Participation and Democracy Flashcards
Hapathy
Abstinence from voting because of happiness with the way things are being governed
Apathy
State of passivity or indifference towards political institutions and their associated process
Participation Crisis
The view that declining levels of political participation in the uk threaten to undermine its democratic systems
Direct Democracy
Where citizens are given a direct input into the decision making process
Representative Democracy
Where citizens elect representatives to formulate legislation and take other decisions on their behalf
Referendum
A vote on a single issue out to a public ballot by the government of the day. Framed in a simple yes/no question
Legitimacy
The legal right or authority to exercise power. A government claims legitimacy as a result of the mandate it secures at a general election
Mandate
The right of the governing party to pursue the policies it sets out in its general election manifesto.
Differential turnout
Where the national turnout figure recorded at a given election masks differences in turnout by constituency or by region.
Factors:
- how marginal an individual seat or election is
- the electoral system in operations
- local or national issues or controversies
- intensity of campaign
- media attention
Canvassing
Where local party activists go from door to door in an effort to assess the strength of support and win over floating voters
E-democracy
The greater use of the Internet, mobile phones and other electronic media as a means of enhancing the operation of existing political institutions and processes, and encouraging greater political participation
Franchise
The franchise is the right to vote as established by parliamentary statute. The vast majority of adult UK citizens have the right to vote
Turnout
The percentage of registered voters who cast a ballot at a given election
Doctrine of the mandate
Gives the governing party authority to pursue stared policies but does not require it to do so or prevent it from introducing proposals not included in its manifesto
Subsidiarity
The principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest tier of government possible
