Democracy and Participation Flashcards
1
Q
direct democracy
A
people able to make decisions directly on an issue (yes or no response)
2
Q
representative democracy
A
people elect person to represent their interests+decisions make on their behalf
3
Q
EU referendum results
A
72.2% turnout
52% leave
just over half=37.7% voting population
argument against direct democracy
4
Q
advantages of direct democracy
A
people directly giving views-more genuine
take responsibility
prevents power concentrated in hands of elite
legitimacy
political education
works (switzerland)
5
Q
disadvantages of direct democracy
A
impratical and costly modern citizens don't have time to vote unwilling to make unpopular decisions may not have interest wealth can influence outcome undermines representatives
6
Q
advantages of representative democracy
A
practical
representatives=greater expertise
avoid tyranny of majority
implement unpopular but neccessary policies
7
Q
how much did EU referendum cost to run
A
£129.1 million
8
Q
turnout in AV referendum 2011
A
41%
9
Q
turnout Scottish Independence referendum
A
85% (relate to importance of issue?)
10
Q
liberal democracy
A
widespread vote, representatives act in interests of everyone in society
11
Q
majoritarian democracy
A
desire of majority of population are prime considerations of government
12
Q
parliamentary democracy
A
executive drawn from and accountable to people’s representatives in parliament
13
Q
presidential democracy
A
executive elected seperately from legislative body+ directly accountable to the people
14
Q
parliament and referendums
A
referendums are not legally binding but ignoring result would undermine their legitimacy
15
Q
functions of democracy
A
representation accountability participation power dispersal legitimacy education
16
Q
initiative (USA)
A
people rather than government call for vote on specific issue
17
Q
petition
A
appeal to make something happen demonstrated by popular support
18
Q
governments influence over referendums
A
when they are held
wording of the question
19
Q
why has the use of referendums increased since 1997
A
convention that constitutional issues should be decided by a referendum
20
Q
example of petition
A
petition for recall election
Ian Paisley needed 7,543 votes to unseat him
got 7,099
21
Q
the economist article Bagehot v Brexit
A
“bagehot thought MPs were wiser than the electorate in general”
“for a prime minister to entrust the future of the country to a referendum would struck him as an abomination”
22
Q
elections to parliament
A
only half are elected (commons)
Lords appointed by Queen
23
Q
difference between Parliament and Government
A
government-proposes new laws and implements
parliament- debates and scrutinises
24
Q
population vote before 1832
A
1265-1832 only 5% population could vote
25
how can we participate
volunteering
letters
E-petitions
Pressure groups
26
what is a liberal democracy
free and fair elections
representatives decide issues by majority rule
clear limits on power of government
27
constituion
set of rules laying out powers and functions of each government institution
28
seperation of powers
legislative, executive and judiciary
29
checks and balances
checks between branches, stops one from having too much power
e.g presidential bills have to pass through congress
30
features of a liberal democracy
free+fair elections
constitution
entrenched civil liberties
competing parties
31
how does the uk conform to a liberal democracy
voters represented by MP in commons
devolved powers- scottish parliament
have fair elections
32
how does the uk's liberal democracy compare to others in terms of seperation of powers (us vs uk)
weaker seperation e.g members of government also memebers of legislative branch
33
pluralist society
competing interests but have ability to compete equally
34
elitist
one group has distinct advantage over others
35
electoral commission
oversees and regulates referendums
36
YES prisoners should be allowed a vote
basic right
universal suffrage fundamental to legitimacy
exercising this right doesnt hurt others
shouldn't be a privelage
alienates from society
37
NO prisoners shouldn't be allowed to vote
basic right not an absolute
forfeit liberty
european convention nor HR law requires it
2011 retain vote 234 to 22
38
hirst v uk
hirst denied the vote on many occasions (prisoner) new appeal under human rights act successfully upheld by european court of human rights 2005
39
for voting at 16
determines their future (patronising+illogical)
more policies centred around young people
ageing population harder for younger people
40
against voting at 16
no mass demand from teens
not locked out make many own decision
if give it to 16-17 why not 15?
41
slacktivism
doing limited amount to participate
| superficial level of engagement
42
general election results 2001+2017
2001=59% lowest ever for GE
| 2017= 69%
43
hapathy
happy with how government is running so don't bother voting
44
average turnout 1945-92
usually above 75%
45
200 years ago franchise
2.7% of population had franchise
46
franchise 1832
extended to property owners
47
franchise 1867
skilled workers
48
franchise 1918
men 21+ and women 30+
49
franchise 1928
all women 21+
50
franchise 1969
18+
51
reason for great reform act 1832
```
industrialisation increased middle class
middle class campaign for extension
extended to 300,000 people 5.6% now vote
```
52
universal suffrage
consists of right to vote for all adults regardless of property ownership, income, race or enthnicity
53
for women getting the vote
gain respect
end inequalities
proven politically capable
fundamental right
54
against women getting the vote
women didn't want it
should focus on local not national affairs
not fought to earn it
irrational and emotional
55
how had women proven themselves by 1918
contributed to the war effort
| proven repsonsible whilst men away
56
NUSEC (campaigned for representation of people act 1928)
national union of societies for equal citizenship
57
NUSEC's six main aims
```
pay for equal work
equality sexual conduct and morals
benefits for widows with children
franchise equality
recognition of mothers as guardians
equal access to legal profession
```
58
representation of the people act 1969
mps reacting to social changes
| 1965 committee set up under john latey to consider lowering to 18
59
arguments for lowering the voting age to 18
more financially astute
more physically developed
increasingly mature
60
suffragists
1866 first petition to extend vote presented to parliament
| following failure movements like manchester society
61
NUWSS (groups united) did what
wrote letters
lectures
petitions
1914 had 100,000+ members in 400 branches
62
suffragettes
```
manchester based drawing support working class
1906 moved london gain U+M support
```
63
aims of suffragettes
equal vote
female only
focus on only political equality
64
violent and illegal action suffragettes arranged
```
chain to public railings
blowing up building
hunger strikes
smashing windows
fight police officers
```
65
1913 cat and mouse act
women on brink of death went home to regain strength
66
1914 suffragettes
war started they stopped and organised women workers
67
YES suffragettes violent methods worked
media exposure
kept in public eye
sympathy for their oppression
68
NO suffragettes violent methods didnt work
violence showed irresponsibility
| government couldn't be seen to give in to terrorists
69
WPSU
womens political and social union
70
main characteristics of suffragists
```
membership open to all
internally democratic
peaceful methods
worked with government
national network
```
71
main characteristics of suffragettes
```
women only
run by pankhursts
violent and illegal
intimidated government
centered in london
```
72
public's trust in government (social attitudes survey)
33% 1991
| 17% 2013
73
YouGov poll (power up for grabs)
39% asked picked out poor quality of british political parties as least liked feature
53% poor quality of our politicians
74
votes for UKIP 2014 elections
4.37 million
75
power up for grabs article quote for dislike of current political systems
'a growth in support for independent canidates are small straws in the first gusts of what may be a new wind'
76
Noreena Hertz independent 2001
"its not about apathy...while vote is maving, alternative forms of political expression...are all on the rise"
77
individual party membership
conservative 1951= 2,900 2015=150
| labour=876 2015=270
78
politics review article 2016
"if individuals place no trust or faith in the institutions that they are being asked to elect, why would they see any value in casting a ballot"
79
buycotting
using buying power to affect social changes
80
hacktivism
editing institutional websites
81
corporatism
process of incorporating different groups into the government
82
end of corporatism
MT weakening power of trade unions
decline in power of group activity
people less willing to hold government to account
83
turnout of general election in 2005
62%
84
turnout of general election in 2010
65%
85
turnout of general election 2016
66%
86
turnout general election 2017
69%
87
scottish independence turnout
84.6%
88
EU referendum turnout
72%
89
participation crisis definition
describes failure of public to participate in the political process
90
welsh assembly turnout 2016 election
45.44%
91
london mayoral 2016 election
46.1%
92
european election turnout 2014
34%
93
AV vote referendum
42%
94
1983 population % member of political party
3.8%
95
current % of population member of political parties
less than 1%
96
what does the decline in party membership suggest
disillusioned with main parties
not engaged
lack of trust
97
sectional pressure groups
look after own section of society
| e.g national education union (closed membership)
98
causal pressure groups
campaign for a particular cause usually on behalf of other people
e.g RSPCA
open to everyone
99
insider pressure group
special relationship with the government
100
outsider pressure group
aims don't have the support from the government
101
example of an outsider pressure group
fathers for justice protest for men to have the same parental opportunities after divorce
102
advantages of referendums and initiatives
public can block unpopular laws
initiatives=electorate greater influence over legislation
will of people is clearer
103
disadvantages of referendums and initiatives
referendum turnout already low
| dominance of wealthy who have influence
104
recall elections advantages
public more control over corrupted+incompetent representatives
105
recall elections disadvantages
turnout is usually low
| usually used as a protest
106
primary elections
elections held by political parties
107
advantage of primary elections
more diverse candidates
108
disadvantages of primary elections
expensive
low turnout
extreme candidates
109
advantage of compulsory voting
stronger mandate
| higher turnout
110
disadvantage of compulsory voting
donkey voting
| doesn't guaruntee higher legitimacy
111
advantages of digital democracy
government scrutinised
pressure on them to review petitions
inform electorate
112
disadvantages of digital democracy
divide amongst those with/without devices
| online voting secure?
113
constituency
geographical territory with roughly equal numbers of voters
| 80,000
114
no. of constituencies
650
115
simple plurality
winner is one with most votes, no requirement to obtain majority
116
how does a party win a general election of FPTP
650 seats to win an a election
117
why does FPTP deliver a disproportional result
% of seats a party wins doesn't match % of votes
| SNP 50% of votes with 56 seats
118
why do parties campaign differently in marginal seats?
spend more time in them to win over electorate
| only spent £129,687 luton south
119
what is the Jenkins commission
established by Labour
| investigates alternatives to FPTP
120
what are the Jenkins commission looking for
broadly proportional result
produce stable government
voters have greater choice
121
what are majoritarian electoral systems
system which winning candidate must secure an absolute majority of the vote more than 50%
122
what are the advantages of majoritarian system
MPs must get majority not plurality
keep existing constituency boundaries
reduce number of safe seats
reduce tactical voting
123
what are the disadvantages of majoritarian system
even less proportion than FPTP
might elect least unpopular than most popular
more coaltions if third part get more seats
124
how does supplementary voting work
used to elect mayors
| have a 1st and 2nd choice
125
what are the advantages of supplementary voting
needs broader support to achieve plurality
clear link between mp and constituents
easy to understand
126
what are the disadvantages of supplementary voting
not proportional
doesn't ensure the winner has majority over 50%
doesn't eliminate tactical voting
127
should prisoners have the vote (YES)
removes sense of civic responsibility, rehabilitation harder
no evidence loss of franchise is deterrent
right to vote is fundamental
alienates them from society
european court of human rights rules blanket ban on prisoners violation of HRA
128
should prisoners have the vote (NO)
should lose right to have say how society is run
threat of loss enhances civic responsibility
shouldn't choose a representative if they won't be there
