Power And Influence Flashcards
opportunities for participation
Politics by voting or campaigning on a local, national or global issue
The local community by volunteering for local charities
Serving in society such as a magistrate
barriers to participation
Busy lives or lack of time from working long hours or childcare
A lack of interest (apathy) about politics, feeling there is no point as it makes no difference
A lack of awareness and education on how to exercise power and influence
Worry about process or the impact of their position in society on others
Examples of direct citizenship action
Join or start a campaign, March, demonstration, protest
Boycott companies or countries in protest of there actions or policies, or go on strike
Examples of indirect citizenship action
Join a political party, vote in elections and referendums , stand for election as a councillor or mp
Lobby politician’s or join a pressure group
Improving voter engagement
Make voting compulsory with fines for those who fail to vote
Increase face to face meetings between candidates and voters
Improve citizenship education for young people
Place polling stations at work or stores so it is convenient to vote
Digital democracy
Digital democracy involves the use of online technology to engage voters with election campaigns and make them more likely to vote
Voting at home or on a phone is easier and more accessible than going to polling station
E- voting could improve voter engagement
Democratic features
Free and fair elections
Government checks and balances
Citizen support for the government
Freedom of expression
Public institution and services
Funded by the state through people’s income tax and national insurance
Staffed by payed workers
Government offers them to support citizens in there everyday lives for example the NHS ensures all citizens have access to free healthcare
Charities and voluntary groups
They work to support cause or groups in society and are non for profit making
They aim to raise awareness and funds for their cause in order to improve conditions eliminate diseases or create social change
Interest and pressure groups
Thousands of pressure groups represent a huge number of causes that give people a voice, helping the government to get a better idea of public opinion
Many are voluntary organisations thought some do have payed staff
Charities often act as pressure groups for a cause in their area of focus
They use direct or indirect methods to try and change government policy, influence public opinion, or change the way that private companies operate
They hold the government to account by spreading power and influence in society
Trade unions
Trade unions act on behalf of workers such as teachers , doctors, train drivers and shop workers
They help to protect workers rights and campaign to improve pay and conditions
They use collective bargaining to negotiate with employers on behalf of members
They can represent a worker at a tribunal if there is a dispute with the employer
Freedom of expression
Citizens know what is happening in society and make informed voting decisions
Citizens can hold the powerful to account
Influencing and reporting
Informs the public accurately through reporting facts
Influences the public about what to think through reporting opinions
Investigating and scrutinising
To investigate issues and expose problems that are in the public interest
To scrutinise the government and those in power, holding them accountable
Rights of the media
Freedom of expression
The media can criticise governments without fear of being prosecuted
The media can access a lot of government and local authority information
The media can check that politicians and companies are not breaking the law or acting unethically
Accuracy and respect in reporting
A newspaper can be sued for the civil offence of libel if they write untrue things about people
People can sue the media for the civil offence of slander if the media says untrue things about them
Role of a press regulator
The BBC is governed by a royal charter, it has a responsibility to be impartial and a duty to inform, educate and entertain
Why censorship may occur
To protect national security, keeping sensitive information from enemies
To protect people from harmful and offensive content
Influence through social media
Facebook likes and shares can help a message to spread widely
People regularly use their phones to access news and media
Many mp’s use blogs and social media profiles to promote their policies
The European Union
Aims are to encourage greater cooperation on issues such as peace, security and social issues between member countries
Benefits of the eu is free trade which means countries can trade goods without going through expensive border checks
Drawbacks member states have to pay into the EU to fund all of its operations
The United Nations
It is an international organisation that was set up by the international community in 1945 after ww2 to avoid wars and solve global problems
Benefits of the un is that the uk can count on assistance from other members in the event of a disaster
Drawbacks are the uk has to pay a membership fee
The commonwealth
It is made up of countries once part of the British empire
It aims to promote economic, social and sustainable development, support democracy and peace, and protect the environment
Benefits are the uk can rent on support from other members if attacked or if a disaster occurs
Drawback is the uk must pay a lot of money into the commonwealth
World trade organisation
It’s aims are to make trade more free , open and transparent, so that all the members can do business In an atmosphere of trust
Benefits of the world trade organisation is that trade is smoother and members know the rules and stick to them
Drawbacks are the uk cannot be biased in favour of uk companies
NATO
Aims to guarantee freedom and security of members by military and political means and solve problems through negotiation with military back up if force is needed
Benefits are the the uk can work with other countries and improve the security of the uk
A drawback is the uk must spend 2% of its budget funding nato
