Participation Flashcards
what does democracy require
Democracy requires that ordinary people have an influence on government decisions
different forms of participation
voting and elections
voting in elections and referendums
Other forms of participation in elections - standing as a candidate, donating money to candidates, campaign volunteering
Join a political party as a member
turnout meaning
The % of registered voters who cast a ballot in a particular election, turnout was lower than in 2017
why is low turnout a problem
- It reduces the legitimacy of the government. In a democracy, the government is legitimate if it is based on the consent of the people. The government can then claim to act on the will of the people, but if only a small % of the people vote, the government only has the consent of a small section of the population. 47M have franchise in the UK, only 32M voted in 2019 with 14M voting cons, that is 44% of those that voted but thst is only 29% of all people who could have voted and only half voted for the party in power. This produces what is called a democratic deficit
what is a democratic deficit
A lack of democracy or problem with the way our democracy works.
turnout and constituencies
Turnout varies between constituencies, some are safe seats, some are marginal.
How do differences in turnout and participation between social groups influence what government does?
Groups that vote are rewarded by government. Parties are afraid to be punished at the next election if they introduce policies against the interests of voters. But they are much more afraid of the punishment of high-turnout groups!. Policies 2010 - now - Nice things for old people - Pensions protected, Winter fuel allowance protected, Free bus pass for over-65s
protected, High-interest bonds introduced
only for over-65s, Allow pensioners to take out
their pension in one big cash lump sum, Inheritance tax threshold raised
Austerity for young people, Increase university tuition fees, Scrap Educational Maintenance
Allowance, Scrap student Maintenance Grants, Scrap housing benefits for under-25s, Restrict under-25s’ access to Jobseekers Allowance, New higher minimum wage (‘living wage’) doesn’t apply to under-25s
is the UK suffering from a participation crisis - yes
- Low turnout at elections undermines the legitimacy of the result
- Turnout has also been poor in many recent referendums, undermining the legitimacy of the results
- Historically, membership of parties has dropped as people have become less involved in formal politics
no participation crisis in the uk
- Low turnout has yet to lead to produce an actual ‘crisis’
- some referendums have attracted higher turnout, and further referendums have been requested
- … memberships of the Labour Party, many third parties, and pressure groups, is now growing
turnout in election - essay plan - low turnout is a problem
Yes – Low turnout at elections undermines the legitimacy of the result. The government can then claim to act on the will of the people, but if only a small % of the people vote, the government only has the consent of a small section of the population. 47M have franchise in the UK, only 32M voted in 2019 with 14M voting cons, that is 44% of those that voted but that is only 29% of all people who could have voted and only half voted for the party in power. This produces what is called a democratic deficit This means that the current Conservative majority Government was endorsed by just less than half the of potential voters. As a representative democracy, it is vital that turnout is high so that the resulting government can claim to have a legitimate mandate to enact the policies in their manifesto.
turnout in elections essay plan - low turnout is not a problem
However – Low turnout has yet to lead to produce an actual ‘crisis’While general election turnout is lower than the highs of the 70s, it has been steadily increasing. Although only 61.4% of the electorate participated in 2005, this increased to 65.1% in 2010, and then 66.1% in 2015, and 2.5% higher in 2017. Many others might argue that the real crisis is to do with our electoral system. For politically active people living in safe seats, it could arguably make more sense to abstain and participate in other ways
turnout in referendums essay plan - is bad
Turnout has also been poor in many recent referendums, undermining the legitimacy of the results
It is often argued that referendums and initiatives could be a means to encourage political participation, as citizens might be more inclined to vote when they know that they have the opportunity to make their voice heard on a particular issue. However, many referendums have had turnout that is far below that of recent general elections.
turnout in referendums - high
However… some referendums have attracted higher turnout, and further referendums have been requested
The 2014 Scottish independence referendum had turnout of 84.5%, reaching 90% in some areas, and even included 16 and 17-year-old voters for the first time, with around 75% participating. 97% of 16-17 years olds who voted said that they would vote again in future referendums. The EU referendum experienced 72% turnout, a record high for a UK-wide referendum, suggesting that the public does want the chance to have their say.
turnout essay plan - party membership is loaw
Historically, membership of parties has dropped as people have become less involved in formal politics
only 1.0% of the electorate was a member of the Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrat parties (compared with 3.8% in 1983). The Conservative Party had almost 3 million members in the 1950s, but this had dropped to 172,000 members currently. The 2015 Audit of Political Engagement found that only 30% of the public claimed to be a ‘strong supporter’ of a political party, of which only 76% said that they were certain to vote. This suggests a sharp drop in trust and engagement, leaving the parties with fewer volunteers, a limited talent pool to draw candidates from, and an increasing reliance upon wealthy donors and pressure groups.
However… memberships of the Labour Party, many third parties, and pressure groups, is now growing
As of January 2018, Labour had 552,000 members. The SNP’s membership has grown from around 22,000 prior to the 2014 independence referendum, to over 120,000 by 2017. The RSPB has over a million members, including 195,000 youth members. This growth suggests that many people are politically engaged, and they are willing to participate when there are parties or groups that reflect their particular political views.
party membership is increasing
However… memberships of the Labour Party, many third parties, and pressure groups, is now growing
As of January 2018, Labour had 552,000 members, reduced to 432, 000 members. The SNP’s membership has grown from around 22,000 prior to the 2014 independence referendum, to over 120,000 by 2017 - had reduced to 72k. The RSPB has over a million members, including 195,000 youth members. This growth suggests that many people are politically engaged, and they are willing to participate when there are parties or groups that reflect their particular political views.
