Key Terms Flashcards
Democracy
Rule by the people. A democratic system of government give citizens a say in choosing the politicians, and in some cases even policies, that will shape their everyday life
Representative democracy
Citizens elect representatives to formulate legislation and make decisions on their behalf
Referendum
A single vote on a simple issues put forward to the public by the government of the day. Yes/No question. Referendums are a form of direct democracy.
Direct democracy
Citizens are given direct input into the decision making - Referendums
Initiative
A process by which citizens can call a refrendum, normally by collecting a predetermined number of signatures on a petition.
Recall
A device that allows citizens to unseat an elected official before the end of their term in office.
- ‘Recall Gray Davies’ campaign was launched only week into the Democrat governor second term in office there was evidence it had been funded by unhappy Republicans
Homogeneity
The belief that citizens shared a common heritage and identity; a sense of togetherness that transcended what divided them.
The UK is characterised as multiculturalism rather than a homogeneity.
Consensus
Where UK citizens accepted the basic ‘rules of the game’.
These rules included the need for toleration, pragmatism, peaceful negotiation and compromise
Deference
The idea that people deferred to an elite that was regarded as being ‘born to rule’, that there was a natural willingness to accept an ingrained,class-based inequality and a rigid social hierarchy
Political Participation
Collectively refers to range of ways in which citizens can involve themselves in the political process
Franchise
Franchise the right to vote as established by parliamentary statute. The vast majority of adult UK citizens have the right to vote.
In 1831 only 5% of adults able to vote
In 1969 99% were able to vote
Turnout
The percentage of registered voters who cast a ballot in a given election.
Canvassing
Where local party activists go from door to door in an effort to assess (I.e. Canvass) the strength of support and win over floating voters.
Participation crisis
The view that declining levels of political participation in the UK threaten to undermine its democratic systems.
Power Inquiry
An inquiry into the state of political participation in the UK initiated by the Joseph Rowntree Trust. The inquiry resulted in the publication of the POWER report: Power to the people: The report of POWER - An independent inquiry into Britain’s Democracy.
