How Democratic Is The UK?

Question 1

+ Representative Democracy

Answer 1

+ Practical

+ Rational, well informed decision making

+ Prevents voter fatigue

+ No Tyranny of the Majority

Question 2

+ Voting

Answer 2

+ Free, fair, secret, competitive and regular

+ Universal franchise

+ Accountability

+ String and stable government provided by FPTP

Question 3

+ Parties and Pressure

Answer 3

+ Parties and Pressure Groups have the freedom to organise, express themselves and campaign

+ Lots of different parties, groups and ideologies to associate with

+ Pluralist democracy

Question 4

+ Rights

Answer 4

+ Protection of rights and civil liberties part of the political culture

+ Signatories of ECHR and we have the HRA

+ Free media

COUNTER: Leveson Report shows that some media outlets operate outside the law and are owned by moguls with disproportionate influence on politics.

Question 5

+ Rule of law

Answer 5

+ Politicians not above the law and must act constitutionally

+ Independent judiciary enforce the law

+ For example, following the expenses scandal it was the courts who enforced the law

Question 6

• Deficiencies of Representative Democracy

Answer 6

• Indirect, irregular participation

- Politicians can distort the will of the people

Question 7

• Participation crisis

Answer 7

• In 2010, only 0.8% of the electorate were members of political parties
• Lowest rate of membership in Europe
• Turnout in 1950 84%, yet hit 59% in 2001

COUNTER: Labour Party resurgence under Jeremy Corbyn; Turnout in the EU Referendum 72.2%

Question 8

• Few referenda

Answer 8

• Only three nationwide referenda since 1975
• Lack of people’s initiative
• Calls for a referendum on the 2011 Lisbon Treaty were not acted upon

Question 9

• Executive dominance

Answer 9

• Government dominates parliament
• Decides 90% of its business
• Inbuilt majority
• Labour only lost 7 whipped votes between 1997 and 2010
• Elective Dictatorship

Question 10

• Unrepresentative Parliament

Answer 10

• Government makes decisions against public mood i.e. Iraq
• Not socially representative. 29% MPs are women
• FPTP creates a government on a minority vote and distorts the result. UKIP won nearly 13% of the vote but only won one seat. 9% of votes used tactically, 74.4% wasted.

Question 11

• Undemocratic institutions

Answer 11

• House of Lords
• Monarch head of state
• Powerful civil service
• Pressure Groups unelected and lack internal democracy

Question 12

• Erosion of Civil Liberties

Answer 12

• Counter Terrorism Act
• Belmarsh case
• HRA not entrenched