Democracy and Political Participation

Question 1

Legitimacy

Answer 1

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 2

Direct Democracy

Answer 2

All individuals express their opinion 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 3

Representative democracy

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Initiatives

Answer 4

In countries such as Switzerland and some US states, citizens gather signatures on a petition for a public vote on a proposed new law- similar to a referendum but initiated by citizens not a public body.

Question 5

Petitions

Answer 5

A formal request signed by citizens to those n authority recommending or opposing a specific change. In the UK if 100,000 people sign a petition then the issue will be discussed in Parliament.

Question 6

Pluralist Democracy

Answer 6

A type of democracy in which a government makes decisions as a result of the lack legitimacy, not having been appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability.

Question 7

Democratic deficit

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Franchise/suffrage

Answer 8

The ability or right to vote in public elections. Suffragettes were women campaigning for the right to vote on the same terms as men

Question 9

Participation crisis

Answer 9

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 parites or to offer themselves for public office

Question 9

Recall

Answer 9

A
A process for removing an elected official from office if a given percentage of voters in a constituency signs a petition calling for this based on the Recall of MP’s Act 2015

Question 10

Political apathy

Answer 10

Disengagement and disinterest with the political process manifested in low turnout at election and little political interest or awareness of contemporary events and political issues which affect society.

Question 11

e-democracy

Answer 11

Digital or internet democracy that involves using information and communications technology to collect and register votes and opinions, and to involve citizens more widely

Question 12

Think tanks

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Lobbyists

Answer 13

Paid by clients to try to influence the government and/or MP’s and members of the House of Lords to act in their clients’ interests, particularly when legislation is under consideration

Question 14

Access points

Answer 14

Points in the political decision-making process where pressure groups (mainly) can seek to exert influence; the creation of the devolved assemblies created more such access points

Question 15

Compulsory voting

Answer 15

A legal requirement to vote supported in law. By not voting, a citizen may incur punitive sanctions, usually a fine, It is used in Australia and Belgium.

Question 16

Advantages of direct democracy

Answer 16

• Purest form of democracy so people’s voices are heard
• Avoid delay and deadlock in political system
• Increased legitimacy

Question 16

Disadvantages of direct democracy

Answer 16

• Lead to ‘tyranny of the majority’ so the winning majority ignores interests of minorities

Question 17

Advantages of representative democracy

Answer 17

• Representatives can develop expertise to deal with certain matters
• Representatives can be held to account of actions during elections
• Representatives have the time to deal with a variety of complex matters (public own lives)
• Practical in large country

Question 18

Disadvantages of representative democracy

Answer 18

• Representatives may not act in the best interests of their constituents
• Can be difficult to hold a representative to account between elections
• Can lead to public disengagement and social issues and other responsibilities

Question 19

Great reform act year and what happened

Answer 19

In 1832. A limited but symbolically important development. The franchise is extended to new social groups of people including shopkeepers and small farmers and anyone whose property attracts a rent of at least £10 per annum The proportion of the adult population granted the franchise is now nearly 6%, a rise from about 4%. Women are not allowed to vote.

Question 20

Representation of the People’s Act years and what happened

Answer 20

1918 = Allowed women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification to vote. Although eight and half million women met this criteria, it only represented 40 per cent of the total population of women in the UK. The same act extended the vote to all men over the age of 21. The electorate increased from eight to twenty one million but there was still huge inequality between women and men.

1928 = Women over 21 were able to vote, and women finally achieved the same voting rights as men. This act increased the number of women eligible to vote to fifteen million.

1969 = Extended the vote to men and women over 18.

Question 21

What did the suffragists and suffragettes do to extend the franchise/ debates over suffrage

Answer 21

• Suffragists (NUWSS-National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies) formed in 1897 by Millicent Fawcett (less violent) mostly middle class women campaigned peacefully = ‘winning hearts and minds’
• The suffragettes was actually called the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). Led by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903 mostly middle classes and they heckle politicians, held marches, members chained themselves to railing, attacked policeman, broke windows, slashed paintings, set fire to buildings. Emily Davidson ran out in front of a house.

Question 22

Arguments for Votes at 16

Answer 22

· Citizenship education means young people are more informed

· Voting turnout among the 18-24 year old age group is very low - could increase this.

· Internet and social media allow young people to be more informed

· Other rights such as to serve in the army and pay tax

· Radicalism of young could balance out conservativism of the older generation

· Issues will affect them most in the future

· Better representation
Being given the vote doesn’t mean that you have to

Question 23

Arguments against Votes for 16

Answer 23

· Too young to make rational judgements

· Many issues are too complex for them to understand

· Few people in this age group pay tax so they have a lower stake in society

· It is argued that the very young can be excessively radical as they don’t have enough experience to consider issues carefully.

Question 24

Extinction rebellion methods

Answer 24

Across a two-week period in August and September, activists blocked Oxford Circus and erected a giant table in Covent Garden. More than 130 people locked or glued themselves to roads and buildings.
This followed previous campaigns across London, Manchester and Cardiff in 2019 and 2020.

There have also been protests in other countries:
In Paris, activists scaled the Eiffel tower
Members in Germany blocked roads in Berlin

Question 25

Extinction Rebellion Successes

Answer 25

ounger people are most likely to agree with its aims, According to a survey of more than 3,000 people carried out after the London 2019 Protests
More than 1000 people attended their first protest.

Become a global group with supporters in the West Indies, Australia and the USA to name a few

Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 41% either “strongly supported” or “somewhat supported” the disruption of traffic and public transport in London to highlight Extinction Rebellion’s aims.

Question 26

Extinction Rebellion Failures

Answer 26

Little success amongst the elderly generation with 33% of those aged 50-65, and 26% of over-65s.
Rishi Sunak pushed back no new petrol. diesel cars from 2030 to 2035 - against their greater cause
Initially wanted 0 emissions by 2025 - definitely not on track to achieve this goal
Tried to block the road when Boris Johnson was on the way to PM questions in 2020 but were lifted off by police before they had glued themselves down.

A lack of understanding of the issues that this pressure group targets because of how broad the

Question 27

Methods of Age UK

Answer 27

• Have more than 250 shops which sell an ever changing range of goods which - many of which they rely on the public to donate to
• Have more than 75,000 volunteers that help out older people
• Age UK works with a number of independent organisations across the country which they call Friends and they help by visiting elderly, own cafes and restaurants, provide social activities, run exercise classes, provide IT training, provide dementia support, foot care, transport, have day cares…
• Working to influence the Domestic Abuse Bill
• Trying to get public services to not be fully online
• Calling for government to establish a commissioner for older people and ageing for England who could act as an independent champion

Question 28

Successes of Age UK

Answer 28

• They have reached and helped older people on a local, national and international level.
• Over 100 age Champion MPs have agreed to work to help make the UK and their community a great place to grow older (when MPs receive regular updates on the big issues that affect older people)

Question 29

Failures of Age UK

Answer 29

• 2000 older peoples requests for care turned down everyday
• Still really long waitlists for older people waiting on healthcare for illnesses such as diabetes and chronic pain

Question 30

Magna Carter year and its significance

Answer 30

1215 - First attempt to limit the power of the monarchy, protection from arbitrary rule, right to trial by a jury, monarch could only impose taxes with consent of the people

Question 31

Human Rights Act year and its significance

Answer 31

1998 - Brought into effect the European Convention on Human Rights
- Previously relied on negative rights
- Wide range of rights to replace the statute and common law rights
- It is binding on all public bodies except parliament
- Enforced by all courts
Three main effects = you can seek justice in a British Court, public bodies must respect your rights, new laws are compatible with Convention rights

Question 32

Equality act year and its significance

Answer 32

2010 - Equality required and discrimination is outlawed on the following grounds: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation

Question 33

What are individual rights and an example

Answer 33

Rights needed by each individual. The right to privacy or freedom of expression

Question 34

What are collective rights and an example

Answer 34

Rights held by a group or community as a whole. The rights of religious groups not have their beliefs satirized or questioned. Or The right of the community to their own freedom of movement

Question 35

How do collective and individual rights conflict

Answer 35

Group rights may conflict with individual rights such as the right to press freedom and the right of public figures to keep their private lives private