Participation Flashcards
What are different types of participation?
-Voting
-Joining political parties
-Petition
-Political programmes
-Social media discussions
-Displaying political posters
-Contacting parliament/politician
Case study for referendums?
2014 scottish independence referendums
Positives of 2014 scottish independence?
-Turnout extremely high85.4
-Majority won 55.3% 44.7% yes
-Scot given more power
-Healthy debate
-Successful participant and education
Negatives of the 2014 scottish independence referendum?
-Didn’t settle issue
-Creates a divide for scotland and UK
-Creates favoritism for better together as most Brit parties wanted this whereas SNP voted yes
-Better together criticised for neg campaign focused on dangers of independence
-Further pressure for a 2nd vote in the wakes of the brexit referendum
-Govt decided wording of the question so have influence of the outcomes
Clement Atlee’s views on referendums?
Devise aliens to our traditions
-He’s saying unusual as we are a representative democracy we don’t have referendums
Winston Churchill views on referendum?
Devises of demagogues and referendums
-used to manipulate
What are referendums?
Direct democracy
One vote on one specific issue
Choice offers voters simple yes or no response
Decision to hold one is taken by the UK gov
Results not binding
What are elections?
Features or representative democracy
Determines who runs govt
Citizens vote for candidate in geographical constituency
Campaigned covered a number of different issues
Required by law
Results binding
Referendums for?
-Direct form of democracy encourages citizens to have a say in important decisions
-Prevents dangerous divisions within political parties
-They give a mandate and legitimise constitutional changes
-They could provide a clear and final answer when parliaments deadlocked
-Can provide a method of resolving tricky moral questions
Argument for example- -Direct form of democracy encourages citizens to have a say in important decisions
2016 EU referendums 33 mill people voted 72% turnout
Referndums for
-Prevents dangerous divisions within political parties
David Cameron and Harold Wilson hoped to resolve issues on Europe within party
Referendums for
-They give a mandate and legitimise
Scottish parliament 1997
Referendums for
-They could provide a clear and final answer when parliaments deadlock
Remain in the EEC
Referendums points for
-Can provide a method of resolving tricky moral questions
Irish referendum on Gay marriage 2015
Arguments against referendums?
-Too many can lead to apathy and low turnout
-Most issues are too complicated to be simples yes or nos
-Decisions not always finding gov sometimes goes back on word until the right answer
-Inconsistencies with parliament system, undermining representative democrats by allowing govt to duck big decisions
-Govt can word q’s to favour certain outcomes
-If those who want one outcome has more money than the other influencing result
Referendums against- -Too many can lead to apathy and low turnout
22% turnout for North east assembly referendum
42% 2011 AV
Referendum against-
-Most issues are too complicated to be simples yes or no
Should we decide in economy or expert economic
During EU referendums some complicated
Referendums against-
-Decisions not always finding gov sometimes goes back on word until the right answer
2nd scottish parl referendum (1977 and 1979)
2nd on europe
Gov imposed mayors after being voted against
Referendums against
-Inconsistency’s with parliament system, undermining representative democrats by allowing govt to duck big decisions
Brexit referendum 2016
Argument against
-Govt can word q’s to favour certain outcomes
1975 ‘should UK stay in the EEC’ people wanting to stick to the status quo
Referendums against
-If those who want one outcome has more money than the other influencing result
Anti AV had more money the pro AV in 2011 and therefore in a stringer successful campaigns
Participation- Extended franchise for men?
1832-The great reformat, representation of the people extending to men meeting property qualifications
1938-48, The chartist position presented to parliament
1867-Represented of people act (2nd act) extended vote to working men meeting property qualifications
1872- Secret ballot act
1918- ROPA extends vote to all men over age of 21
Extended franchise for women?
1918- Representation of people act extends vote to most women over 30
1928- Representation of the peoples act extended votes for women over 21 men and women equal suffrage rights
Age and the franchise?
1918- All women aged 21 and most women aged 30
1928- All women aged 21 or over can vote
1969- Representation act extends vote to women and men aged over 18
Should 16-17 year olds be given the right to vote For?
-Responsibility without rights
-Youth interest ignored
-Stronger political engagement
-International cut of point
Arguments for 16 and 17 yr olds vote? Responsibility without rights
16+ have responsibility to get a job, they pay tax, can get married why can’t they vote
Argument for 16 and 17 year olds- Youth interest ignored?
16+ may cause new debates on issues such as education, drug policy and social morality generally
Arguments for 16+ to get the vote? Stronger political engagement??
18-25 yr olds have the lowest turnout rate 16/17 yr olds helped increase youth turnout in Scottish indyref of 2014
75% of 16+ compared with 54% of 18-24
Arguments for 16+ getting the right to vote? International cut of point/age
If 16 yr olds are be excluded from politics on the grands of their knowledge and level under lais
The principle is very consistently applied
What about poorly educated and ignorant adults
Arguments against 16+ getting the right to vote?
Immature voters
Preserving childhood
Deferred representation
Undermining turnout
Arguments against 16+?
Immature voters
Until 18 most young people are in full time education and continuing to live with their parents, they aren’t full citizens and education is incomplete
Against 16+ getting vote?
Preserving childhood
Adolescence should be a peoprod in which young people can concentrate on school, enjoyment and personal development without having weight political matters placed on their shoulders
Against 16+ getting the vote?
Deferred representation
Their representation is only delayed or deferred until their 18, 18 yr old voters are also likely to be broadly unionist within the interest of 16 and 17 yr olds
Against 16+ getting the vote?
Undermining turnout
May cause turnout to decline, as young voters are less likely to vote than older voters, many and possibly all 16-18 yr olds mat choose not to vote
Reasons why prisoners should be aloud to vote?
Harder to rehabilitate
-Fundamental rights
-Alienation
-European rulings
-Not deterrent
Reasons why prisoners should get the right to vote? Harder to rehabilitate
The denial of the right to vote removes a sense of civil responsibility making rehabilitation harder
Reasons for prisoners getting the right to vote?
-Fundamental rights
The right to vote according to the united nations cannot be removed
Reasons for prisoners getting the vote?
-Alienation
Removal of the right to vote makes the prisoner a non person and further alienate them from society
Reasons for prisoners getting the right to vote?
-European rulings
The european court of human rights had rules that the blanket ban on prisoners is a violation on human rights
Prisoners right to vote for?
-Not deterrent
There is no evidence that the loss of franchise acts as a non deterrent
Reasons against why the prisoners should have the right to vote?
-Prison should be a punishment
-Deterrent
-Undermines justice
-Constituencies undermined
Reasons why prisoners should not get the right to vote?
-Prison should be a punishment
These who commit cries against society shouldn’t have a say in how societus run
Reasons why prisoners shouldnt get the right to vote?
-Deterrent
Threat of loosing the right to vote prevents crime and enhances civil responsibility’s
Reasons why prisoners shouldn’t have the right to vote?
-Undermines justice
Giving convicted criminals the right to have a say in how laws are made, undermining the principle of justice
Reasons why prisoners shouldn’t get the right to vote?
-Constituency’s undermined
Would threaten results in constituents
Prisoners are concentrated in certain constituency’s where they are unlikely to remain free so they shouldn’t not be able to choose local representatives for these community’s
Case study’s and prisoners right to vote?
Hist was an orphan who in 1979 beat his landlady to death with an axe and sent to prison
Spent 24 years in jail and in 1980 he began a legal campaige to give prisoners the vote
-In opinion polls- only 9% public supported
-After EctHR passed the ruling the pm david cameron says it make shim sick to his stomach
Case study- Norwegian prison?
-80% of prisoners in the USA re offend and are back in prison within 5 years
-20% of prisoners in Norway are back in prison within 5 years
Shows that rehabilitation is best
