EDEXCEL DEMOCRACY Flashcards
Arab Spring 2011
Saw no. of Arab states try to overthrow authoritarian regimes & try and replace them w some form of popular democracy
Saw democracy as a way to establish their freedom from oppression
Democracy Protects Minorities
Ensures all groups have access to political process Pluralist democracy minorities have a free voice Free from discrim "minorities rule"
Democracy = vital in stopping abuse of power
Regular re-election
Controlled by elected rep
Docile & uninformed population
vulnerable to autocratic gov
Small Elite
Countries like Burma, Syria & China claim to be democratic
Civil Society
Power is dispersed widely among people & non-gov associations
Benefits of Democracy
Establishes & protects freedoms
Protects minorities
Controls gov - preventing abuses of power
Encourages popular ppt
Citizenship
Members of the political community have certain rights w respect to political institutions
Must obey the law, pay taxes , vote and engage w community
Rights - Citizens
Resident in the state Vote in free elections Stand for public office Treated equally under the law Fair trial Enjoy civil Liberties
Duties of Citizens
Obey the Laws
Accept legitimacy of gov
Pay taxes
Conscription to armed forces
Political ppt
informed about issues online forums / petitions voting PG Political party Standing for political office
Big Society
Philosophy developed by David Cameron
Many functions of state should be replaced by local activism
Creation of ‘free schools’ run by local community groups
Voluntary housing associations
Citizen action groups to combat crime
Turnout Falling?? Recently NO
1992 - 77.7% 2001 - 59.4% 2010- 65.2% 2010- 66.1% 2017- 68.7%
Party membership falling?? YES
1980 - 1,693,156
2010 - 397,000
member of total electorate
80s - 4.12%
2010- 0.80
Conservative Membership
1980 - 1.2 million
2010 - 170,000
Partisan Dealignment - psychological attachment
Identify less closely w political parties
Many people - direct action themselves
Regular & Large demonstrations
Anti-university tuition fees 2010-2011
Occupy London movement - height in 2012
campaigned against excesses of capitalism
Pressure Groups
RSPB membership - 1,000,000 +
UNISON - workers in public service industries - 1.3 million
National Farmers Union - 63,000
E/Digital Democracy
2nd Eu Ref - 4,150,000 sig
Stop Privatisation of NHS services 238,000
debated April 2018
Difficult to assess the extent to which these have political influence
May place issues on political agenda
How can political ppt be increased?
Inactive citizens = arbitrary autocratic gov
ppt - one main ways gov prevented from behaving undemocratically
Voting = compulsory ? Australia
Force citizens to make themselves more aware of political issues ?
Infringement of Civil Liberties ??
Reduce voting age 18 - 16
‘politicise’ at early age
not experienced enough to vote
BUT 16 y/o can be asked to pay taxes + should have opp to choose gov
Internet /text voting or extending voting period
Introduction of Citizenship lessons - new
Referendums - stimulate interest
Referendums
Benefits
Most direct form of democracy
People demonstrate their expressed consent - more likely to accept decision
Prevent gov from making unpopular decisions
Parties unable to decide on issues effectively
Referendums
Problems
Campaigns are expensive one side win bc more resources
£7m EU referendum limit
Leave Campaign said to have gone over
Danger - electorate use the referendum to express their dissatisfaction with gov
Tyranny of the majority
Technically gov by majority
No account for minority
Representative Democracy
Bill of Rights - effectively transferred sovereignty to P
Burkean Representation
Argues elected rep should be expected to use his judgement in the best interest of his constituents
Not merely follow the instructions of those who have elected him
Parliamentary Representation
Combines Burke + development of united political parties in 19th cent
MPs expected to strike balance between their own judgement + stated policies of their parties + interests of their constituents
Party Delegation
Evolved in 20th cent
Parties - increasingly disciplined + monolithic
Parliamentary whips = agents of this discipline
Age of independent MPs over
Toe the party line
Voters typically base their votes on merits of each party’s election manifesto NOT on the personal qualities of candidates
HOC & HOL BOTH NOT SOCIALLY REPRESENTATIVE
2017 most representative yet
LGBT 45/650
ETHNIC MINORITIES 52 /650
WOMEN 208/650
Direct Democracy
Purest Form
Avoid decisions being made purely in their own interest
People are becoming inc well informed & educated make their own judgements
Disillusioned
Representative Democracy
Elected rep - superior knowledge & judgement
Avoids hasty and emotional decisions
Able to mediate between diff interests of diff sections of society
Complex issues -direct democracy - tend to be reduced to over-simplified answers
YES NO
