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Politics of the UK > Democracy and Participation > Flashcards

Democracy and Participation Flashcards

1
Q

What are the different types of democracy?

A

Majoritarian, Parliamentary, Presidential, Direct, Representative.

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1
Q

What is a majoritarian democracy?

A

Where the will of a majority of people in a country are the priorities of the government.

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2
Q

What are the examples of majoritarian democracies?

A

Australia, Canada.

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3
Q

What is a parliamentary democracy?

A

The party with the greatest representation in the executive branch forms the government.

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4
Q

What are the examples of parliamentary democracy?

A

UK, Germany, Jamaica.

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5
Q

What is a presidential democracy?

A

The head of government/state is separate to the legislature, they are elected as an individual.

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6
Q

What are the examples of presidential democracies?

A

USA, Brazil, Turkey.

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7
Q

What is direct democracy?

A

Citizens vote in elections based on a single issue, making them directly involved in the decision making process.

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8
Q

What are the examples of direct democracies?

A

Switzerland, Australia, France.

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9
Q

What is a representative democracy?

A

Any system where people transfer the power to an elected representative of themselves.

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10
Q

What are the examples of representative democracies?

A

France, UK, USA.

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11
Q

What are the functions of democracy?

A

Representation, Accountability, Participation, Power dispersal, legitimacy, education.

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12
Q

How is representation a function of democracy?

A

Ensuring there is a way to contact the people who represent you, so there is a way for people to put their views to the government.

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13
Q

How is accountability a function of democracy?

A

So the government can be made to explain its’ actions, and so you can vote out a government if you’re not happy.

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14
Q

Why is participation important?

A

So there is a way in which people can be engaged in the political process.

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15
Q

Why is dispersal of power important?

A

Ensuring power is spread equally across different bodies, and people who know a subject best.

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16
Q

Why is legitimacy important?

A

The process of democracy should have legal authority, and represent the will of the people.

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17
Q

Why is education important?

A

The public should be educated on the issues they face, and have access to accurate information.

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18
Q

What are the benefits of direct democracy?

A

Gives people the chance to vote on a direct issue that affects their lives, majority of people who vote will decide, making it democratic, produces a legitimate result, better turnout.

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19
Q

What are the drawbacks of direct democracy?

A

Question can be misleading, as it doesn’t explain the full consequence, consequences are less clear, actual result is decided by a minority.

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20
Q

What are the benefits of representative democracy?

A

People don’t need to make time to make important decisions, representatives educate public on political issues, they ensure interests of all people are taken into account, people can be held to account, laws are debated between different people.

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21
Q

What are the drawbacks of representative democracy?

A

Selfish people can distort the news, whole manifestos are accepted or rejected, burkean theory, wasted votes, safe seats, winner’s bonus.

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22
Q

Why do wasted votes happen?

A

People living in safe seats feel that their vote makes no difference, as if you don’t vote for the winning candidate, your vote means nothing.

23
Q

Why does lack of meaningful choice happen?

A

Only 2 parties have a chance of being in government, which may stop people from voting for the person they want.

24
Q

What does it mean to expand the franchise?

A

Giving more people the right to vote.

25
Q

What did the great reform act 1832 involve?

A

Took the vote away from women, meant one in five working class people could vote, followed social pressure from working class people, ad only property owners.

26
Q

What did the reform act 1867 involve?

A

Households and lodgers who paid £10 a year rent were allowed to vote, followed social pressure from the chartist movement, reform league organised thousands to discuss.

27
Q

What did the representation of the people act 1918 involve?

A

Women over the age of 30 who owned property, all men over the age of 21, more social pressure for change, female right to vote gathered momentum.

28
Q

What did the representation of the people act 1928 involve?

A

All men and women over the age of 21 could vote, no rules on property, poorest people could vote, political pressure from suffragettes.

29
Q

What did the representation of the people act 1969 involve?

A

All men and women over the age of 18 could vote, including rights for all university students.

30
Q

What are the benefits of lowering voting age to 16?

A

16 year olds can drive, pay taxes, work without restriction, and it would create a lifelong habit of voting, promoting higher turnout.

31
Q

What are the arguments against lowering voting age?

A

They make immature choices, they’re still maturing, they don’t care about voting.

32
Q

What are the arguments for prisoners voting?

A

Prisoners will become disenfranchised, hating the system, it’s a basic human right, people who hold opinions should be allowed to express them.

33
Q

What are the arguments against prisoners voting?

A

Rights are removed as a punishment for committing a crime, public don’t want prisoners to vote, impractical.

34
Q

What do different kinds of participation not carry the same weight?

A

Going out, and physically voicing approval/disapproval is different to doing it online.

35
Q

What is apathy?

A

Not caring about the issues affecting yourself or your country, not watching, engaging with news.

36
Q

What is alienation?

A

You care about politics, and keep up with news, but feel nobody is representing you and your views, giving way to extreme views.

37
Q

What is the evidence for a participation crisis?

A

Lower turnout, falling party membership, end of corporatism.

38
Q

What was voter turnout in 1950, compared to now?

A

1950 - 84%. 2019 - 67%.

39
Q

What % of people were members of political parties in the 1980’s, compared to now?

A

1983 - 3.8%. 2024 - Less than 1%.

40
Q

How is the end of corporatism affecting participation?

A

There is less participation, between trade unions, and organisations who pressure governments, making way for alienation.

41
Q

What evidence is there against a participation crisis?

A

Increasing turnout, more political parties, social campaigns.

42
Q

What was turnout in 2001, compared to now?

A

2001 - 59%. 2019 - 67%.

43
Q

How many political parties are currently represented in parliament?

A

10 - which should reduce alienation, as it means more views are represented.

44
Q

How do social campaigns improve participation?

A

Membership of pressure groups has increased, of groups such as greenpeace and just stop oil, increasing the ways in which people can get involved.

45
Q

What are the ways in which we can improve democracy?

A

Compulsory voting, reform of the voting system, reform of the house of lords, greater recall of mp’s, reform of the commons, more devolution, e-democracy.

46
Q

What are the benefits of compulsory voting?

A

People have to form their own opinion, improving recognition of political parties, preventing influence of one person or group.

47
Q

What are the drawbacks of compulsory voting?

A

Violates personal freedoms, preventing people not voting as a political statement.

48
Q

How would reforming the voting system improve democracy?

A

It would make sure all votes count, which would improve engagement.

49
Q

How would reform of the house of lords improve democracy?

A

May engage more ordinary people with the work of the house, as they have more of a say in the process.

50
Q

How would greater recall of MP’s improve democracy?

A

It would ensure mp’s are held to account for their actions. Prevents potential criminals standing for election.

51
Q

How would reform of the commons improve democracy?

A

Would improve engagement, as more people would be from ordinary backgrounds.

52
Q

How would more devolution improve democracy?

A

It could improve outcomes, if representatives are also local, as they would have knowledge of the local area.

53
Q

How would reform of the monarchy improve democracy?

A

Costs taxpayers millions, and doesn’t show equality, so reform may motivate people to participate.

54
Q

How could e-democracy improve democracy?

A

You would be able to vote from anywhere, as well as making young people more connected.

55
Q

What would reform of the political system mean for the country?

A

It would mean the system is fairer, and didn’t have wasted votes, as well as improving engagement in politics.

56
Q

What would reform to participation mean for for the country?

A

Compulsory voting would force people to engage, and would broaden horizons of people. E-democracy improves ease of democracy.

Politics of the UK (5 decks)

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