Paper 1: Democracy and Participation Flashcards
Leader of Lib Dems
Vince Cable
Leader of SNP
Nichola Sturgeon
Leader of UKIP
Gerrard Bratten
Leader of Green Party
Caroline Lucas + Jonathan Bartley
Leader of DUP
Arlene Foster
Leader of Sinn Fein
Mary Lou McDonald
Leader of Plaid Cymru
Leanne Wood
Legitimacy definition
The right to rule following an election
Direct Democracy definition
All people represent their opinions themselves and not through representatives
Indirect/Representative Democracy definition
Where someone acts on behalf of the people and exercise political choice
Pluralist Democracy definition
Where there’s lots of choice for a voter e.g pressure groups, lots of political parties and power is widely dispersed
Democratic Deficit definition
Criticism of any political system where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy e.g people not voting
Participation Crisis definition
Lack of engagement by a significant number of people e.g not voting or not participating in petitions etc.
Franchise/Suffrage definition
The people who are allowed to vote
Think Tanks definition
A body of experts brought together to collectively focus on a certain issue as politicians aren’t experts on the specific issue
Lobbyists definition
Payed professionals to try and persuade politicians using evidence, acting in their clients’ interest
Bicameral Legislature definition
A particular body of government that consists of two legislative houses or chambers
Liberal Democracy definition
Normally incorporates a Bill of Rights to protect the interests of individuals and minorities. This is to counter ‘Tyranny of the majority’
What does a parliamentary democracy include?
Parliament is sovereign and has ultimate power
Laws will only be enforced if legitimised by UK parliament
Govt. is drawn from parliament and is part of parliament
Parliament ensures geographical representation of the UK
Arguments for direct democracy
Pure form of democracy, no corruption of representatives
Improves participation as individual voices heard
Increases public engagement hence legitimacy
Gives equal weight to all votes
Arguments against direct democracy
Not practical due to no. of issues and size of population
Populist outcomes, ppl vote on short-term measures instead of greater good
Minority groups may be overlooked (tyranny of majority)
Low turnouts
Emotional responses
Referendums easy way to get out of issue
What is a referendum?
A popular vote where people asked to determine an important political or constitutional issue directly
When was the first Britain wide referendum?
1975 on British membership of the EEC
What is the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty?
Principle in UK that parliament (legislature) is the supreme law making body therefore could go against result of referendum
Arguments for indirect (representative) democracy
Practical system in large state
Parties give people a real choice of representation
More chance for minority parties
Representatives can be held to account
Politicians better informed than public (supposedly)
Arguments against indirect (representative) democracy
Ppl may hand responsibility to politicians (reduce participation)
Parties and pressure groups often run on own agenda, not representing ppl
Minorities still underrepresented
Politicians only held to account every 5 years
What is the normal layout for a referendum?
Normally only 1 question
Exception in 1997 on Scottish devolution where 2 questions 1 on devolution and 1 on tax varying powers
What are the three ways that non-participation in elections can be explained?
Could be absent from country or ill
‘apathy’ where voter can’t be bothered or not interested or has other priorities
‘abstention’ which is the conscious decision not to vote i.e feel their vote is wasted
What is a passive party member?
A supporter that doesn’t get involved in day-to-day activities of party.
May have joined for financial and moral supporter or to become eligible to participate in leadership election
What is an active party member?
May attend regular party meetings, campaign and canvass in local community or use media to show support
What is the membership of the Labour party as of April 2018 and how many of these are ‘full members’?
Just over 540,000 300,000 are ‘full members’
How many members did the Tories have in 1953
Just under 3 million
What is the membership of the Tories as of March 2018?
124,000 people
In 2016, what % of the electorate were members of a political party?
1.6%
In 1983, what % of the electorate were members of the Tories, Labour or Lib Dems parties?
3.8%
What was the turnout in the 2001 general election?
59%
What was the turnout in the 2015 general election?
67%
What was the turnout in the 2017 general election?
68.8%
How many signatures does a e-petition have to receive before it is debated in the commons?
100,000
Examples of e-petition cases that have been discussed in the commons
Putting a max of £1200 on car insurance for 18-25 yr olds
Making it illegal for woman to be made to wear heels at work
Making the production, sale and use of cannabis legal
Positive democratic features of the UK political system
Devolved govts. Independent judiciary Free media Free and fair elections Wide range of parties and pressure groups
Arguments against the UK political system being democratic
Under-representation of minority viewpoints - fptp
House o Lords lacking legitimacy
Lack of protection for citizen’s rights
Control of sections by the media by wealthy businesses
What is turnout like in ‘second order’ elections and inclde example
Much lower as not seen as having as big of an impact on people’s lives
Turnout in local council elections in England 2016 was 33.8%
Why might people turn to alternate methods of participation?
Because they feel as though they aren’t being represented enough through elections.
How could turnout be increased?
Lower voting age to 16
Allow voting to take place over several days
Introduce e-voting
Make voting compulsory
Arguments for compulsory voting
It’s seen as a social duty
Would increase legitimacy of govt.
Parties would have to run better campaigns
Potentially a ‘none of the above’ box
Arguments against compulsory voting
Could increase spoiled ballots or peoples not taking it seriously
Undemocratic to force ppl into doing something, should be voluntary
People may not be educated enough to vote
Which groups of people aren’t allowed to vote?
Under 18s
EU citizens (but can vote in local elections)
House of Lords
Prisoners
Ppl who are compulsorily detained in a psychiatric hospital
What were the two types of constituency in the early 19th century?
Counties and boroughs which varied massively in size
Who could vote in the Middle Ages?
Could vote if you were male and owned freehold property worth at least 40 shillings
What was plural voting in the Middle Ages?
It allowed wealthy men who owned property in more than one constituency to vote more than once.
What is Partisan de-alignment?
Pattern where ppl increasingly don’t identify with a political party, not necessarily a bad thing but proves that ppl are voting for party policies, not just for the party
What are Broadchurch Parties?
Where the parties are very similar so people don’t vote for either
What is Disenfranchisement?
Where lots of people feel that there is no point in voting because nobody is representing their views
Why was direct democracy initially opposed in the 17th century?
Many ppl were illiterate and ill-educated so they shouldn’t be making big decisions for themselves.
Minority groups (non-land owners) would suffer tyranny of majority (land owners)
In large states was impractical for people to regularly assemble and exercise democratic right
1649-53, what were the problems with parliament?
After Charles I execution, parliament governed but the MPs lacked legitimacy and they way they were called to parliament was undemocratic.
By 1653 govt. had collapsed and Cromwell took over
When was the Glorious Revolution?
1688
What did the Glorious Revolution lead to?
Led to establishment of Bill of Rights agreed between monarchy and parliament, transferring sovereignty to parliament but commons and lords still lacked legitimacy
When and what was the ‘Two Treaties of Government’?
1689 and this set out the principals for representative democracy operating within a limited monarchy
When was the Great Reform Act?
1832
What did the Great Reform Act do?
Meant fairer system of selecting MPs, increased franchise to include all property owning middle classes, abolished most ‘rotten boroughs’ and made HofC legitimate, considered dawn of parliamentary democracy
What happened to parties in 1830s-1900?
Party system developed and voting became increasingly based upon party affiliation of candidate instead of personal qualities
When was the Conservative Party created and who was the first leader?
1834 and Robert Peel was the leader
When was the Liberal Party created and who was the first leader?
1859 and William Gladstone was the leader
When was the Labour Party created and who was the first leader?
1900 and Keir Hardie was the leader
When was the Third Reform Act and what did it mean?
1884 and granted voting rights to majority of male population (but still only 25% of the adult population could vote) giving the HofC more legitimacy
When was Universal Adult Suffrage achieved?
1924, nearly all adults over 21 could vote and Britain was now said to be a true liberal democracy
When did the first modern election manifesto appear?
1945 published by the Labour Party
What is Burkean representation?
Burke thought that an elected representative should use own judgement in best interest of constituents instead of being told what to do by the ppl who elected him
What is party delegation?
Evolved in 20th century and meant parties are now subject to greater control by their party leaders. Whips have been introduced and MP has moral duty to stick to manifesto pledges
What is a party whip?
Is an official in a party who ensures party discipline in a legislature, they threaten party members to ensure they vote according to party lines and to make sure MPs attend when important votes are taking place
What does Arbitrary mean?
Unrestrained exercise of power
When was the voting age reduced from 21 to 18?
Representation of the People Act 1948
When were married, graduate or property-owning women aged over 30 given the vote?
Representation of the People Act 1969
Suffragettes
Emmeline Pankhurst 2000-5000 members Mainly working class women Took more direct action could be seen as violet Believed in 'deeds not words'
What were the suffragette’s successes
Emily Davison brought loads of attention to their cause, her funeral was televised
Force feeding campaign created huge amounts of sympathy and caused problems for govt.
Suffragists
Millicent Fawcett
50,000 members
Mainly middle class older women
Used more peaceful methods looking to apply pressure
What were the suffragists successes?
Introduced conciliation bill which gave few people the vote in the end didn’t make much difference
Who and what allowed women to get the vote?
Women’s work at home during the war had proved them worthy
New PM David Lloyd-George was much more supportive of women’s rights
What did the Representation of the People Act 1928 include?
Extended franchise to all people over 21, regardless of gender
What did the Representation of the People Act 1918 include?
Extended franchise to all women over 30 as well as all men over 21, giving some suffrage to women and universal suffrage to men
What did the Representation of the People Act 1969 include and what was different about this act?
Extended franchise to all people over the age of 18.
This time it wasn’t as a result of public demand or campaign, it was a decision made by MPs reacting to social change
Why was the vote given to 18 year olds?
Since WWII more younger ppl were in employment, higher education and financially independent Many were trying to get married, buy houses etc. so only seemed fitting to class them as adults
Should prisoners be given the right to vote? Yes
Makes rehabilitation harder if starved of this civic responsibility
Loss of franchise doesn’t act as deterrent
Right to vote is fundamental and can’t be removed
ECHR ruled it a violation of HRA
Should prisoners be given the right to vote? No
Those who commit crime against society shouldn’t have right to say how society is run
Would undermine principals of justice by giving criminals a say in how laws are made
Prisoners often imprisoned in a different constituency to that they would be in when they leave so shouldn’t make decisions that won’t affect them
Did violence get women the right to vote? Yes
Media reported these acts, raising public awareness
Public fearful of violent attacks so kept issue in public eye
Violent methods meant brutal suppression by police so sympathy for suffragettes
Little to be lost
Did violence get women the vote? No
Violence proved women weren’t responsible enough to vote
Govt. couldn’t be seen to give in to terrorism which preventing them from getting the vote
Violence turned moderate men and women away from the cause
Peaceful work of women during WWI played big role in them getting the vote
Magna Carta etc.
Look at timeline in folder
