms of ID are valid - e.g. an older person’s bus pass is allowed, but not a younger person’s, which has attracted a great deal of scepticism that the government is using Voter ID to increase its vote share (however, this is a difficult criticism to justify after the recent local elections in which the Tory vote share collapsed)

In the 2023 local elections, the new voter ID laws left 14,000 people unable to vote

Question 18

Arguments for votes at 16

Answer 18

Access to social media - well informed generation

Despite the Conservative Party actively opposing votes at 16, 15 Year old Conservative Party members can vote in Conservative Leadership Elections, meaning that they were eligible to choose the next PM during the 2022 leadership challenge

Strongly affected by policy decisions (such as stopping government funding for BTECs)

Demand - 15,000 signatures on e-petition

In Scottish IndyRef, 80% of 16-17 year olds registered to vote (which notably was higher than 18-24 year olds)

Would build habits in younger people to vote for life

Question 19

Arguments against votes at 16

Answer 19

Would be unusual - only 9 countries in the world have votes at 16

Ill-informed voting

Lack of interest

However, these arguments show deficit in political education rather than being convincing arguments for restricting the franchise.

Question 20

What are referendums for?

Answer 20

Legitimising major government initiatives (Brexit, AV)

Response to public pressure (Indyref)

Question 21

What was the referendum in 1998?

Answer 21

Northern Ireland ref on Good Friday agreement

Result - 71% in favour of

Question 22

What was the referendum in 2011?

Answer 22

UK-wide referendum on changing to AV

68% in favour

Only 42% turnout

Question 23

What was the referendum in 2014?

Answer 23

Indyref

55% voted remain

85% turnout

Question 24

What was the referendum in 2016?

Answer 24

Brexit

52% leave

72% turnout

Question 25

What are UK referendums exclusively on? (in comparison to other countries)

Answer 25

Constitutional issues

In comparison, Republic of Ireland has held referendums on issues such as divorce, abortion and gay marriage

Question 26

Arguments for referendums

Answer 26

(More detail on mind map)

Regulated by electoral commission

Raises political awareness

Involves people directly (reflects public opinion better than FPTP)

Settles arguments

Question 27

Arguments against referendums

Answer 27

(More detail on mind map)

Low turnout

Divisive

Challenge to parliamentary sovereignty

Governments can abuse power over process

Tyranny of activist minority

Average voter doesn’t understand complex constitutional issues

Question 28

Lil referendums essay plan?

Answer 28

Govts can abuse power (e.g. Tony Blair promising lots, timing of Indyref - BUT electoral commission)

Can be divisive/set bad precedents (e.g. Brexit divisive, Chilean constitution ref divisive, rights issues like minarets and burkhas in Switzerland - BUT UK refs on constit issues so doesn’t have the same issue with rights)

Increases direct political participation (generally high turnout, BUT v dependent on topic - if average voter doesn’t understand complex constitutional issues then they won’t engage)