Democracy & Participation Definitions

Question 1

Legitimacy

Answer 1

Legitimacy means being accepted as right or fair. For example, a government is legitimate if people believe it has the authority to rule.

Question 2

Direct Democracy

Answer 2

This is when people vote on decisions themselves rather than electing others to make decisions for them. An example is a referendum.

Question 3

Representative Democracy

Answer 3

This is when people elect leaders to make decisions on their behalf, like voting for Members of Parliament in the UK.

Question 4

Pluralist Democracy

Answer 4

This is a type of democracy where different groups and opinions are encouraged, and power is shared between them to ensure fairness.

Question 5

Democratic Deficit

Answer 5

This is when a democracy doesn’t work properly or is missing something, like when people feel their voices aren’t heard.

Question 6

Participation Crisis

Answer 6

This is when not enough people take part in politics, like voting in elections, which weakens democracy.

Question 7

Franchise/Suffrage

Answer 7

These terms refer to the right to vote. For example, universal suffrage means everyone has the right to vote regardless of gender or wealth.

Question 8

Think Tanks

Answer 8

These are groups of experts who research and suggest ideas for policies on issues like healthcare or the economy.

Question 9

Lobbyists

Answer 9

Lobbyists are people or groups who try to influence politicians to make decisions in their favor, often representing businesses or special interests.