Participation and voting behaviour- forms of participation

Question 1

what are Abstainers

Answer 1

people who dont exercise their right to vote, either through choice or involuntary reasons

Question 2

what are devolved assemblies

Answer 2

the national parliament in Scotland and the national assemblies in Wales and northern Ireland

Question 3

what do most democracies allow

Answer 3

voluntary participation

Question 4

where are examples where participation is mandatory

Answer 4

Australia, Greece, Belgium (or non democratic regimes)

Question 5

what is the main way in which most people participate

Answer 5

elections (voting in a general election in Britain every 5 years)

Question 6

about how many people are entitled to vote in Britain

Answer 6

about 46 million (2016 data)

Question 7

who can’t vote in Britain?

Answer 7

under 18s, some royals, prisoners, non-British citizens, peers and those who have been disqualified for past corruption

Question 8

when did women get the vote

Answer 8

1928 (1918 for those over 30)

Question 9

what is the most usual form of participation

Answer 9

voting in elections

Question 10

what does voter percentage refer to

Answer 10

percentage of the qualified voting-age population that actually turns out on polling day

Question 11

what countries have the highest voter turnouts

Answer 11

those with compulsory voting laws

Question 12

over the last few decades what have Britain’s turnout levels been in comparison to other European Democracies?

Answer 12

Lower

Question 13

what is the range in turnout from Constituency to constituency? (general elections)

Answer 13

from 90% to 40%

Question 14

what was the level of turnout in the 2015 general election

Answer 14

66.1% (highest its been since 2001)

Question 15

what is political apathy?

Answer 15

lack of interest and enthusiasm in terms of participating in the political system- often linked to feeling powerless– voting is pointless etc

Question 16

what is political hapathy?

Answer 16

when voters don’t vote because they are happy with what is happening in politics and don’t feel the need to exercise their vote.

Question 17

what is alienation

Answer 17

feeling separate, alone and apart from others– estranged from the rest of society, community or the world

Question 18

what is capitalism

Answer 18

free enterprise economic systems where the means of production are mostly owned by privately

Question 19

communism is?

Answer 19

everything held in common

Question 20

what is happening to turnout in most democracies

Answer 20

turnout has been decreasing each (year)

Question 21

what has the change in turnout led to

Answer 21

concern about the degree of apathy/alienation from the political system – disillusionment

Question 22

why have party differences narrowed

Answer 22

big issues that previously separated them- capitalism and communism– not relevant anymore

Question 23

what was the turnout to the European election in 2014 (most recent)

Answer 23

35.60%

Question 24

turnout to european election in 1979? (first)

Answer 24

31.6%– has fluctuated was 23.6% in 1999

Question 25

other than elections and referendums, what are some forms of participation

Answer 25

1) member of a political party/ serving on a committee
2) membership of a pressure group
3) canvassing and leaflets
4) direct action (strikes, protests etc)
5) political violence

Question 26

what is direct action eg

Answer 26

political action outside the constitutional and legal framework like like in 2008 four protesters breached security at Heathrow airport to protest against a third runway