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A level Politics paper 1- Edexcel > Democracy and participation > Flashcards

Democracy and participation Flashcards

Advantages

1
Q

What are 3 advantages of Direct democracy?

A

1) Encourages popular politics participation

2) Gives equal weight to all votes

3) develops a sense of community ;allows for genuine debate

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2
Q

What are 3 disadvantages of Direct democracy?

A

1) Not everyone wants to vote/ feels qualified to. Political activists decide what happens

2) Impractical in heavily populated modern states where decision making is complex

3) Will of majority is not mediated by parliamentary institutions- minority views disregarded

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3
Q

What is direct democracy?

A

People express their opinions themselves

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4
Q

What is representative democracy?

A

People vote representatives who make decisions on their behalf

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5
Q

What are 3 advantages to representative democracy?

A

1) Elections allow people to hold representatives to account

2) Politicians are better informed than the average citizens about the issues they must view

3) Reduces chance of minority rights being overridden by ‘tyranny of the majority’ (majority in society uses its power to control the minority, disregarding their rights/ interests)

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6
Q

What are 3 disadvantages of representative democracy?

A

1) Politicians are skilful in avoiding accountability, especially cause general elections are every 5 years

2) Politicians may be corrupt, may betray election promises or put loyalty to their party responsible to the electorate

3) Minorities may find themselves underrepresented- politicians more likely to follow majority views to secure election

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7
Q

What is a referendum?

A

A direct vote on a single issue, eg, Brexit

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8
Q

What is legitimacy?

A

The legal right to exercise power

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9
Q

What is a Democratic deficit?

A

A perceived lack of democratic accountability + participation in a political system

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10
Q

Give 3 ways the UK is undemocratic

A

1) Under-representation of minority viewpoints dues to voting system ( FPTP- mismatch between votes + the seats each part wins)

2) underrepresentation of women

3) lack of protection for citizens’ rights

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11
Q

What is a Public Bill?

A

A bill that affects everyone in the country

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12
Q

What is a Private bill?

A

A bill that particular area or sections of society?

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13
Q

What is a Private members’ bill?

A

Put before Parliament by an individual Backbencher (eg Abortion Act)

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14
Q

What is a Hybrid bill?

A

Blends aspects of a public and private bill. Generally affects the whole population but would specifically have an impact in certain areas

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15
Q

What do Public accounts committees do?

A

Scrutinise the government’s spending

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16
Q

What is a Green paper?

A

A consultation document in which ideas about a particular topic or subject will be discussed

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17
Q

What is a general committee/bill committee?

A

A group of people who work on the bill from the first reading to the final vote

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18
Q

How many members are in the house of commons?

A

650 members

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19
Q

List the rights protected in the Equality Act 2010

A

-Sexual orientation, marriage, race, disability, religion, pregnancy, age, sex

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20
Q

what is a manifesto?

A

Public declaration of policies and aims before an election

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21
Q

what is a mandate?

A

The authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election

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22
Q

What are the 3 functions of political parties?

A
  • Formulating policy + government
  • representation
  • participation
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23
Q

what are the 3 types of pressure groups?

A
  • Sectional
    -Cause
  • Social movement
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24
Q

What is short money?

A

Financial support provided by the state to support the activities of the opposition in parliament

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25
Q

What is cronyism

A

Giving power to friends or associates who are not necessarily qualified

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26
Q

What is legitimacy?

A

A belief about the rightfulness of a rule or ruler.

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27
Q

What percentage of people voted for Brexit?

A

51.89%

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27
Q

What was the 2019 general election turnout?

A

67.3%

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27
Q

Give an example of a cause pressure group?

A

NSPCC- lobbies the government on issues relating to child welfare
- creates child abuse public awareness campaigns

27
Q

What was Brexit’s turnout?

A

72.2%

27
Q

Define pressure groups?

A

A groups of organised people that aim to influence the policies and actions of the government in favour of a specific cause or movement

28
Q

What is an example of a sectional pressure group?

A

The National Education Union (NEU)
-Formed in 2017, largest education union in Europe and represents 460K+ members

29
Q

Give 2 proposed reforms to increase voter turnout

A

-Make voting compulsory
-Multiple voting days

29
Q

What is the job of lobbyists?

A

To influence Mps or Lords on behalf of their client

30
Q

Did turnout in the 2019 general election increase or decrease?

A

Decrease

31
Q

What percentage of people voted against Brexit?

A

48.11%

32
Q

Define a sectional group

A

Pressure groups that seek to promote the interests of an occupation or another group in society

33
Q

Define a Lobbyist

A

A person paid by clients to seek influence government or parliament on their behalf

34
Q

Define a think tank

A

Experts that investigate and offer solutions to economic, social/ political issues

35
Q

Define a cause group

A

Pressure groups that are focused on achieving a particular goal or drawing attention to an issue or group related issues

36
Q

Define pluralist democracy

A

The power of the people is maximised by attempting to give all or most groups in an influence in determining the final outcomes

37
Q

Define social movement

A

Groups that are loosely structured and usually aim to achieve a single objective

38
Q

What is representative democracy?

A

Where representatives are elected by the public

39
Q

Electing an MP is an example of which type of democracy?

A

Representative democracy

40
Q

Name one nationwide referendum held in the uk

A

Alternative vote (2011)

41
Q

Define Majoritarian democracy

A

A form of democracy where the majority gets what the majority wants

42
Q

what is a constituency?

A

an area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body

43
Q

what is tyranny of the majority?

A

the majority of the electorate pursues it’s own interests at the expense of minority groups

44
Q

what is tyranny of the minority?

A

minority groups can expert more influenced than their relative size over the majority

45
Q

what are pressure groups?

A

a form of democracy where the government takes into account many views from lots of different view points

46
Q

what are political parties?

A

groups that are formed over common values with the aim of seeking to get elected

47
Q

what is pluralists democracy?

A

a form of democracy where the government takes into account many viewpoints from lots of different groups

48
Q

give an example of representative democracy holding representatives to account

A

Wellingborough in December 2023 to remove MP Peter Bone after he was suspended from the HOC for 6 weeks for breaching the code of conduct of MPs over bullying sexual misconduct

49
Q

Give examples of when representative and direct democracy are used

A

Representative Democracy: During parliamentary elections
Direct Democracy: During a referendum

50
Q

Under the Recall of MPs Act, how many days does an MP need to be suspended for a trigger a petition?

A

More than 21 days

51
Q

Give 3 positives of group politics

A
  • can be representative of the people
  • well researched policy advice
  • supports pluralist democracy
52
Q

give 3 negatives of groups politics

A
  • wealth can influence
  • poorly researched policy advice
  • certain groups have better access/ influence
53
Q

Give 3 proposed reforms to increase voter turnout

A
  • change the day of voting
  • Make voting compulsory
  • Lower the voting age
54
Q

What are the 3 types of pressure groups?

A
  • sectional
  • cause
  • social movement
55
Q

define civil liberties

A

rights or legally protected freedoms that all citizens of a country are entitled to

56
Q

Give an example of a pressure group in the UK

A

Liberty- campaigns to protect civil liberties and protect human rights through courts, parliament and wider campaigns to gain public support. It aims to engender a ‘rights culture’ within British society
- unsuccessful in convincing the government to give prisoners the vote
- successful on minor issues0 2014 high court ruling which obliged the government to drop it’s ban on prisoners’’ families sending them books

57
Q

What is the difference between an insider and outsider pressure group?

A

Insider groups have close ties to the relevant government department and are often consulted by the government
Outsider groups are more extreme and maintain their independence from the government

58
Q

what is Declaration of incompatibility?

A

A declaration issued by the Supreme court when it deems that a law is in conflict with the HRA

59
Q

What are the 9 protected characteristics of the equality act -2010?

A

Gender reassignment, marriage, religion, sexual; orientation, age, disability, race, pregnancy and maternity, sex

60
Q

How does the government protect rights in the UK?

A
  • pass legislation: ensure rights are legally defined and protected
  • HRA (1998)- not entrenched Equality act (2010)
  • police, crime, sentencing, court act (20220 limited protest rights
61
Q

How does the supreme court protects rights in the UK?

A
  • holds government to account
  • can issue a declaration of incompatibility because parliament is sovereign
    -‘ultra vires’- ‘beyond the law’; only applies to secondary legislation
  • Rwanda bill shows courts weaknesses
62
Q

How do pressure groups protect rights in the UK?

A
  • lobby the government aim to influence legislation
  • take on court cases and challenge the government/ other bodies in court
  • more successful with minor issues
63
Q

what can the supreme court issue if legislation conflicts with the HRA?

A

Declaration of incompatibility

64
Q

Gives ways the UK’s political system is undemocratic

A
  • HOL- mostly unelected, attempts at reform have failed, left uk with mainly appointed second chamber
    -greater part of it’s membership has been appointed by successive pms, with smaller numbers chosen by other party leaders, and non-party ‘crossbench’ peers nominated since 2000 by an independent HOL appointment commission
  • ensures a number of different professions + fields of expertise are present in the upper house- still lacks democratic legitimacy
65
Q

define democratic deficit

A

state where democratic processes and systems are not functioning effectively to fulfil peoples wishes

A level Politics paper 1- Edexcel (8 decks)

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