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Democracy & Participation > Democracy & Ppt flash cards > Flashcards

Democracy & Ppt flash cards

1
Q

Key Terms

A

Power - ability to make something happen
can exist with or without authority

Authority - right to make something happen

Laws - regulate society
Serve to discourage behaviour that is detrimental to the common good

Justice- exercise of authority in a manner that is morally right or fair

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2
Q

UK Democratic?

A

No such thing as a perfect democracy
UK = more democratic than other countries
More democratic than in previous generations

JOHN LOCKE “without laws, man has no freedom”
The rights and liberties can only be upheld via the rule of law

Inevitably, some laws will restrict certain freedoms in order to ensure order within society
anti-terrorism legislation

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3
Q

How Democratic is the UK?

YES IT IS DEMOCRATIC

A 
Almost everyone has the right to vote 
Rule of Law exists 
Executive held to account by the legislature 
Free and Fair elections 
Civil Liberties are protected 
Choice of political parties is provided 
Most representatives are elected
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4
Q

NO THE UK IS NOT DEMOCRATIC

A

The Executive has too much power - Lord Halisham
‘elected dictatorship’
Parliament can restrict our freedoms by passing an Act of Parliament
FPTP = unfair to small parties
Under-representation of minorities and women
Peers are unelected & so is Head of State

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5
Q

Lincoln’s Definition of Democracy

A

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people”

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6
Q

POWER IN THE UK

A

elected politicians power is limited
Prevents them acting in a corrupt way
PM = limited by the laws of the UK , the fact he cannot continue in power - if lost election

Authority - usually based on legitimacy
In a democracy - legitimacy comes from the people

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7
Q

What is Democracy??

A 
Origins - Ancient Athenes 
5th Century 
Demos - People 
Kratia - Power 
As population size grew - direct democracy replaced by representative democracy
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8
Q

Democracy not always considered good?

A

Greek philosopher Plato “People would be swayed emotionally, rather than thinking rationally”
“The mass are unwise”

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9
Q

Direct Democracy

A

Direct Democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into public policy directly by the people

Nowadays - Referendums

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10
Q

Representative Democracy

A

Elected politicians act on behalf of the people through a system of regular elections which enable politicians to be removed from office and made accountable.

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11
Q

Representative Democracy

A

MP should act accordingly to their conscience
Winning party gains legitimacy from the people & claims a mandate to enact its manifesto
Most common & effective form of democracy
John Stuart Mill “Ideal Type”

Open & organised opposition 
Popular control of policy makers 
Political Freedoms 
Majority Rule 
Free and Fair elections 
Lawmaking by elected reps
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12
Q

Liberal Democracy

A

Liberal - Basic Freedoms & Civil Liberties
Democracy - Free and Fair elections in which 2 or more parties compete

Joins together 2 sets of principles

  1. Liberal Freedoms such as freedom of worship
  2. With a democratic means for deciding upon who will form government
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13
Q

Accountability

A

A representative is answerable to the people

The voters can ‘kick the rascals out’ at election time
Media can scrutinise their actions

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14
Q

Features of a Liberal Democracy

A 
Free and Fair elections 
Elected rep & gov held accountable 
Competitive multi-party elections 
Civil Liberties should be protected 
A variety of beliefs should be tolerate 
Must be a peaceful transition of power 
Rule of Law should prevail 
Power of elected representatives and the gov should be limited
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15
Q

Pluralism

A

“where a variety of beliefs, demand and interests are permitted to flourish together”

Dispersal of power
Reflects liberal thinking
Potential abuse of power is avoided - prevent dictatorship

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16
Q

Party Identification Theory

A

People learn their attitudes from their environment

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17
Q

Partisan Alignment

A

Psychological Attachment

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18
Q

Sociological Theory

A

Social class, ethnicity, gender, religion, region

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19
Q

Class Alignment

A

Strong association - social class to support for political party

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20
Q

Rational Choice Theory

A

Himmelweit et al - judgement based on the past performance of gov

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21
Q

Dominant Ideology Theory

A

Dunleavy & Husbands - individual choices are influenced by media misrepresentation
Newspapers & TV distort the process of political communication
Media are seen as reflecting a dominant prevailing ideology

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22
Q

Forms of PPT

A 
Petitions 
Donating Money 
Voting 
PG 
Political Party 
Protests 
Direct Action
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23
Q

Abstainers

A

Those who do not vote

Voter turnout - the % of the qualified voting age population that turns out on polling day

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24
Q

Apathy

A

Lack of interst

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25
Q

Alienation

A

Feeling of separateness

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26
Q

Milbrath & Goel

A

Roman Gladiator Contest
Gladiators - small % of activists - keen ppts
Spectators - large majority who observe
Apathetic - do not watch contest

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27
Q

DOES PPT MATTER !!!!!!!

YES

A

Democracy - people have the power - people dont vote = no democracy
Danger of increasing alienation & political exclusion
Counter rise of political extremism
Counter apathy, alienation & ignorance
New forms of ppt quickly fade out of existence

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28
Q

DOES PPT MATTER!!!!!!!!

NO

A

New forms of ppt allow views to be expressed directly
Politics is not a priority in their lives
Only ppt at times of crisis
Little you can do to force ppt

29
Q

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOTE

A

Chance to express their views
All over the world people - fought and died for the right to vote
Major symbol of citizenship in a democracy

30
Q

Encourage greater ppt

A

Lower voting age
Compulsory voting - Australia & Belgium
Digital Democracy

31
Q

Determinants of Voting Behaviour

LONG TERM

A

Party Identification & Loyalty
Social Class
Age, Gender, region, occupation & ethnic group

32
Q

Determinants of Voting Behaviour

SHORT TERM

A 
Appeal of Party leaders 
Impact of mass media 
Effectiveness & Style of campaigning 
Events leading up to elections 
Issues & Party images
33
Q

Embourgeoisement

A

Tendency of better off working people with the aspirations of becoming more like the middle class in their social outlook & voting behaviour

34
Q

CREWE

A

Showed main 2 parties steadily lost their once reliable supporters
Inner Cities are emptying - workers
Moving to towns outside London

35
Q

Government

A

The party that forms the executive
The institutions of the state

2 functions
Protects our rights
Limits our freedoms

3 branches - Exec, Leg & Judiciary

36
Q

What are Rights?

A

An entitlement
Can be Legal or Moral
Legal - specified by a system of rules & is enforceable by the law
Moral - exists only as a moral claim

37
Q

Election Campaigns

A

Purpose of campaigns - reinforce the views of those committed, recruit the undecided & convert waverers in other parties
Target Voters - leaders focus on constituencies which they hoped to win or keen not to lose

38
Q

Opinion Polls

A

Began 1938 -
1950s - regular basis
Useful for parties enabling them to find out which issues are causing greatest popular concern & which voters they should target

Bandwagon Effect - polls encourage voters to climb on the bandwagon
Boomerang Effect - support the underdog, behind in the polls

39
Q

Denver

A

Judgemental voting
media influence
voters base views/ votes upon a judgement

40
Q

Economy & voting

A

See success of economy in terms of mortgage interest & inflation
More likely to re-elect gov which makes them feel good about the economy

41
Q

Party Leaders & Voting

A

More people interested in personalities
Parties conscious of the image of their leaders
Blair - young , positive, dynamic & charismatic

42
Q

Party Issues & Images & Voting

A

Mass coverage of politics on TV
contributed to greater public awareness & understanding
Crewe - Thatcherite Britain - serious unemployment - voters convinced Labour could help

43
Q

Post War Trends in Voting Behaviour

A

Elections determined by floating voters
Swing voters
Domination of voting for main parties
Rise of 3rd parties

44
Q

Marxists

A

Only rich groups in society get listened to, its capitalists who hold the power in our society. Gov is a tool of capitalists

45
Q

Problems w Direct Democracy today

A

Imposs to reach agreement in modern state
open to Corruption
Most people no knowledge // skills to make decisions
Think - own interests
Could lead to mob rule

46
Q

For Direct Democracy Today

A

Current situ - not rep of whole population
Male, white & educated
Don’t produce true rep in terms of seats won
Direct democracy - gov directly accountable to the citizens of the state

47
Q

Democratic Deficit

A

Suggests democracy might be missing in some important areas
FPTP - not represent the people
Elections - turnout too low
BUT it is improving & PG & use of internet

48
Q

Mandate

A

Thatcher always claimed her party had a mandate from the people to govern
even though she never received a majority
When she introduced the Poll tax - many withdrew that mandate through demonstrations & rioting
Forcing her resignation in 1990
Same withdrawal of a mandate arguably happened to Blair administration over the Iraq war

49
Q

Crewe

A 
Class dealignment - showing that working class becoming smaller 
more people living 'middle class life' 
Led to more volatile electorate
2005 - 60% of voters called themselves class free
50
Q

Party dealignment

A

DONT EXAGGERATE
bc most electorate vote for 2 main parties
Party alignment had never been 100%
Each of 2 main parties have been supported by members of the class traditionally supported by the other

51
Q

Conservative Party

A

1.3 million members 70s
250,000 in 2008
3 years of Cameron 2013
no. dropped by 40,000

52
Q

Labour Party

A

Numbers halved since 1997

By 2008 - just over 200,000 members

53
Q

2015 Election

Geography

A

Conservative - South East 50.8%
Labour - SE - 18.3%

Conservative - North East - 25.3%
Labour - NE- 46.9%

54
Q

Partisan Dealignment

A

floating voters

44% of those certain to vote had not chosen by March 2015

55
Q

Ethnic minorities

A

Conservative 23%

Labour 65%

56
Q

Scottish Independence

A

NO
frustrated Yes voters - following 4 days SNP membership increased by 70%
SNP became 3rd largest party 2015 election
56/59 seats in Scotland

57
Q

Labour Short Term 2015

A

Ed - didnt look like a leader
Issues w party image
Bacon Sandwich

Long term -
Better in cities w Unis - Students more left-wing

Tories - better rural

58
Q

2015

A

Polls predicted hung parliament
Turnout 2015 - 66.1%

2010 - 65.1%

Dunbarton East - 81.9% Turnout
Manchester Central - 43%

Turnout 18-24 = 43%%

2017 - 18-19 = 57%
20-24- 59%

59
Q

Media & impact

A

97% homes have a TV
2014 - 84% internet access

Charters of BBC / ITV - require them to be impartial in their political coverage
Newspapers - traditionally biased towards Tories

60
Q

Hypodermic Model

Media

A

Suggests people soaked up info given to them like a sponge

61
Q

Lazarsfeld & Minimum effects model

Media

A

Instead of changing views
Media - reinforces
Voters already have their own preconceptions

62
Q

Birch

Media

A

People expose themselves mainly to communications which they are predisposed to agree & only remember the info they agree with

Media may not determine what people think , but they do determine what they think about

63
Q

Independents Effects theory

A

Life moved on since Lazarsfeld
TV watched for son long & by so many
it is common sense to suggest it must influence us
TV deffo expands our knowledge

64
Q

Political Consultants

A

Professional advisers - specialised in an aspect of election campaigning
Advise what to do to create a good impression

65
Q

Spin doctors

A

Specialist party consultants
whose task it is to change the way the public perceives an issue / event & encourage favourable media coverage for the party and its leader

66
Q

Pulzer 1967

A 
women overwhelmingly more pro conservative 
stayed at home 
protected from bad working conditions 
women greater traditional values 
Cautious attitudes to change
67
Q

Ethnicity & Voting

A

Traditionally more likely to vote labour
Saggar - 1997 - 89% black 81% Asian voted Labour

2005 Labour lost voters in constituencies w large muslim population - Iraq War

68
Q

European Elections

A

Turnout Low
1999 - less than 24% voted
2014 - 35.6% voted
UKIP won majority

Voters - uninformed
Little ideas of what it can do
No prospect of change - no excitement
Little media interest in campaign & outcome

Democracy & Participation (3 decks)

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