Direct V Representative Democracy

Question 1

Advantages of Representive Democracy

Decision-making and accountability

Answer 1

• Practical for complex issues = simplifies and quickens the process - e.g addressing the COVID-19 pandemic required MPs to weigh up the difficulties faced by small businesses during the lockdown alongside the scientific necessity to minimise social contact.
• Incorporates checks and balances as one party doesn’t gain more power over other groups and people voting in elections holds their MPs accountable (e.g Lib Dem MPs lost their seats in 2015 after the controversy of raising tuition fees, losing trust of its younger supporters). Solves the issue of undemocratic HOL by reducing its powers of scrutiny and delay to only one year.

Question 2

Advantage of Representative Democracy

Representation

Answer 2

• As MPs are democratically elected, it provides thorough representation of the people via political parties - more than the HOL life peers are appointed.
• Representatives are experts = MPs are considered more informed than the average citizen and are able to scrutinise legislation, protecting citizens’ rights and minority interest. For example, Yvette Cooper MP is the chair of the high-profile Home Affairs Select Committee, focussing on immigration, crime and civil rights.
• Gives a voice to minority opinion = via meetings, letters, protest and pressure groups representing certain needs - encourages Parli to pass several laws extending citizens’ rights, including the Human Rights Act and Freedom of Information Act.

Question 3

Advantages of Direct Democracy (Ref)

Purest form of democracy (1)

Answer 3

• All can cast a vote of their decision - each has equal weight, giving the govt a more democratically legitimate mandate on what they believe should be the outcome.
• It also reduces govt power - despite Cameron supporting the Remain side at the beginning of the Brexit campaign, the public made their views clear when they voted to Leave.
• EXAMPLE = 2016 EU referendum was one of the greatest democratic exercises in British political history as over 33M voted.
• EXAMPLE = Belfast Agreement (71% in favour compared to 29% against) - creating a sense of community

Question 4

Advantages of Referendums

Encourages popular participation (2)

Answer 4

• Turnout for referendums often exceeds general turnout, which has been falling for various years since the 1980s, providing an alternative option as voting is restricted to five years because of the Fixed-Term Act.
• EXAMPLE = Scottish Independence 2014 referendum was 85% whereas the UK 2019 General Election was 67%.
• It suggests that DD could exist simultaneously as RD, as in Switzerland, majority of decisions are still taken through their system of representative democracy.

Question 5

Advantages of Referendums

Encourages genuine debate and political education (3)

Answer 5

• Provides info on issues, especially as social media and the internet allows people to make informed decisions, rather than relying on elected reps and even unelected PGs that tend to benefit a particular section of society (elitism).
• EXAMPLE = Scot Ref 2014 had a large number of local public meetings on the issues, alongside door-to-door canvassing. The Electoral Reform Society found it was conducted in an open and honest way, with reasoned arguments.
• Could potentially lead to increased participation and understanding of the political system.

Question 6

Disadvantages of Referendums

Unsure when they should be held 2

Answer 6

• Only some constitutional issues were put to voters - called when the Government wants to avoid party divisions (EU and 1979 Scottish referendum), or that it will achieve the desired result.
• However, the AV referendum, Welsh Assembly and North-East England regional assembly are examples where the government wasn’t sure about the result. Especially as people-made decisions may be at odds with politicians, causing electoral instability = e.g Brexit 2016.
• If referendums become more frequent and cover more areas, it may be too expensive and lead to paralysis of the government and voting fatigue.
• People are unable to create an initative themselves, compared to Switzerland which requires only 100K signatures.

Question 7

Undermines democracy and sov

Disadvantages of Referendums

Tyranny of the majority and issue of accountability 1

Answer 7

• Winning majority ignores minority interests while elected representatives can mediate between majority and minority interest. Demographics of EU 2016 shows voters in England and Wales voted for Brexit while Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain. Likewise, more younger the voter, the less likely they would vote to leave the EU (3).
• Low turnout, like the AV Ref’s 42%, doesn’t clearly reflect the public views and reduces the democratic legitimacy, producing a weak government mandate.
• If referendums extend to other areas than constitutional issues and become more frequent, less people may vote like Switzerland due to voter fatigue. (4)
• Impossible to hold a voting population accountable if decisions turn out to have unforeseen consequences.

Question 8

Disadvantage of Referendums

Allows an ill-educated populace to make ill-informed decisions (3

Answer 8

• Oversimplifies complex issues, especially as wording can affect the result (Brexit 2016/AV 2011 = explained by low turnout or close results).
• Swayed by emotional, rather than rational, appeals or influenced by false information. EXAMPLE = Vote Leave falsely claimed Brexit would allow £350m to be given to the NHS every week; admitted by Theresa May in 2017.
• Unequal resources between the opposing campaigns, aided by the media’s influence. EXAMPLE 1975 EU Ref = party leadership and business favoured remaining in the EU so more resources went into the Yes campaign. In some cases, businesses told their workers that their jobs would be under threat if Britain left the EU.

Question 9

Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

Only one elected house

Answer 9

• HOC is the only elected house but it is also unrep of the population (in 2015 = only 319/650 MPs won an absolute majority). Despite attempts to democratise the HOL (restricted to 92 hereditary peers), they are still appointed life peers (unelected).
• ISSUE = what if there is no majority?
• FPTP voting system produces a disproportionate outcome which govts with a majority could lead to an elected dictatorship OR a two-party system (2010 = Lib Dems received 23% of votes and won 57 seats while Labour won 29% votes and winning 258 seats).
  means smaller parties are underrepresented in Parliament.
• People feel political apathy because of the voting system and the number of safe seats (50% in 2016).
• Issue of elected dictatorship if the govt has a majority (e.g Labour 1997) - can pass laws and its harder to scrutinise.

Question 10

Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

Requires open communication as politicans often are…

Answer 10

• Corrupt and incompetent- during the COVID pandemic, former cabinet minister Chris Huhne was found guilty of perverting the court of justice. Boris Johnson, former PM, resigned because of various scandals like Partygate.
• Doesn’t do what the people want - betrays election promises and puts loyalty to the party before responsibility to the electorate. E.G Lib Dems MPs signed a pledge to not raise tuition fees after the 2010 GE but subsequently voted to do so.
• Dominates parties while pursuing their own agenda = PM May claimed there was no ‘magic money tree’ for funding public services in the 2017 General Election. However, Tories later signed a deal with the DUP, promising $1B of investment for N.I in return for their support in HOC.
• Not representative of minorities = Likely to follow the majority to secure re-election. E.G MPs voted down proposed amendments to the bill authorising withdrawal from the EU in 2020 that would have protected child refugees. Likewise, in 2023, Westminster blocked proposals to pass the Scottish Gender Recognition Bill.