Democracy and Participation Flashcards
What 4 things must a government have to maintain a right to govern?
- Legitimacy
- Authority
- Power
- Sovereignty
What is legitimacy?
The degree of which a government has to govern
Name and describe the three types of legitimacy
- Traditional - the upholding of a system that has existed for a long time
- Through force - taking power through actions outside the system
- Through Consent - achieving power through the choice of the majority of the population of a state
What is authority?
The right to exert power
Name and describe the three types of authority
- Traditional - the right to govern as that type pf authority has existed over a long period of time
- Charismatic - gained through claim due to the people wanting to be governed by a particular leader
- Legal-rational - gained through a legal/rational way such as elections
What is power?
The ability to exert control over a state
Name and describe the three types of power
- Coercive - using force to maintain power (usually physical) such as execution or torture in extreme cases
- Political - the ability to persuade people. Involves concept of patronage (reward and sanctions) and is the strongest form of power
- Influence - limited control over groups of people. Examples include that held by newspapers
What is sovereignty?
To be the ultimate holder of political power
Name and describe the there types of sovereignty?
- Legal - that which is achieved by law
- Political - the location of the real power of the country (in theory is meant to be the electorate)
- Popular - when the people themselves seem to be making the decisions (e.g referendums)
Identify the three branches of government
Judiciary
Executive
Legislative
What is the most powerful judicial body in the UK?
The Supreme Court
Who makes up the executive in the UK?
The Prime Minister and their Cabinet
What is the name of the UK’s legislative body?
Parliament
Who is sovereign in the UK?
Parliament
What model of government does the UK use?
Linear
It involves an input, goes through a process and produces an output
What is democracy?
When the citizens of a state have control over the country
What are the three types of democracy?
- Direct
- Representative
- Participatory
Describe direct democracy
- The citizens of the state make decision over policy themselves
- Examples of direct democracy used in the UK are referenda
Describe representative democracy
- Representatives elected by the people make decisions in the interest of the people
- This is the man type of democracy used in the UK but tat times can fall under the two types
Describe participatory democracy
A democracy where citizens participate in political activity (but not being MPs). Citizens voice their views through taking part in pressure groups and actively express their views
What is citizenship?
When someone enjoys the rights of a particular state whilst also upholding duties that come with being a member of that state
What are the rights of citizens?
- To be resident of a state
- To vote in free elections
- To stand for public office
- To be treated equally under the law
- To receive a fair trial if accused of a crime
- To enjoy civil liberties such as freedom of expression, association, movement, religion and thought
What are duties of citizens?
- To obey the law
- To accept the legitimacy of the properly constituted government
- To pay taxes
- Possibly to contribute some military service
What is active citizenship?
- An idea developed by Labour in the 1990s
* Idea that it is the duty of all citizens to be politically active
What is big society?
- An idea developed under David Cameron’s government
- Similar to active citizenship, but involves local communities taking control of life and decreasing dependancy on local authorities (e.g free schools)
How can citizens participate in politics?
- Being unformed about issues
- Contributing to online/real life forums and petitions
- Voting in elections if possible
- Joining a pressure group
- Joining a political party
- Becoming active in a political party
- Becoming active in a pressure group
- Standing for political office
How does democracy establish freedoms?
- Those in power are held to account by the people and therefore must act in a democratic way and for the desires of the people
- Checks and balances ensure power isn’t abused
How does democracy protect minorities?
- Promote freedom of speech and allows minorities a voice
* Generally speaking, extreme parties are kept away from power
What is a danger of popular democracy?
The “tyranny of the majority” means that minority view points are forgotten, ignored or not given space to be heard
What is a referendum?
When an issue of national importance is decided by the people through a vote
What are the characteristics of a referendum?
- Results are usually binding - in the UK Parliamentry Sovereignty remains but it is unlikely that they’ll ignore the will of the people
- A yes of no answer
- In most cases only 1 question is proposed
- In most cases parliament decides if a referendum will take place
What are some arguments for the use the of referenda?
- Involves the people directly in important issues
- Currently a low trust in politicians
- A check on ‘elective dictatorship’. Gives the public a vote more frequently and ensures the gov. can’t do things without consulting people
- Settles crossparty arguments and entrenched reforms
- Raises voters political awareness on previously undiscussed issues
What are some arguments against the use of referenda?
- Challenge parliamentary sovereignty
- Public lack expertise to make important decisions
- Issues can be complicated and poorly explained
- Low participation can leans to questioning if legitimacy of decision
- The government chose when they take place and often use them for their own political gain
- Factors outside the referendum can influence results
Name 6 key referendums held in the UK
1975 - Remaining in European Community 1979 - Welsh and Scottish Devolution 1998 - Good Friday agreement 2011 - Alternate voting system 2014 - Scottish Independence 2017 - Leaving the EU
European Community Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
1975
Yes
67.2%
64.5%
Welsh Devolution Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
1979
No
79.7%
58.8%
Scottish Devolution Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
1979
Yes
74.3%
60.4%
Good Friday Agreement Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
1998
Yes
71.7%
81%
Alternate Voting Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
2011
No
67.9%
42.2%
European Union Exit Referendum • Date • Result • Percentage outcome won by • Turnout
2016
Leave
51.9%
72.2%
What does the ideal representative democracy have?
- Pluralism - power spread to the many who can express views and access the levels of power
- Civil liberties - freedom of speech, right to big, associate with a political party
- Freedom is the press
- Can hold representative to account
What three types of representation are there?
- Burkean representation
- Parliamentary representation
- Party Delegation
Describe burkean representation
Idea that MPs should be independent minded to make decisions they believe are best, which may not represent the views of those they representation
Describe parliamentary representation
- Burkean ideas of representation but that representatives should consider the views of other people and their party
- Used today during ‘free votes in parliament’
Describe party delegation
- The type of representation used today
* A political party is the dominant form of representation with MPs voting in line with the party
In 2015 what was the break down of • Gender • Sexuality • Ethnicity • Secondary education background of the House is Commons?
Of 650 MPs • 191 women MPs • 32 openly LGBT+ MPs • 41 MPs being of an ethnic minority • 49% comprehensive, 32% Private, 19% selective
In 2017 what is the break down of • Gender • Sexuality • Ethnicity • Disability • Secondary education background of the House is Commons?
Of 650 MPs • 208 women MPs • 45 openly LGBT+ MPs • 52 MPs being of an ethnic minority • Not definitive but around 5 • 51% comprehensive, 29% Private, 18% selective
Give a rough description of voting patterns in elections in the UK since 1945
Been in decline since 1945 (post war), in 1997 Labour shifted towards the centre and it dropped turn out drastically due to people not feeling like they were voting for anything different. 2010 saw a rise again due to the Blair leaving, the economic crash of 2008 and the threat of a hung parliament
What ways could democracy be improved?
- Embracing technology through E - Voting and online voting
- Create a system of compulsory voting
- Extending the franchise to 16 year olds
Give examples of how e-democracy is currently used in the UK
- Official online petitions - 10,000 signatures means government has to respond, 100,000 debate in the Commons. No petition has resulted in a debate or legislature
- Online pressure groups - run petitions and campaigns
- Organising protests
What would be the benefits of having an electronic or phone vote?
- Easily increase turn out
- Increase participation
- Could be cheaper
- Save time
- Easy to get results as tallies update instantly
What are some of the problems with with an electronic or phone vote?
- Can easily be hacked or manipulated
- Potential to record individual voters information (conflict with secret ballot)
- Lots of people don’t have access to or own a phone
- People could steal voting device (impersonation)
- Bots or fake accounts could be set up
What would be the benefits of having a compulsory voting system?
- Social duty as well as right
- Produce a Parliament representative of the whole population
- Increase the quality of campaigning and education
- Groups are not left out of legislation plans/manifestos
What would the problems of a compulsory voting system be?
- People believe Voting is a right and so they should be able to chose whether they vote or not
- Person at the top of the ballot may end up more votes
- Wouldn’t end a focus on marginalised seats
- Doesn’t address the deeper reasons for people not voting
What are the difference between pressure groups and political parties?
Pressure groups are organisations that intend to influence the decision making process and policies whilst political parties aim to be the ones making the policy and being in power
What is the grey area when it comes to political parties and pressure groups?
Single issue parties such as UKIP, the SNP and The Green Party blur the line with them wanting change which can be applied to the government (eg the Brexit vote and UKIP) but do also have a political power
What are the purpose of pressure groups?
To influence decisions by targeting
• Westminster - lobby pressure and the HOC/L but also on specific issues (ie pushing for amendments to a law)
• Ministers and civil servants - lobbied or pressure to seed support
• Devolved or local government
• Laws courts
• The media
What two ways can pressure groups be defined?
Sectional, causal or dual function
Insider or outsider
They can also be defined as new social movements
Give the definition of a sectional pressure group
Have a functional representation role and align to a specific part of society (eg the NUT is for teachers, National Farmers Union is for farmers)
Give the definition of a causal pressure group
They represent a specific section of society but usually an idea or issue in general (e.g Greenpeace is an environment protection pressure group)
Define a dual function pressure group
It is both a sectional and functional group (eg Momentum - within the Labour Party)
Give information about how insider pressure groups
• Operate
• Have power
• Are at a disadvantage to outsider pressure groups
- Operate within the walls of power, closely with government and have greater influence
- Consulted by select committees, some are formed by government to scrutinise laws (quangoes)
- May lose support due to being seen to be too close to government/not sticking to roots
Give information about how outsider pressure groups
• Operate
• Have power
• Are at a disadvantage to insider pressure groups
- Operate through gaining public opinion and are outside decision making process either trough choice or not being invited
- Low influence but if they have high public support this increases
- Easily divide opinion, seen as less respectable than insider pressure groups
What are New social movements?
- Informal protest forums that maybe have the intention to influence policy but act as tension release
- Gives people a voice and place for anger to prevent people committing crimes
What are the 6 characteristics of a new social movement
- Rapid appearance
- Mass movement of people
- Loose Organisation
- Connected trough social media
- Single issue
- Often demonstrates civil disobedience
What contribute to a successful pressure group?
- Philosophy
- Status
- Past success
- Media leverage
- Opposition pressure groups
- Finance
- Organisation
- How realistic their aims are
- Support and membership (size)
How can philosophy contribute to the success of a pressure group?
If their philosophy and that of the government align they are more likely yo be listened to/have influence
How does status contribute to the success of a pressure group?
Insiders have more influence on policy than outsiders but outsiders are seen to be staying closer to their roots
Why does a pressure groups past successes help their success?
Shows that they have been able to work successfully before and are more likely to be trusted by the public and listened to by those in power
How can media leverage contributed to a pressure group’s success?
- Makes them more present in the public eye and able to gain support
- Celebrity endorsement can grow the movement quickly
Why do opposing pressure groups influence a pressure groups success?
If an opposing pressure group have more funding/better organisation and influence they will be listened to more e.g the NRA in the USA is more powerful that anti gun movements
How does finance affect a pressure groups success?
The more money the group has the greater influence and infrastructure it can have
Why is organisation important in a pressure group’s success?
When the groups is more organised they are taken more seriously as they can organise large scale events/protests
Why do a pressure groups aims influence their success?
If their aims are unrealistic they are not taken seriously/can’t become insiders or listened too
How does the pressure group’s support and memberships influence its success?
- Larger support and membership means more attention is paid to the group as MPs want to maintain support of large bodies of electorate
- Paid membership can help to generate revenue for the group
What are the advantages of a representative democracy?
- Practical in a large state
- Creation of parties means thats police can be passed quickly
- Pressure groups encourage a pluralist democracy
- Reduces chance of the tyranny of the majority
- Elections allow representatives to be held directly to account
- Politicians are better informed than the average individual
What are the disadvantages of a representative democracy?
- Reduced participation as people hand power to government
- Parties and pressure groups pursue own agendas/formed around ideologies over representing people
- The tyranny of the majority still emerges
- Politicians are able to avoid accountability with elections so far apart
- Pelicans can be unsuited, corrupt or incompetent as well as career driven
