Representative democracy

Question 1

Define ‘representative democracy’

Answer 1

A more modern form of democracy, through which an inidividual selects a person/political party to exercise political choice on their behalf

Question 2

Define ‘accountability’

Answer 2

Those who have been elected in representative democracies must be made accountable for their policies, actions, decisions and general conduct.Without such accountability, representation becomes largely meaningless

Question 3

What are polls?

Answer 3

Another term for an election; they establish the support for a particular person, party or issue

Question 4

What are ‘constituents’?

Answer 4

The ordinary voter who elects a representative, usually based on residence in a specific geographical area

Question 5

What is the most common way of choosing representatives?

Answer 5

Through a formal, competitive election process

Question 6

What would be the problem if representatives were elected without a vote?

Answer 6

It would call democracy into question

Question 7

What does representative democracy ensure?

Answer 7

That those elected to positions of power and responsibilty are held to account by the people

Question 8

Why is accountability important?

Answer 8

It ensures representatives act responsibly and in the interests of the people

Question 9

What will opposition parties do during an election?

Answer 9

Highlight the shortcomings of the government and offer alternatives

Question 10

What will the government do during an election?

Answer 10

Explain and justify what it has done in an effort to be re-elected

Question 11

How are representatives held to account at election time?

Answer 11

They are judged on how well they have represented their constituents and whether their voting record in the legislature has the approval of those same constituents

Question 12

Explain the dilemma that elected representatives face

Answer 12

They have to decide whether they should vote in accordance with their confidence or their constituents’ wishes

Question 13

What did 18th century conservative thinker Edmund Burke write about the dilemma faced by elected representatives?

Answer 13

‘Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement too: and he betrays you instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion

Question 14

How can those in power be held to account between elections?

Answer 14

• Investigations
• Media scrutiny
• Representatives asking questions on behalf of their constituents

Question 15

Explain the idea of ‘national interest’

Answer 15

A term for something that may not be popular but is best for the nation as a whole, and, therefore, MPs have a duty to prioritise it over the demands of citizens.

Question 16

Who normally decided what is in the national interest?

Answer 16

The government, but it is still a source of debate

Question 17

What is ‘redress of grievances’?

Answer 17

This is an ancient function of the house of commons. It involves an MP pursuing a grievance that an individual constituent may have against a public body, usually claiming that they have been unfairly or unequally treated. MPs may lobby ministers and officials or raise the matter in the commons

Question 18

Describe social representation

Answer 18

This implies that the characteristics of the members of representative bodies should be broadly in line with the characteristics of the population as a whole. In other words, they should be a ‘microcosm’ of society and should ‘look like’ society

Question 19

What is the consequence of locally elected MPs sitting in a national parliament?

Answer 19

They are expected to represent the interests of the nation as a whole and do what they believe is right, rather than what people may want. Sometimes this causes them to clash with the local constituency they represent, so they have to resolve the issue in their own way

Question 20

What is the idea behind constituency representation?

Answer 20

A geographical area will have similar socio-economic concerns

Question 21

How can an MP represent their constituency as a whole?

Answer 21

Advocating for increased funding for local services or raising community concerns in parliament

Question 22

How can an MP represent an individual constituent?

Answer 22

This is also referred to as ‘redress of grievances’. This happens when an MP champions a constituent who feels they have been treated unfairly

Question 23

The vast majority of elected representatives are part of what?

Answer 23

A political party

Question 24

Explain the idea of party representation

Answer 24

Members of a party are elected on the basis of its manifesto. This means they are representing their party, and voters understand this

Question 25

Explain the idea of occupational/social representation

Answer 25

Some elected representatives will represent a particular occupational or social group alongside their constituency

Question 26

What wil representatives supported by trade unions often do?

Answer 26

Pursue the cause of groups of workers

Question 27

Give some examples of different social groups a representative could champion

Answer 27

• The elderly
• The disabled
• Members of the LGBT
• Low-income groups

Question 28

What is causal representation?

Answer 28

When representatives are not representing people so much as they are ideas and causes

Question 29

How can causal representation be seen as representing the whole community?

Answer 29

The beliefs and subsequent demands are thought to benefit all, not ust a particular group

Question 30

Which organisations carry out most causal representation?

Answer 30

Pressure groups

Question 31

List some examples of causes that representatives will commonly champion

Answer 31

• Environmental protection
• Individual rights and freedoms
• Greater equality
• Animal rights

Question 32

List the advantages of representative democracy

Answer 32

• Elected representatives normally have better judgement than the masses, as they will be more rational and less swayed by emotion, as well as better informed
• Representatives can protect minority interests
• Representatives have more time to develop their expertise on the specific issues
• Representatives can be held accountable at election times
• If representatives deal with complex political matters, it leaves their constituents able to get on with their own lives
• In a large modern country, it is the only practical way of transfering public opinion into government action

Question 33

List the disadvantages of representative democracy

Answer 33

• Representatives may not act in the best interests of their constituents
• It can be difficult to hold a representative to account between elections
• Allowing the public to delegate responsibilty to a representative can cause them to disengage from social issues and other responsibilities
• Representative bodies can be unrepresentative
• Representative bodies can ignore minority interests