Systems of Democracy Flashcards
What is Direct Democracy
All individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf. Can be seen today in referendums.
What is Representative Democracy
A form of democracy, through which an individual selects a person to act on their behalf to exercise political choice
Advantages of Direct Democracy
- It is the purest form of democracy
- It can avoid delay and deadlock within the political system
- The facts the people are making a decision gives it great legitimacy
Disadvantages of Direct Democracy
- It can lead to the ‘tyranny of the majority’ whereby the winning majority simply ignores the interest of the minority and imposes something detrimental on them
- The people may be too easily swayed by short-term, emotional appeals by charismatic individuals
- Some issues may be too complex for ordinary citizens to understand
Advantages of Representative Democracy
- Representatives can develop expertise to deal with matters the public does not have time or knowledge to deal with
- Representatives can be held to account for their actions at election time
- Representatives have the time to deal with a variety of complex matters, leaving the public free to get on with their own lives
- In a large modern country, it is the only practical way to translate public opinion into political action
The disadvantages of Representative Democracy
- Representatives may not act in the best interests of their constituents
- It can be difficult to hold a representative to account between elections
- Allowing voters to delegate responsibility to representatives can lead to the public disengaging from social issues and other responsibilities
- Representative bodies can be unrepresentative and may ignore the concerns and needs of minorities
What is a Democratic Deficit
A flaw in the democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy, due to not having been appointed with sufficient democratic input or not being subject to accountability
What was the turnout of the 2001 general election
59.4%
Define Participation Crisis
A lack of engagement with the political process by a significant number of citizens
In 2019 what was percentage of the electorate that were a member of a political party
2% of the electorate were a member of a political party
Less than a million members of political parties
What % has voter turnout been below since 2001
70%
There was a surge in ______ _____ membership in ____ when under new rules it was possible to join the party for just £_
There was a surge in Labour Party membership in 2015 when under new rules it was possible to join the party for just £3
Following the ____ referendum on Scottish independence, membership of the ___ surged, and it claimed to have over _____ members
Following the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, membership of the SNP surged, and it claimed to have over 100,000 members
Arguments for Compulsory Voting
- It may force more voters, especially the young, to make themselves more informed about politics
- By increasing turnout, it would give greater democratic legitimacy to the party or individuals who win an election
- By ensuring that more sections of society are involved, decision-makers would have to ensure that policy’s address all parts of society
- It can be argued voting is a civic duty
Arguments Against Compulsory Voting
- It is a civil liberty violation. Many would argue it is a right to not take part.
- Many voters are not well informed and there would be more ill-informed participation
- It would involve large amounts of public expenditure to administer and enforce the system
- It would favour large political parties against small political parties. Less informed voters may only of heard of better known parties and candidates
