Democracy and participation

Question 1

Define democracy.

Answer 1

People power - the freedom to choose how your country is governed, through voting.

Question 2

Define legitimacy.

Answer 2

The rightful use of power in accordance with pre-set criteria or widely-held agreements, such as a government’s right to rule following an election or a monarch’s succession based on the agreed rules.

Question 3

Define direct democracy.

+ examples.

Answer 3

All individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf. This type of democracy emerged in Athens in classical times and direct democracy can be seen today in referendums.

Question 4

Define representative democracy.

Answer 4

A more modern form of democracy, through which an individual selects a person (and/or political party) to act on their behalf to exercise political choice.

Question 5

Define pluralist democracy.

Answer 5

A type of democracy in which a government makes decisions as a result of the interplay of various ideas and contrasting arguments from competing groups and organisations.

Question 6

Define democratic deficit.

Answer 6

A flaw in the democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy, not having been appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability.

Question 7

Define participation crisis.

Answer 7

A lack of engagement by a significant number of citizens to relate to the political process either by choosing not to vote or to join or become members of political parties or to offer themselves for public office.

Question 8

Define franchise/suffrage.

Answer 8

Both refer to the ability/right to vote in public elections.

Question 9

Define think tanks.

Answer 9

A group of experts is brought together to focus collectively on a certain topic—to investigate and offer solutions to often complicated and seemingly intractable economic, social, or political issues.

Question 10

Define lobbyists.

Answer 10

Clients pay lobbyists to try to influence the government, MPs, and members of the HOL to act in their client’s interests, particularly when legislation is under consideration.

Question 11

What are the features of a representative democracy?

Answer 11

1. Popular participation is indirect - the public do not exercise power themselves
2. Popular participation is mediated - avoiding tyranny of the majority
3. Popular participation in government is limited - restricted to an act of voting every few years

Question 12

What are advantages of representative democracy?

Answer 12

1. The government is more likely to make politically educated decisions - the government is carried out by professional politicians who are required to be well informed about political issue - that most members of the public who not able to fully understand.
2. Elected politicians balance conflicting interests when reaching decisions - this is important in protecting the rights of all citizens.
3. Avoids tyranny of the majority - when a majority group uses their strength in numbers to enforce its will upon minority groups.

Question 13

What are disadvantages of representatitve democracy?

Answer 13

1. MPs represent a metropolitan elite - they do not represent the values of the population and can be disengaged from the public, inadequately representing their interests
   e.g. 2016 EU membership referendum, 52% voted to leave the EU and 74% of MPs were in favour of remaining
2. “Tyranny of the majority” - government by a simple majority.
3. Is not efficient or rational in a larger society.

Question 14

What are the key features of direct democracy?

Answer 14

1. The people make policy decisions - they don’t choose who will rule on their behalf.
2. Unmediated - there is no seperate class of professional politicians.
3. Continuous that people engage in politics on a regular and ongoing basis.

Question 15

What are advantages of direct democracy?

Answer 15

1. Public engagement - creates greater engagement in the political process, a more politically educated and civically involved citizenry.
2. Legitimate rule - people are more likely to accept decisions that they have made themselves.
3. Dispersion of power - prevents the concentration of power in too few hands.

Question 16

What are disadvantages of direct democracy?

Answer 16

1. Encourages the public to vote on issues on which they are not sufficiently knowledgable to make well-informed decisions.
2. Challenges the Burkean principle (representatives should act according to their conscience not the wishes of their constituents) as seen with the Brexit referendum, Theresa May.
3. Doesn’t balancing conflicting interests or protect the rights of minorities.

Question 17

What is a similarity and difference between direct and representative democracy?

Answer 17

1. Both systems are based on the principle that power originates from the people, and legitimacy stems from their participation in governance.
2. Legislation either relies on citizens voting directly on policy or a representative to make decisions on their behalf.

Question 18

How can electronic petitions be a case of reform for direct democracy?

Answer 18

If a petition on the government website reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Westminster Hall or the HOC. However, increasing accessibility to politics can raise false expectations.
e.g. An e-petition to revoke Tony Blair’s knighthood gained more than 1mil signatures but was rejected as knighthood are bestowed upon the monarch.

Question 19

Features of the UK’s democracy.

Answer 19

1. Democratic elections - based on universal suffrage and fairness.
2. Parliament - main institution linking the government to the people, by upholding representative and responsible government.
3. Pressure groups - provide a way in which citizens can exert influence between elections

Question 20

What is the participation crisis?

Answer 20

A lack of engagement by a significant number of citizens to relate to the political process, and choose not to vote.

Question 21

Why is there a participation crisis?

Answer 21

1. Consensus politics - Little choice between party’s policies, feeling unrepresented.
2. Apathy - a lack of interest towards politics due to a lack of trust in the political system.
   e.g 2021 YouGov poll 80% of those surveyed believed there was a fair - significant amount of corruption in UK politics, 1% said there was no corruption.
3. Crisis of engagement among the most marginalised social groupings - 3/5 constituencies with the lowest turnout in the 2019 GE is where 45% of neighbourhoods among the most deprived 10% in England.

Question 22

How has turnout in British general elections changed?

Answer 22

The highest voter turnout was in February 1974 at 78.8%, the lowest voter turnout was in 2001 at 59.4% and in 2024, 60%.

Question 23

Should voting be made compulsory?

Answer 23

1. Voting is a civic engagement - if citizens aren’t required to fulfill the duties of citizenship, then the civic engagement that democracy lies upon may be lost.
2. Those not voting are often from the most disadvantages groups - CP would mean that politicians would become more responsive to their opinions.
3. Can increase political education - if people are required to vote they are more likely to inform themselves.
4. Forcing the public to vote is going against their freedom.
5. Random voting could undermine the legitimacy of the results.

Question 24

What are the Westminster Electoral System (FPTP) strengths and weaknesses to reform UK democracy?

Answer 24

1. Replacement of FPTP with a proportional voting system can create a fairer connection between the voters a party gets and its representation in Parliament.
2. Ensures smaller parties and minority groups have a voice - engaging those who feel marginalised.
3. New electoral systems can be complicated and discourage participation as well as alienating voters who are resistant to change.
   e.g. 2011 additional vote referendum, a large majority 68% voted in favour of not replacing FPTP with AV

Question 25

What is the history of lowering the voting age?

Answer 25

- In the UK, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969 by the Wilson Labour government. - The voting age was further reduced to 16 for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. - Singapore, Malaysia, Lebanon and Fiji you have to be above 21 to vote.

Question 26

Arguments in favour of lowering the voting age.

Answer 26

1. The UK has a blurred "age of majority" at 16 you can leave education, join the army, or get married. 2. May give greater attention to issues such as education, drug policy and social morality which will be more representative for young people. 3. 18-24-year-olds have had the lowest turnout rates, this may strengthen their interest and understanding.

Question 27

Arguments against lowering the voting age.

Answer 27

1. They are not full citizens and haven't finished their educational development, 2. They shouldn't have weighty political matters placed on their shoulders. 3. Turnout rates may decline, creating a generation of abstainers.

Question 28

What is "Votes at 16"'s aim?

Answer 28

- Through their presence online on social media, it has gained 3015 registered supporters. - Votes at 16 also seeks the endorsement of MPs and members of the HOL and lists on its website the names of all MPs and Lords who support their campaign.

Question 29

What are key milestones in the widening of the franchise?

Answer 29

1. 1832: The Reform Act - increased enfranchisement to over a million adult males, by allowing men who rented property for a lease of £10 a year to vote too as only male owners of land worth at least 40 shillings or a freehold property were eligible to vote. 2. 1918: The Representation of the People Act - allowed women over 30 to vote and with certain property to vote. 3. 1928: Representation of the People Act - all men and women over the age of 21 could vote. 4. 1969: Representation of the People Act - lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Question 30

What were the suffragists/suffragettes' work to extend the franchise?

Answer 30

- The suffragettes adopted a more aggressive approach with 140 acts in the first 7 months in 1914 - The suffragists used peaceful protests, speeches and petitions with 50,000 members.

Question 31

Arguments in favour of prisoner voting.

Answer 31

1. John Hirst claimed that although he was in prison he should be allowed to vote, but dismissed in courts in 2001. 2. The blanket ban on prisoner voting was contrary to Article 3 of the First Protool of the EHRC "provides for the right to elections performed by secret ballot, that are also free and that occur at regular intervals". 3. Helps prisoners re-enter society and perform civic duties.

Question 32

Arguments against prisoner voting.

Answer 32

1. (1983) Representation of the People's Act - any prisoner serving a custodial sentence couldn't vote. 2. Rights are removed as a punishment for prisoners. 3. YouGov poll in 2012 found that just 8% of the public believed that all prisoners should be able to vote, and 63% said that all prisoners shouldn't be able to.

Question 33

What are the different kinds of groups?

Answer 33

1. Causal group = a group that seeks to cause change, brings an issue on to the political agenda. 2. Sectional group = a group that represents a section of sicety and are mainly concerned with their own interests. 3. Insider group = priviledged access to government decision making. 4. Outsider = do not possess acces to political decision making and may even be unprepared to work within existing political structures.

Question 34

What methods can be used by pressure groups?

Answer 34

Lobbying Public campaigns - Mass demonstrations, publicising e-petitions, using celebrities to gain publicity Strikes - members refuse to work until their demands are met

Question 35

What factors determine the success of pressure groups? (wealth)

Answer 35

Wealth - wealth pressure groups have the financial resources to employ researchers operate offices to important points of government access and arrange meetings with members of parliament. e.g. Campaign on Child Poverty - financially well resourced - runs offices in London and Glasglow, employing a large staff of researchers and lobbyists.

Question 36

What factors determine the success of pressure groups? (social media)

Answer 36

Social media - platforms allow for a pressure groups causes to be widely shared and usually providing opportunities to donate or sign e-petitions along with giving up-to-date information. e.g. BLM - mobilised a mass protest in 2020 against the murder of George Floyd and producing sources to donate to in order to combat racism.

Question 37

What factors determine the success of pressure groups? (Ideological alignment)

Answer 37

Ideological alignment - the government is more likely to support a cause that shouldn't be denied or that aligns with their views.

Question 38

Case study of two pressure groups and highlight examples of how their methods and influence vary. (Insulate Britain)

Answer 38

**Pressure group 1** - Insulate Britain 2021 - campaigns for better home insulation to reduce carbon emissions, using civil disobedience as their primary tactic. - received large amounts of media attention - the government focused more on cracking down on protest tactics (Public Order Act 2023) rather than addressing their demands.

Question 39

Case study of two pressure groups and highlight examples of how their methods and influence vary. (The Living Wage Foundation)

Answer 39

**Pressure group** The Living Wage Foundation - encourages firms to adopt the living wage standard - over 14,000 businesses such as Google and Ikea. - the National Living Wage has increased perhaps due to their advocacy.

Question 40

Do think tanks influence the government and Parliament? (The Fabian Society)

Answer 40

The Fabian Society - 8,000 members, pushing for the nationalisation of utilities such as water and energy - despite gaining traction with Labour it was not adopted as a key policy due to the Conservative government's lack of interest in pursuing nationalisation.

Question 41

Do think tanks influence the government and Parliament? (Taxpayers Alliance)

Answer 41

The Taxpayers' Alliance - est. 2004 to encourage small government and lower taxes - particularly valued by David Cameron and George Osborne and its ideas were used to underpin the austerity programme of the coalition government.

Question 42

Social movement definition.

Answer 42

Collective grassroots effect advocating for broad societal change, unlike pressure groups which seek specific policy outcomes.

Question 43

What are civil liberties?

Answer 43

Refers to the protections citizens have against government and the state.

Question 44

What are civil rights?

Answer 44

Rights and freedoms that are protected by the government, meaning the state must take an active role in ensuring people are protected and allowed to carry out these rights freely and equally. e.g. Equality Before the Law - Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination ensuring equal treatment in employment, education, and public services. Right to education and to voting.