Participation 1 Flashcards
What is a referendum?
A vote on a single issue put to a ballot.
Simple yes or now question.
Some direct democracy.
How did clement Attlee describe referendums?
A tool of dictators and demagogues
What is an initiative?
Citizens calling for a public ballot on after a petition
What can sway the peoples opinion in referendum?
Topic Wording Timing Funding Turnout
How does the topic of a referendum effect it?
The topics of uk referendums often are thing that the government knows the people will respond how they wish, however other countries have them on more controversial issues like the legalisation marijuana.
How does wording effect referendums?
Can make a positive or negative response eg snp wanted “do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”
What example shows how funding effect referendums?
1975: yes for being in the EEC membership out spent no 3 to 1
What is a recall?
A device which allows citizens to unseat an elected official
What is turnout?
The percentage of registered voters who cast a ballot in a given election
What is a mandate
The right of the governing party to pursue the policies given in their manifesto.
What factors effect turnout?
The type of election, local or general
Political apathy or disengagement
Hapathy
The value of their vote- safe seats mean wasted votes
Opposition to the system
Role of the mass media: can encourage
What is political apathy?
A state of passivity or indifference to political institutions
What is hapathy?
People abstain from voting out of happiness
What is direct democracy?
Citizens putting direct input into the decision making process
What was the turn out of the Scottish independence referendum?
84%
What was the turnout for the referendum for an elected mayor of London?
34%
What was the turn out in the 2011 Scottish parliament election?
51%
Why are referendums good for democracy?
They bridge the gap between elections
Constitutional changes can be entrenched by a referendums success
Allow citizens to engage in local issues
Reasons against having more referendums?
Some issues are too complex to put to a yes or no vote
May increase apathy
Expensive- av cost over £75 million
Government has too much control which effects how democratic they are
Reasons for referendums?
When the government is split in an issue
Constitutional changes
Entrench constitutional changes to stop future change
What is and example of when a referendum was used in a split government?
The vote on the av system -2011 coalition
