representative democracy Flashcards
what are the different theories for how MPs should represent their constituents?
- delegate theory of representation
- trustee theory of representation
- party / mandate model of representation
what is delegate theory of representation
elected officials are delegated the responsibility to act in the interests of the people, consider the electorate when making decisions
what is the trustee theory of representation
representatives are entrusted by the voters to use their knowledge to serve the people as they think best
party / mandate model of representation
once the party gains a power by the electorate they can implement their mandate as they wish
aside from voting how else can we get involved with our representative democracy
- campaigns
- writing or meeting your MP
- joining a political party
- joining pressure groups
- consultation with government
- protest
- E-petitions
- Boycotts
- Strikes
volunteering with campaigns
by helping with the campaigns it allows your party of choice to get more publicity
writing to your MP
this will somewhat make a difference but the response will likely be done by an assistant
meeting an MP
this can be very difficult to do but will have more of an impact on his views
joining a political party
membership will increase funding to a party which helps them gain more popularity and implement their ideas
joining a pressure group
this can put pressure on the government to change their policies and the way in which the country is run, especially useful if views align with those of the government
protest
this puts serious pressure on the government because they are forced to do something about the problem
E-petitions
this can warrant a written response from the government or even trigger a debate
Boycotts
this can change what the government sells and advertises
strikes
in the public sector of work this makes a great difference in how the government act because they need public services for the country to be effectively run
