Democracy and Participation Flashcards
Name the 3 branches of power
Legislative, Executive and Judicial
What is the rule of law?
No one is above the law
What is a mandate?
When a successful party becomes the government, they can implement their manifesto
Name 3 benefits of compulsory voting
- Ensures everyone is including in decision making
- Increases the political education of the public
- More participation means more representation
Name 3 negatives of compulsory voting
- No longer democratic due to limits on freedom of choice, contradicts person and individual liberties
- Tactical voting
- Distorted political focus, parties target non-voters
Name 3 benefits of e-democracy
- Creates more awareness with young people
- Online e-petitions enhance participation as people vote on what they are passionate about
- Online allows the parties to see what the public want, social media
Name 3 negatives of e-democracy
- Forms biases and produces unreliable information
- High levels of influence through right or wrong information
- Allows more corruption
What are rights?
Legally protected freedoms
Name 3 freedoms the Human Rights act included
- Freedom of movement
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom to vote
Who can not vote?
Prisoners
What is the Magna Carta?
Produced in 1215, it is the oldest statement of UK rights, limiting royal power
What is Judicial review?
Judge-made laws
From 2000 to 2013 how much has Judicial review increased by?
4240 in 2000 to 15,600 in 2013
What does it mean to ‘derogate’?
Uk parliament can derogate certain articles from the ECHR in a state of emergency
What are lobbyists?
Paid for professionals seeking access and influence over MPs, civil servants and ministers
What are think tanks?
Researcher in particular areas
An example of a think tank
‘UK is changing Europe’
Independent researcher for UK and EU relations
What is the role of a political group?
Reduce government power so they do not act like a dictatorship
Name 7 ways a pressure group can raise awareness (SPAPCAF)
Social media
Protests (peaceful/violent)
Aspire for inside status
Public demos
Celebrity endorsement
Achievable goals
Fundraisers
An example of celebrity endorsement in a pressure group
Fareshare - Marcus Rashford
An example of a public demo in a pressure group
Just Stop Oil -
2022 protest on the M20
2022 Interrupting a match, attempt to tigh themselves onto the goal post and ran into pitch
An example of civil disobedience
1867 Hyde Park riots for the extension of the franchise
What is a pluralist democracy?
Political power and influence is widely distributed and different groups can compete to influence the government
Name 2 key pressure groups
Human rights watch and Stonewall (LGBT+)
What was the conflict over the freedom of information act 2000?
The act was formed by a campaign but between 2006-07 MPs believed they should be exempt due to confidentiality with their constituencies.
This exemption passed in the commons yet failed in the lords.
What does the conflict over the freedom of information act 2000 show us?
Commons power is limited as lords was able to block their exemption
How does the coronavirus act question rights?
Restricted people from leaving their homes without real reasons
Contradicts article 5 in order to protect overall public health
What was the Abu Qatada case?
Muslim who made speech’s justifying violence to promote Islam (Served prison time)
Security saw him as a threat and wanted to send him back to Jordan
Jordan would have tortured him (Contradicts HRA)
Led him to being cleared but British authorities still viewed him as a threat
4 reasons why the UK has a democratic deficit
- Hereditary and constituional Monarchy
- FPTP system
- Prisoners can not vote
- No direct democracy in law making
What was the turnout in the 2024 election?
60%
3 ways to increase participation
- Reduce voting age from 18 to 16
- Compulsory voting
- E-voting or postal voting system
What % of MPs are from private schools?
29%
What % of MPs are women?
35% (16% more needed)
What % of MPs are from ethnic minorities?
10%
What is the critique of pressure group ‘stonewall’ having power?
Pressure groups only gain influence when their beliefs align with the government
What is an examples of a successful pressure group?
The BMA
- Smoking ban in public places 2007
What did opinion polls in 2015 and 2017 suggest?
A Conservative win
What did opinion polls before 1979 suggest?
The Labour party would have a continuous flow of victories
What really should referendums require?
A supermajority
What was the average voter turnout in the 1990s?
80%
Key think tank for Blair
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)
influential in shaping the national minimum wage as a New Labour policies.
Who is Rupert Murdoch
Lobbyist under Blair
Owner of newspaper companies
Advised him on policies and media strategy.
Why is NIMBYISM bad
Goes against the national interest
HS2 train -London to North England
Name 8 pressure groups
BMA
National farmers union (NFU)
Royal society for the protection of birds (RSPB)
Living wage foundation (LWF)
Stonewall
Stop HS2
BLMUK
Just stop oil
Example under Starmer of of loss of CMR/IMR?
International Development Minister Annaliese Dodds resigned over the cut of international aid to fund higher defence spending
quit over a policy disagreement on aid
