Democracy & Ppt flash cards
Key Terms
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
UK Democratic?
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
How Democratic is the UK?
YES IT IS DEMOCRATIC
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
NO THE UK IS NOT DEMOCRATIC
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
Lincoln’s Definition of Democracy
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people”
POWER IN THE UK
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
What is Democracy??
Origins - Ancient Athenes 5th Century Demos - People Kratia - Power As population size grew - direct democracy replaced by representative democracy
Democracy not always considered good?
Greek philosopher Plato “People would be swayed emotionally, rather than thinking rationally”
“The mass are unwise”
Direct Democracy
Direct Democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into public policy directly by the people
Nowadays - Referendums
Representative Democracy
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.
Representative Democracy
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
Liberal Democracy
Liberal - Basic Freedoms & Civil Liberties
Democracy - Free and Fair elections in which 2 or more parties compete
Joins together 2 sets of principles
- Liberal Freedoms such as freedom of worship
- With a democratic means for deciding upon who will form government
Accountability
A representative is answerable to the people
The voters can ‘kick the rascals out’ at election time
Media can scrutinise their actions
Features of a Liberal Democracy
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
Pluralism
“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
Party Identification Theory
People learn their attitudes from their environment
Partisan Alignment
Psychological Attachment
Sociological Theory
Social class, ethnicity, gender, religion, region
Class Alignment
Strong association - social class to support for political party
Rational Choice Theory
Himmelweit et al - judgement based on the past performance of gov
Dominant Ideology Theory
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
Forms of PPT
Petitions Donating Money Voting PG Political Party Protests Direct Action
Abstainers
Those who do not vote
Voter turnout - the % of the qualified voting age population that turns out on polling day
Apathy
Lack of interst
Alienation
Feeling of separateness
Milbrath & Goel
Roman Gladiator Contest
Gladiators - small % of activists - keen ppts
Spectators - large majority who observe
Apathetic - do not watch contest
DOES PPT MATTER !!!!!!!
YES
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
DOES PPT MATTER!!!!!!!!
NO
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
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOTE
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
Encourage greater ppt
Lower voting age
Compulsory voting - Australia & Belgium
Digital Democracy
Determinants of Voting Behaviour
LONG TERM
Party Identification & Loyalty
Social Class
Age, Gender, region, occupation & ethnic group
Determinants of Voting Behaviour
SHORT TERM
Appeal of Party leaders Impact of mass media Effectiveness & Style of campaigning Events leading up to elections Issues & Party images
Embourgeoisement
Tendency of better off working people with the aspirations of becoming more like the middle class in their social outlook & voting behaviour
CREWE
Showed main 2 parties steadily lost their once reliable supporters
Inner Cities are emptying - workers
Moving to towns outside London
Government
The party that forms the executive
The institutions of the state
2 functions
Protects our rights
Limits our freedoms
3 branches - Exec, Leg & Judiciary
What are Rights?
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
Election Campaigns
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
Opinion Polls
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
Denver
Judgemental voting
media influence
voters base views/ votes upon a judgement
Economy & voting
See success of economy in terms of mortgage interest & inflation
More likely to re-elect gov which makes them feel good about the economy
Party Leaders & Voting
More people interested in personalities
Parties conscious of the image of their leaders
Blair - young , positive, dynamic & charismatic
Party Issues & Images & Voting
Mass coverage of politics on TV
contributed to greater public awareness & understanding
Crewe - Thatcherite Britain - serious unemployment - voters convinced Labour could help
Post War Trends in Voting Behaviour
Elections determined by floating voters
Swing voters
Domination of voting for main parties
Rise of 3rd parties
Marxists
Only rich groups in society get listened to, its capitalists who hold the power in our society. Gov is a tool of capitalists
Problems w Direct Democracy today
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
For Direct Democracy Today
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
Democratic Deficit
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
Mandate
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
Crewe
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
Party dealignment
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
Conservative Party
1.3 million members 70s
250,000 in 2008
3 years of Cameron 2013
no. dropped by 40,000
Labour Party
Numbers halved since 1997
By 2008 - just over 200,000 members
2015 Election
Geography
Conservative - South East 50.8%
Labour - SE - 18.3%
Conservative - North East - 25.3%
Labour - NE- 46.9%
Partisan Dealignment
floating voters
44% of those certain to vote had not chosen by March 2015
Ethnic minorities
Conservative 23%
Labour 65%
Scottish Independence
NO
frustrated Yes voters - following 4 days SNP membership increased by 70%
SNP became 3rd largest party 2015 election
56/59 seats in Scotland
Labour Short Term 2015
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
2015
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%
Media & impact
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
Hypodermic Model
Media
Suggests people soaked up info given to them like a sponge
Lazarsfeld & Minimum effects model
Media
Instead of changing views
Media - reinforces
Voters already have their own preconceptions
Birch
Media
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
Independents Effects theory
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
Political Consultants
Professional advisers - specialised in an aspect of election campaigning
Advise what to do to create a good impression
Spin doctors
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
Pulzer 1967
women overwhelmingly more pro conservative stayed at home protected from bad working conditions women greater traditional values Cautious attitudes to change
Ethnicity & Voting
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
European Elections
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
