Democracy and Participation Flashcards
What is representative democracy and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Representative democracy is a system where citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.
Advantages:
-Efficiency: Decisions are made faster by a smaller group.
-Expertise: Elected officials can focus on complex issues.
-Practicality: It’s manageable for large populations.
-Accountability: Representatives can be voted out if they don’t perform well.
Disadvantages:
-Detachment: Representatives may not always act in the public’s best interest.
-Slow Change: Decision-making can be slower than direct democracy.
-Influence of Elites: Wealthy or powerful groups may have more influence over representatives.
What is direct democracy and its advantages and disadvantages?
Direct democracy is a system of government where citizens participate directly in decision-making and voting on laws or policies, rather than electing representatives to do so. It is most commonly used in referendums or initiatives where the public votes directly on specific issues.
Advantages of Direct Democracy:
-Greater citizen participation: Citizens have direct control over decisions, increasing engagement and democratic involvement.
-Transparency: Policies and laws are decided openly by the public, fostering trust.
-True reflection of the public’s will: The decisions made reflect the direct preferences of the majority.
Disadvantages of Direct Democracy:
-Impractical for large populations: It’s difficult to have everyone vote on every issue in large, complex societies.
-Time-consuming: Constant participation in decision-making can be demanding for citizens.
-Potential for uninformed decisions: Voters may lack the expertise to make well-informed choices on complex issues.
What evidence is there to suggest the UK is suffering a participation crisis?
-Voter turnout in the UK has fluctuated. For example, in the 2001 General Election, turnout was 59.4%, the lowest since World War I. While turnout has improved slightly, it remains lower than post-war averages.
-Turnout for local elections is relatively low with 30-40% participation.
-Party membership has low subscribers with the conservative party membership having less than 200,000 members.
-Youth turnout is especially low with in 2019 General Election, only 47% of 18-24-year-olds voted, compared to over 70% of those aged 65 and above.
What are the key milestones in the development of UK democracy?
-Magna Carta (1215): Limited the king’s power and established the rule of law.
-Creation of Parliament (13th century): Introduced elected representatives to governance.
-English Civil War and Glorious Revolution (17th century): Strengthened parliamentary power over the monarchy.
-Reform Acts (1832, 1867, 1884): Gradually expanded the voting rights of men.
-Representation of the People Act (1918): Gave voting rights to all men and some women.
-Representation of the People Act (1928): Achieved equal voting rights for men and women.
-Parliament Acts (1911, 1949): Reduced the power of the House of Lords.
-Devolution (1997-1999): Established regional parliaments for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
In what ways could UK democracy be further improved?
-Electoral reform to Proportional Representation for fairer outcomes.
-Lowering the voting age to 16 for more youth involvement.
-Compulsory voting to increase turnout.
-Reforming the House of Lords to make it elected and more democratic.
-Digital voting to make participation easier.
-Extending devolution to give more power to regions such aa England.
In what ways might the franchise be further extended and why is this controversial?
Many make the case for extending the franchise to 16-17 year olds due to them being able to participate in the military and pay tax as well as 16-17 participating in Scottish elections .This can be seen as controversial as youth vote is already low and the participation may not improve and school aged children are more likely to be less educated on politics.
How convincing is the case for compulsory voting?
-Increased Turnout: Ensures higher voter participation, leading to more representative outcomes .
-Stronger Legitimacy: Governments elected with high participation are viewed as more legitimate.
-Civic Responsibility: Reinforces the idea that voting is a civic duty.
-Reduction of Extremism: High turnout can diminish the influence of fringe groups.
-Stronger Legitimacy: Governments elected with high participation are viewed as more legitimate.
-Civic Responsibility: Reinforces the idea that voting is a civic duty.
-Reduction of Extremism: High turnout can diminish the influence of fringe groups.
How do pressure groups and other collective organisations access influence?
-Lobbying: Directly engaging with politicians and officials to advocate for specific policies.
-Public Campaigns: Running awareness initiatives and mobilising public support through media and grassroots efforts.
-Research and Expertise: Providing studies and expert knowledge to inform policy discussions.
-Coalition Building: Forming alliances with other organisations to strengthen influence.
Why are some pressure groups / collective organisations more successful than others?
-Resources: Groups with more funding and a larger membership can run more effective campaigns.
-Organisation: Strong leadership and strategic planning enhance influence.
-Public Support: Effective awareness campaigns can lead to greater public backing and media coverage.
-Political Context: Groups that align with current political agendas or crises can gain traction more easily.
-Issue Relevance: Addressing urgent issues (e.g. climate change) increases success.
How does lobbying work and why can it be controversial?
Lobbying is the practice of influencing government officials and policymakers on specific issues or legislation through various strategies, including: identifying issues, building relationships, research and information, direct advocacy, grassroots mobilisation and political donations.
Controversies include: perceived corruption, unequal access, lack of transparency, conflict of interests and short-term focus rather than widespread societal benefits.
What is the significance of the distinction between individual and collective rights?
Individual rights: Rights that are held by individual persons, often enshrined in law to protect personal freedoms and liberties.
Collective rights: Rights that are held by groups of people, often associated with specific communities or social identities (e.g., ethnic, religious, or cultural groups).
