Democracy And Participation

Question 1

Legitimacy

Answer 1

Legitimacy is the belief that the government does things in terms of policy and law-making that are acceptable to the citizens of that state.

The people give authority to those in power, and can take it away should the government stray from what is acceptable to them. Governments have to thus be careful not to make unpopular decisions, particularly those that were not in their manifesto when elected.

Question 2

Direct democracy

Answer 2

Decisions are made by the citizens themselves rather than representatives for example a referendum

Question 3

Representative democracy

Answer 3

Voters elect representatives to make political decisions on their behalf, these representatives are then held to account in regular elections

Question 4

Pluralist democracy

Answer 4

Pluralist democracy is a form of democracy where governments make decisions as a consequence of the interaction between groups and organisations who have different ideas and contrasting arguments.

Question 5

Democratic deficit

Answer 5

when there’s so little democratic participation by the public meaning little trust in political institutions which means that the elected government can no longer claim legitimacy

Question 6

Participation crisis

Answer 6

When the public have become disengaged from politics and voting levels have fallen so low that the legitimacy of the government can be questioned

Question 7

Franchise/suffrage

Answer 7

The right to vote. This was extended through the 20th century, the uk now has universal suffrage all uk citizens can vote as long as they’re over 18 and
-not mentally incapacitated
-in prison
-a member of the House of Lords

Question 8

Think tanks

Answer 8

A group created to generate ideas, political parties work with them to develop policy

Question 9

Lobbyist

Answer 9

They are paid by their clients to try to influence those in government (such as ministers and MPs) to act in their client’s interests.

Question 10

Features of representative democracy

Answer 10

-The voters retain sovereignty because they decide to review the mandate of their representative.
-MPs should balance the feelings of their constituents, party manifesto and political knowledge
-Westminster parliament has 650 MPs

Question 11

Advantages of direct democracy

Answer 11

-government is carried out by professional politicians who are more likely to make politically educated decisions
-politicians balance conflicting interests which protects the rights of all citizens
-accountability: if the public don’t approve they can get rid of them

Question 12

Disadvantages of a representative democracy

Answer 12

-MPs represent the metropolitan elite, they can be disengaged from the public and not represent their views e.g. EU referendum: the public voted 52%leave but 74% of MPs were in favour of remaining
-‘Westminster bubble’
-outside interests like second jobs
Unrepresentative because its elected through FPTP
-the HOL is unelected and unaccountable

Question 13

Types of direct democracy

Answer 13

-Referendums: Scottish independence 2014 55.3% remain
-electronic petitions: Marcus Rashford 2020 #endchildfoodpoverty
-consultative exercises
-open primaries:
-party leadership elections
Recall of MPs act 2015

Question 14

Advantages of direct democracy

Answer 14

-engages the public, closer connection between the public and political decision making
-encourages political education
-

Question 15

Disadvantages of direct democracy

Answer 15

-referendums are oversimplified with a binary ‘yes/no’ vote for example EU referendum customs union issues and single market
-doesn’t balance conflicting interests or protect the rights of minorities
-people might vote on issues they’re not well informed on

Question 16

Debate

Is the uk suffering from a participation crisis ?

Answer 16

Public trust in MPs:
-2009 expenses scandal
-decrease in turnout
-engagement is least likely from the most marginalised groups
-Party membership decline

Question 17

Case for reform

Answer 17

People’s referendums: currently, referendums are only held when the government wants to make a decision. They could be used in a decisive way that could undermine liberal democracy. There are no safeguards on the rights of minorities.
Electronic petitions: the public can raise issues that are important to them, they could be more powerful if they triggered an automatic vote however, this could lead to old issues being reopened and valuable time being lost.
Power of recall(recall of MPs act 2015): current circumstances the act can be used in are rare but widening the criteria could lead to MPs who are just mouthpieces for their constituents rather than independently thinking politicians
Further devolution: turnout figures suggest that this wouldn’t be effective in increasing participation
House of Lords reform: making the Lords an elected chamber would make Westminster fully accountable but the lords could rival the commons and create gridlock
Digital democracy: could lead to more engagement but could also lead to;
-voter manipulation
-cyber interference
-populism
Reform of Westminster system: FPTP could be replaced however;
-2011 AV referendum 67.9% didn’t want to replace FPTP
-some devolved bodies are elected with and but it doesn’t have higher turnout
Compulsory voting

Question 18

Should voting be compulsory ?

Answer 18

Yes
-higher turnout means that the governments mandate is increased
-encourages more political education
-socially disadvantaged groups are least likely to vote meaning that politics favours older and wealthier voters
-not forced to make a choice you can spoil your ballot
No
-the public have the right to chose if they vote, politicians should give them a reason to vote
-random voting could undermine legitimacy
-compulsory voting is based on coercion, voting is a civic right not an obligation
-limits our right to act how we want
-not voting can signify that people aren’t happy with any of the candidates

Question 19

Widening franchise:

Votes at 16?

Question 20

Prisoner voting

Prisoners cannot vote in the UK because they’re regarded as having renounced the rights of citizenship while incarcerated

Answer 20

Not being allowed to vote violates article 3 of the ECHR
-pressure groups e.g. liberty support prisoner voting in 2017 a small amount of prisoners day release to vote

Question 21

Widening franchise: historical perspective

Answer 21

Magna Carta 1215
1832 great reform act: gave the vote to middle class men
1918 representation of the people act: men (21+) and property owning/wife of, women (30+) to vote in general elections
Representation of the people act 1928: gave the vote to all men and women 21+
Representation of the people act 1969: gave the vote to men and women 18 and over

Question 22

Pressure groups:

What is a sectional(interest) pressure group?

Answer 22

They represent the interests of a particular group for example a certain profession.

Question 23

What is a cause (promotional) group?

Answer 23

Promote a particular cause for example, liberty
campaigns on behalf of people’s civil liberties in the uk
Members can be from different socioeconomic groups

Question 24

What is an insider group?

Answer 24

Has access to the government and policy making for example the BMA has specialist knowledge that governments want to consult

Question 25

What is an outsider group?

Answer 25

Don’t have inside access to the government and decision making for example extinction rebellion carries out high-profile protests

Question 26

How do pressure groups achieve success ?

Answer 26

Insider status: can be vital, depending on the current political circumstances governments may wish to consult PGs

Wealth: having the money to employ researchers and operate offices can make a big difference, it doesn’t guarantee success but does give it more power

Celebrity leadership

Social media: can engage with the public for free, advocating for your cause and educating the public.

Direct action: some groups chose to engage with civil disobedience, it might be risky but can gain publicity. Trade unions can deploy industrial action like strikes and limits on overtime

Question 27

Pressure groups

Case study:

Question 28

Rights in context: human rights and civil liberties

Answer 28

Magna Carta 1215: the foundation for civil liberties in Britain.

Bill of rights 1689: established a constitutional monarchy bound by law

Human rights act 1998: incorporated the ECHR into British law

Equalities act 2010: established equality for all citizens and protected characteristics
-age
-disability
-gender reassignment
-race
-religion
-sex
- sexual orientation
-Pregnancy and maternity
-marriage and civil partnership

Question 29

The development of a rights-based culture since 1997

Answer 29

-HRA 1998

freedom of information act 2000: ‘right of access’ to information held by public bodies

Equalities act 2010

National security after 2001:
-anti terrorism crime and security act 2001
-terrorism act 2006
-investigatory powers act 2016
- police, crime, sentencing and courts act 2022

Question 30

Individual rights v collective security

Answer 30

Government have to balance collective rights and security but some groups have argued that it’s shifted too far away from the individual.

-attempts to deport Abu Qatada stopped because evidence used against him may have been acquired through torture.