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UK Politics (OB) > Democracy and Participation > Flashcards

Democracy and Participation Flashcards

1
Q

direct democracy

A

people able to make decisions directly on an issue (yes or no response)

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2
Q

representative democracy

A

people elect person to represent their interests+decisions make on their behalf

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3
Q

EU referendum results

A

72.2% turnout
52% leave
just over half=37.7% voting population
argument against direct democracy

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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)

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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
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6
Q

advantages of representative democracy

A

practical
representatives=greater expertise
avoid tyranny of majority
implement unpopular but neccessary policies

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7
Q

how much did EU referendum cost to run

A

£129.1 million

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8
Q

turnout in AV referendum 2011

A

41%

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9
Q

turnout Scottish Independence referendum

A

85% (relate to importance of issue?)

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10
Q

liberal democracy

A

widespread vote, representatives act in interests of everyone in society

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11
Q

majoritarian democracy

A

desire of majority of population are prime considerations of government

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12
Q

parliamentary democracy

A

executive drawn from and accountable to people’s representatives in parliament

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13
Q

presidential democracy

A

executive elected seperately from legislative body+ directly accountable to the people

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14
Q

parliament and referendums

A

referendums are not legally binding but ignoring result would undermine their legitimacy

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15
Q

functions of democracy

A 
representation 
accountability 
participation 
power dispersal 
legitimacy
education
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16
Q

initiative (USA)

A

people rather than government call for vote on specific issue

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17
Q

petition

A

appeal to make something happen demonstrated by popular support

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18
Q

governments influence over referendums

A

when they are held

wording of the question

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19
Q

why has the use of referendums increased since 1997

A

convention that constitutional issues should be decided by a referendum

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20
Q

example of petition

A

petition for recall election
Ian Paisley needed 7,543 votes to unseat him
got 7,099

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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”

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22
Q

elections to parliament

A

only half are elected (commons)

Lords appointed by Queen

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23
Q

difference between Parliament and Government

A

government-proposes new laws and implements

parliament- debates and scrutinises

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24
Q

population vote before 1832

A

1265-1832 only 5% population could vote

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25
Q

how can we participate

A

volunteering
letters
E-petitions
Pressure groups

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26
Q

what is a liberal democracy

A

free and fair elections
representatives decide issues by majority rule
clear limits on power of government

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27
Q

constituion

A

set of rules laying out powers and functions of each government institution

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28
Q

seperation of powers

A

legislative, executive and judiciary

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29
Q

checks and balances

A

checks between branches, stops one from having too much power
e.g presidential bills have to pass through congress

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30
Q

features of a liberal democracy

A

free+fair elections
constitution
entrenched civil liberties
competing parties

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31
Q

how does the uk conform to a liberal democracy

A

voters represented by MP in commons
devolved powers- scottish parliament
have fair elections

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32
Q

how does the uk’s liberal democracy compare to others in terms of seperation of powers (us vs uk)

A

weaker seperation e.g members of government also memebers of legislative branch

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33
Q

pluralist society

A

competing interests but have ability to compete equally

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34
Q

elitist

A

one group has distinct advantage over others

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35
Q

electoral commission

A

oversees and regulates referendums

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36
Q

YES prisoners should be allowed a vote

A

basic right
universal suffrage fundamental to legitimacy
exercising this right doesnt hurt others
shouldn’t be a privelage
alienates from society

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37
Q

NO prisoners shouldn’t be allowed to vote

A

basic right not an absolute
forfeit liberty
european convention nor HR law requires it
2011 retain vote 234 to 22

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38
Q

hirst v uk

A

hirst denied the vote on many occasions (prisoner) new appeal under human rights act successfully upheld by european court of human rights 2005

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39
Q

for voting at 16

A

determines their future (patronising+illogical)
more policies centred around young people
ageing population harder for younger people

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40
Q

against voting at 16

A

no mass demand from teens
not locked out make many own decision
if give it to 16-17 why not 15?

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41
Q

slacktivism

A

doing limited amount to participate

superficial level of engagement

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42
Q

general election results 2001+2017

A

2001=59% lowest ever for GE

2017= 69%

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43
Q

hapathy

A

happy with how government is running so don’t bother voting

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44
Q

average turnout 1945-92

A

usually above 75%

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45
Q

200 years ago franchise

A

2.7% of population had franchise

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46
Q

franchise 1832

A

extended to property owners

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47
Q

franchise 1867

A

skilled workers

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48
Q

franchise 1918

A

men 21+ and women 30+

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49
Q

franchise 1928

A

all women 21+

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50
Q

franchise 1969

A

18+

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51
Q

reason for great reform act 1832

A 
industrialisation increased middle class
middle class campaign for extension 
extended to 300,000 people 5.6% now vote
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52
Q

universal suffrage

A

consists of right to vote for all adults regardless of property ownership, income, race or enthnicity

53
Q

for women getting the vote

A

gain respect
end inequalities
proven politically capable
fundamental right

54
Q

against women getting the vote

A

women didn’t want it
should focus on local not national affairs
not fought to earn it
irrational and emotional

55
Q

how had women proven themselves by 1918

A

contributed to the war effort

proven repsonsible whilst men away

56
Q

NUSEC (campaigned for representation of people act 1928)

A

national union of societies for equal citizenship

57
Q

NUSEC’s six main aims

A 
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
Q

representation of the people act 1969

A

mps reacting to social changes

1965 committee set up under john latey to consider lowering to 18

59
Q

arguments for lowering the voting age to 18

A

more financially astute
more physically developed
increasingly mature

60
Q

suffragists

A

1866 first petition to extend vote presented to parliament

following failure movements like manchester society

61
Q

NUWSS (groups united) did what

A

wrote letters
lectures
petitions
1914 had 100,000+ members in 400 branches

62
Q

suffragettes

A 
manchester based drawing support working class
1906 moved london gain U+M support
63
Q

aims of suffragettes

A

equal vote
female only
focus on only political equality

64
Q

violent and illegal action suffragettes arranged

A 
chain to public railings 
blowing up building 
hunger strikes 
smashing windows 
fight police officers
65
Q

1913 cat and mouse act

A

women on brink of death went home to regain strength

66
Q

1914 suffragettes

A

war started they stopped and organised women workers

67
Q

YES suffragettes violent methods worked

A

media exposure
kept in public eye
sympathy for their oppression

68
Q

NO suffragettes violent methods didnt work

A

violence showed irresponsibility

government couldn’t be seen to give in to terrorists

69
Q

WPSU

A

womens political and social union

70
Q

main characteristics of suffragists

A 
membership open to all
internally democratic 
peaceful methods 
worked with government 
national network
71
Q

main characteristics of suffragettes

A 
women only 
run by pankhursts 
violent and illegal 
intimidated government
centered in london
72
Q

public’s trust in government (social attitudes survey)

A

33% 1991

17% 2013

73
Q

YouGov poll (power up for grabs)

A

39% asked picked out poor quality of british political parties as least liked feature
53% poor quality of our politicians

74
Q

votes for UKIP 2014 elections

A

4.37 million

75
Q

power up for grabs article quote for dislike of current political systems

A

‘a growth in support for independent canidates are small straws in the first gusts of what may be a new wind’

76
Q

Noreena Hertz independent 2001

A

“its not about apathy…while vote is maving, alternative forms of political expression…are all on the rise”

77
Q

individual party membership

A

conservative 1951= 2,900 2015=150

labour=876 2015=270

78
Q

politics review article 2016

A

“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
Q

buycotting

A

using buying power to affect social changes

80
Q

hacktivism

A

editing institutional websites

81
Q

corporatism

A

process of incorporating different groups into the government

82
Q

end of corporatism

A

MT weakening power of trade unions
decline in power of group activity
people less willing to hold government to account

83
Q

turnout of general election in 2005

A

62%

84
Q

turnout of general election in 2010

A

65%

85
Q

turnout of general election 2016

A

66%

86
Q

turnout general election 2017

A

69%

87
Q

scottish independence turnout

A

84.6%

88
Q

EU referendum turnout

A

72%

89
Q

participation crisis definition

A

describes failure of public to participate in the political process

90
Q

welsh assembly turnout 2016 election

A

45.44%

91
Q

london mayoral 2016 election

A

46.1%

92
Q

european election turnout 2014

A

34%

93
Q

AV vote referendum

A

42%

94
Q

1983 population % member of political party

A

3.8%

95
Q

current % of population member of political parties

A

less than 1%

96
Q

what does the decline in party membership suggest

A

disillusioned with main parties
not engaged
lack of trust

97
Q

sectional pressure groups

A

look after own section of society

e.g national education union (closed membership)

98
Q

causal pressure groups

A

campaign for a particular cause usually on behalf of other people
e.g RSPCA
open to everyone

99
Q

insider pressure group

A

special relationship with the government

100
Q

outsider pressure group

A

aims don’t have the support from the government

101
Q

example of an outsider pressure group

A

fathers for justice protest for men to have the same parental opportunities after divorce

102
Q

advantages of referendums and initiatives

A

public can block unpopular laws
initiatives=electorate greater influence over legislation
will of people is clearer

103
Q

disadvantages of referendums and initiatives

A

referendum turnout already low

dominance of wealthy who have influence

104
Q

recall elections advantages

A

public more control over corrupted+incompetent representatives

105
Q

recall elections disadvantages

A

turnout is usually low

usually used as a protest

106
Q

primary elections

A

elections held by political parties

107
Q

advantage of primary elections

A

more diverse candidates

108
Q

disadvantages of primary elections

A

expensive
low turnout
extreme candidates

109
Q

advantage of compulsory voting

A

stronger mandate

higher turnout

110
Q

disadvantage of compulsory voting

A

donkey voting

doesn’t guaruntee higher legitimacy

111
Q

advantages of digital democracy

A

government scrutinised
pressure on them to review petitions
inform electorate

112
Q

disadvantages of digital democracy

A

divide amongst those with/without devices

online voting secure?

113
Q

constituency

A

geographical territory with roughly equal numbers of voters

80,000

114
Q

no. of constituencies

A

650

115
Q

simple plurality

A

winner is one with most votes, no requirement to obtain majority

116
Q

how does a party win a general election of FPTP

A

650 seats to win an a election

117
Q

why does FPTP deliver a disproportional result

A

% of seats a party wins doesn’t match % of votes

SNP 50% of votes with 56 seats

118
Q

why do parties campaign differently in marginal seats?

A

spend more time in them to win over electorate

only spent £129,687 luton south

119
Q

what is the Jenkins commission

A

established by Labour

investigates alternatives to FPTP

120
Q

what are the Jenkins commission looking for

A

broadly proportional result
produce stable government
voters have greater choice

121
Q

what are majoritarian electoral systems

A

system which winning candidate must secure an absolute majority of the vote more than 50%

122
Q

what are the advantages of majoritarian system

A

MPs must get majority not plurality
keep existing constituency boundaries
reduce number of safe seats
reduce tactical voting

123
Q

what are the disadvantages of majoritarian system

A

even less proportion than FPTP
might elect least unpopular than most popular
more coaltions if third part get more seats

124
Q

how does supplementary voting work

A

used to elect mayors

have a 1st and 2nd choice

125
Q

what are the advantages of supplementary voting

A

needs broader support to achieve plurality
clear link between mp and constituents
easy to understand

126
Q

what are the disadvantages of supplementary voting

A

not proportional
doesn’t ensure the winner has majority over 50%
doesn’t eliminate tactical voting

127
Q

should prisoners have the vote (YES)

A

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
Q

should prisoners have the vote (NO)

A

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

UK Politics (OB) (8 decks)

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