Politics Paper 1 - Democracy and Participation

Question 1

What are the 6 features of democracy?

Answer 1

1. Representation
2. Accountability
3. Legitimacy
4. Participation
5. Education
6. Power Dispersal

Question 2

What is direct democracy?

Answer 2

A system where the franchise makes decisions without operating through representatives. e.g referendums.

Question 3

What are the pros and cons for direct democracy?

Answer 3

Pro’s

1. increased legitimacy
2. improves participation
3. improves political education through campaigns

Con’s

1. people may vote for populist, short-term reasons
2. tyranny of the majority
3. elected representatives have higher levels of political education
4. turnouts low. 2011 AV - 42%

Question 4

What is representative democracy?

Answer 4

elections are held so that the franchise can elect political representatives who form a legislative assembly.
(Burkes trustee model vs delegate model)

Question 5

Great Reform Act 1832

Answer 5

extended the franchise to property owning males.

franchise is now 5.6% of the population.

Question 6

Second Reform Act 1867

Answer 6

extended the franchise to skilled male workers. This doubled the electorate.

Question 7

Third Reform Act 1887

Answer 7

extended the franchise to all working men who fit a property qualification.

Question 8

Representation of the People Act 1918

Answer 8

extended the franchise to all men over 21 (19 for veterans) and women over age 30 with property qualifications.

Question 9

Representation of the People Act 1928

Answer 9

All men and women over the age of 21 could vote

Question 10

Representation of the People Act 1969

Answer 10

voting age lowered to 18

Question 11

What was the franchise before 1832?

Answer 11

Only rich male landowners could vote. Less than 4% of the population.

Question 12

Hirst vs UK 2005

Answer 12

Hirst, a prisoner serving time for manslaughter argued that the government was in breach of the HRA 1998. The UK high court dismissed the case so Hirst appealed to the ECHR where he was successful. However the UK gov. ignored the ECHR’s recommendations.

Question 13

What is the turnout for GE’s from 1945-1992?

Answer 13

GE turnout was usually above 75% and peaked at 84% in 1950.

Question 14

What was the lowest GE turnout on record?

Answer 14

2001 - 59%

Question 15

What are the 2016 turnouts for sub-national elections?

Answer 15

local council - 34%
Scottish parliament - 55%
PCC - 27%

Question 16

What are the party membership numbers 1983 - 2020?

Answer 16

1983 - almost 4% of the population

2020 - less than 1% of the population

Question 17

What were the GE turnouts for 2017 and 2019?

Answer 17

2017 - 69%

2019 - 67%

Question 18

What are the referendum turnouts for EU, Scottish Independence, AV vote?

Answer 18

EU - 72%
Scottish independence - 84%
AV - 42%

Question 19

What are the positive aspects of democracy in the UK?

Answer 19

1. free and fair elections
2. turnout
3. party system
4. pressure groups
5. parliamentary sovereignty
6. devolution

Question 20

What are the negative aspects of democracy in the UK?

Answer 20

1. unelected elements ( tax credits case study)
2. voting system
3. elitist pressure groups
4. lack of entrenched rights ( un-codified constitution)