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politics ms ellis > topic 1 democracy and participation > Flashcards

topic 1 democracy and participation Flashcards

1
Q

define democracy

A

a system of gov. by the whole population, typically through elected representatives

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2
Q

define direct democracy

A

all individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf

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3
Q

define representative democracy

A

a more modern form of democracy, through which an individual selects a person/political party to act on their behalf

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4
Q

define legitmacy

A

the rightful use of power in accordance with pre-set criteria or widely held agreements eg. the gov’s right to rule following an election

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5
Q

define accountablity

A

where those who have been elected must be made responsible for their policies, actions and decision

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6
Q

define pluralist democracy

A

a political system where there is more than one centre of power

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7
Q

define democractic deficit

A

when govs/institutions fall short of fulfilling the principles of democracy in their practises of operation

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8
Q

define participation crisis

A

a situation where a large proportion of the population don’t engage with the political process, such as not voting in elections

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9
Q

define think tank

A

an organisation that gathers a group of interdisciplinary scholars to perform research around particular policies, issues or ideas

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10
Q

define franchise/suffrage

A

the ability and right of someone to vote in an election

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11
Q

define lobbying

A

the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies or decisions of gov officials

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12
Q

define common law

A

the part of English law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes (laws passed through gov)

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13
Q

define formal equality

A

equal status for all members of society regardless of social background

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14
Q

features of a direct democracy

A
  • pure ‘Athenian’ form of democracy
  • all tax paying citizens have a vote of equal value
  • everyone makes decisions equally and fairly
  • can avoid delay/deadlock in politics
  • eg. Switzerland
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15
Q

cons of a direct democracy (and how is it now used)

A
  • impractical due to current nature of modern politics
  • can lead to the ignoring of minorities
  • people may be too easily swayed by short term emotional appeals
  • some issues may be too complex for the ordinary citizen to understand
  • now used as an enhancer of legitimacy in democracy
  • eg. in the form of referendums
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16
Q

features of a representative democracy

A
  • most common type of democracy
  • people choose representatives to make decisions for them (elected in a formal process)
  • representatives are held accountable by the people
  • during campaign parties put forward their ideas and opinions
  • regular investigations and media scrutinies ensure those representing are being held accountable
  • eg. UK
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17
Q

general pros of direct democracy

A
  • people directly vote (more legitimacy)
  • makes people more educated
  • everyone’s vote has equal value
  • moves away from authoritarianism
  • reduces the chances of a participation eg. Brexit ref - 72% voted
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18
Q

general disadvantages of direct democracy

A
  • people may be easily influenced
    eg. lie during Brexit ref. that claimed to give £300 million a week to the NHS using the money that would have been spent on the EU
  • polarising - politcal chaos
  • Gov has control over question
  • results CAN (but realistically won’t) be ignored
  • tyrany of the majority
  • less compromisable
  • general public has a lower level of understanding of political issues
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19
Q

general pros of representative democracy

A
  • representative can develop expertise to deal with matters
  • representatives can be held accountable of their actions - representatives have time to deal with complex matter
  • the most practical way of dealing with general public opinion
  • elected representatives can protect the interests of minorities
  • compromises
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20
Q

general cons of representative democracy

A
  • MPs may not act in the best interest of constituents (party allegiance)
  • can lead to public disengagement from social issues
  • representative bodies can be unrepresentative and may ignore the concerns and needs of minorities
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21
Q

forms of representation in the UK

A
  • constituencies
  • parties
  • mandate and manifesto
  • pressure groups
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22
Q

ways constituencies are representative

A
  • individuals should have their grievances considered
  • interest of the whole constituency should be given a hearing
  • elected reps are held accountable
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23
Q

ways parties are representative

A
  • UK parties have an ideology centred belief, so everyone is represented through the party’s common belief
    HOWEVER: only one party governs the UK
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24
Q

ways government is representative (mandate and manifesto)

A
  • the elected gov represents everyone as a whole
    HOWEVER: they may represent one group more than others
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25
Q

ways pressure groups are representative

A
  • policies are formed by people in a society to benefit their group eg. Farmer’s Union
  • casual representation represents the beliefs of people
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26
Q

CASE STUDY: ‘the Doctor’s mandate’

A
  • theoretically, if the PM believes if a policy is best for a country they may go against a manifesto
  • eg. boris johnson going against his manifesto and raising taxes for the NHS
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27
Q

CASE STUDY: May’s Heathrow decision

A
  • going against her local constituents’ beliefs, and her prior promises
  • trying to restore a post-Brexit economy
  • TM attempted to open a 3rd Heathrow at runway
  • locals would be forced to move away from the building
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28
Q

features (criteria) for a liberal democracy

A
  • peaceful transition of power
  • free elections
  • fair elections
  • widespread participation
  • freedom of expression
  • freedom of association
  • protection of rights and liberties
  • rule of law
  • a constitution
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29
Q

IS THE UK A LIBERAL DEMOCRACY? arguments FOR

A
  • UK is conflict free in terms of transition of power
  • nearly everyone over 18 can vote
  • proportional systems in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • there is extensive membership of PG, which are free and active
  • growing participation in e-democracy
  • press and broadcast media are free of government influence
  • no restrictions on legal organisations
  • public protests may be organised
  • strong protection of rights and liberties (ECHR)
  • rule of law strictly upheld by judiciary
  • parliament and courts make sure gov acts within the law
  • HRA acts a restraint on gov
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30
Q

IS THE UK A LIBERAL DEMOCRACY: arguments AGAINST

A
  • short lived disputes when there have been unclear election results in 2010 and 2017
  • some groups can’ vote eg. prisoners and the homeless
  • HoL remains unelected
  • FPTP disproportional system
  • low voter turnout
  • much of the media is owned by few large powerful companies
  • uncodified constitution
  • Parliament is sovereign so could technically overturn right protection laws
  • those of higher socio-economic status are treated differently in the eyes of the law
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31
Q

C.S - Police, Crime and Sentencing Act 2022 (protest bill)

A
  • empowers police to take action against crime and sentencing legislation, restrictions of protests
  • Priti Pratel - post extinction rebellion and BLM
  • impacts the rights and liberaties/freedom of expression AND freedom of association
  • supposedly helps the justice system/rule of law
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32
Q

C.S - Bill of Rights 2022

A
  • replacing the HRA 1988
  • new permission state (you have to claim that you’ve had a severe infringement on your rights)
  • lowered the level of protection and weakens the ability to enforce rights through courts to hold the state accountable
  • harder to access courts
  • damages UK international reputation
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33
Q

C.S - Elections Act 2022

A
  • required photo ID at elections
  • impacts democracy since most photo IDs cost money
  • meaning lower income people may have limited access to voter participation
  • infringes on rights to free and fair elections
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34
Q

C.S - Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022

A
  • the court will no longer need to justify making a regular quashing order
  • any decision taken by a public body can be challenged in a judicial review by a HC judge
  • gives more power to unelected judges to challenge public bodies and cases
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35
Q

C.S - Nationality and Borders Bill 2022 (small boats legislation)

A
  • made provisional to differentiate between asylum seekers and people entering the country illegally
  • supposedly strengthens the protection against modern slavery (human trafficking)
  • goes against people’s rights and liberties to seek asylum
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36
Q

what are the 6 ways to participate in UK politics

A
  1. standing for office (MP)
  2. active party membership
  3. active PG membership
  4. passive party or group membership
  5. digital activism
  6. voting
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37
Q

MP work

A
  • most intensive
  • attending meetings, campaigning, meeting constituents, making decisions
  • lots of time and effort
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38
Q

active party membership

A
  • fully engaging with the party you support
  • attending local meetings, voting for officers, campaigning
  • trying to gain support
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39
Q

active PG membership

A
  • helping to raise money and awareness
  • attending/organising demonstrations and other forms of direct action
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40
Q

passive party or group membership

A
  • supporting the group
  • minimal active participation
  • helping at elections/signing petitions
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41
Q

digital activists

A
  • individuals take part in online campaigns and movements
  • signing e petitions, joining social media campaigns, expressing support
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42
Q

voting

A
  • most fundamental and least taxing
  • citizens vote at least once a year
43
Q

evidence for a lack of participation in democracy

A

gen elect turnout
1950: 83.9%
2010: 65.2%
only 2.11% of electorate have party membership

44
Q

define participation crisis

A
  • a lack of engagement with the political process by a significant number of citizens
45
Q

how do Parliamentary institutions contribute to democratcic deficit

A
  • FPTP leads to wasted voted, sometimes over half ( 2010: 52.8% voted against)
  • other elements of parliament are undemocratic eg. HoL
46
Q

what does current political party participation look like in the UK

A
  • steady decline since 1940/50s
  • currently only 2.11% of the electorate are part of a political party
47
Q

recent exceptions in low party membership

A
  • surge in Labour party membership in 2015 when Ed Miliband changed the subscription to £3 which enabled a wider selection of young supporters
  • post Scottish ref. in 2014 there was a surge in SNP membership
  • surge in UKIP membership in the run up to 2015 election
48
Q

what does current political participation look like in terms of voting

A
  • 2019 election had a turnout of 67.3% from high of 77.7% in 1992
  • general trend of falling turnout
49
Q

improving engagement with politics

A
  • compulsory voting
  • digital democracy and e-petitions
  • pressure groups
50
Q

compulsory voting pros

A
  • voting is the least intensive form of participation
  • may force people into making themselves more politically informed
  • gives a greater demographic to the winning party and therefore a larger mandate
  • supposedly a civic duty
51
Q

compulsory voting cons

A
  • civil liberties violated
  • uninformed voters would spoil the participatory system
  • would involve large amounts of public expenditure
  • would favour large over small parties
  • some people don’t vote as a political statement
52
Q

digital democracy and e-petitions pros

A
  • fast growing in popularity
  • require little effort
  • can be done quickly
  • EG. investigation into Hillsborough football stadium tragedy
  • EG. offer more support to the arts amidst the Covid 19 pandemic
53
Q

digital democracy and e - petitions cons

A
  • requires little effort so people may not know what they’re signing for
  • no political regulation on social media
  • target specific areas meaning lots of people will go unknowing
  • polarising
  • didn’t work when trying to stop Article 50 - 6 million signed and no effect
54
Q

PG pros

A
  • replacement of party membership and activism
  • millions of people involved
  • eg. trade unions
55
Q

PG cons

A
  • rely on mass participation
  • rely on movement and active support rather than membership
56
Q

overall assessment of participation crisis in UK

A
  • political action is more widespread than ever before
  • may be less intensive
  • the fall in voting turnout and party membership has been largely overtaken by the growth of alternative forms of political participation
  • the UK isn’t in a crisis, its just simply evolving and adapting to modern society
57
Q

CASE STUDY - Labour’s ‘youthquake’

A
  • Ed Miliband’s change membership fee to £3, attracting younger votes
  • Jazza’s youth quake was largely due to the increased social media presence (digital democracy)
58
Q

3 suffrage acts over the years

A
  • Great Reform Act 1832 - franchise extended to various rent-owners and now 6% can vote
  • Representation of the People Act 1918 - most adult men given the right to vote, plus women over 30 (married or property owners)
  • Representation of the People Act 1928 - all adults over 21
59
Q

voting and suffrage in the UK case study - SUFFRAGETTES

A
  • the idea first presented in Parliament in 1866, but ignored
  • Manchester Society for Women’s Suffrage established, inspiring other local communities in the UK
  • these communities came together in 1897 as the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) (suffragists)
  • gained up to 100,000 members in 1914
  • open to all and practised peaceful protest eg. letters, petitions etc
60
Q

voting and suffrage in the UK case study - suffragettes - what happened after the peaceful methods weren’t working?

A
  • some women felt the pace of change was slow
  • the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was formed in 1903
  • open exclusively to women and practised violent protest
  • including disrupting meetings, changing themselves, hunger strikes (to die as martyrs)
  • in 1918, married women over 30 were granted the vote
61
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - should 16/17 year olds be allowed to vote? argument FOR

A
  • would increase public participation as more of the public is allowed to take part
  • would require increased political education, resulting in a more educated public on political affairs
  • younger votes could help balance the radical and the older votes (typically older voters)
  • would force politicians to think about young people’s issues
62
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - 16/17 year olds allowed to vote? argument AGAINST

A
  • the younger generations are undereducated and possibly can’t be trusted to make big decisions like who to vote for
  • most would only vote how their parents vote
  • the young tend to be excessively radical as they have not had the experience to consider things carefully
63
Q

CASE STUDY: votes at 16

A
  • Votes at 16 is a coalition of a number of different groups that believe franchise should be extended o 16/17 year olds
  • founded in 2001 under the British Youth Council
  • producing and publishing information through its website
  • some success in moving the opinion of political supporters and gaining wider support
  • Scottish and Welsh elections have lowered the age
64
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - should voting be compulsory? arguments FOR

A
  • creates a stronger mandate
  • improves demographic variation for electorate
  • improves democratic legitamacy
  • creates a more knowledgable nation
65
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - should voting be compulsory? arguments AGAINST

A
  • can create an elective dictatorship
  • expensive
  • reduces people’s rights not to vote (some people choose not to vote as a political statement) - issue of free speech
  • would mainly only help the 2 main parties
66
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - should prisoners be allowed to vote? arguments FOR

A
  • prisoners are still people at the end of the day
  • currently going against ECHR
  • prisoners are still members of society
67
Q

modern campaigns for suffrage - should prisoners be able to vote? arguments AGAINST

A
  • by committing a crime you sign your rights away
  • prisoners don’t pay tax
  • prisoners aren’t really a part of public life
68
Q

define pressure groups

A

a membership based organisation whose aim is to influence policy making without seeking power

69
Q

what are some functions of pressure groups

A
  • call gov to account
  • to inform/educate the public
  • to pass key information to gov
  • to influence policy and gov
  • to protect the interests on minority groups
  • to represent and promote the interests of certain sections
  • to give the public an opportunity to participate in politics
  • to promote certain causes that have not been adequately taken up by big political parties
70
Q

list the different types of PG

A
  • causal groups
  • sectional groups
  • insiders
  • outsiders
71
Q

features and examples of causal PG

A
  • seek to promote a particular cause (could to be broad or specific)
  • campaign to change laws
  • Greenpeace, Liberty
72
Q

features and examples of sectional PG

A
  • represent a particular section of the community
  • self interested in the hopes to change things for the community
  • eg. unions, Age UK, Fathers 4 Justice
73
Q

features and examples of insider PG

A
  • close links to decision makers
  • seek to be involved in early stages of policy
  • used to help make decisions
  • give advice and info
  • eg. National Farmers Union
74
Q

features and examples of outsider PG

A
  • usually promotional groups
  • no position within governing circles
  • the group wishes to remain independent
  • lots of public campaigning
  • seek to demonstrate that the public is on their side
  • eg. Animal Liberation Front
75
Q

methods used by PG

A
  • access points and lobbying
  • e-petitions
  • civil disobedience
  • media campaigns
76
Q

PG methods: access points and lobbying

A
  • an activity that promotes causes and interests
  • eg. large gatherings, seeking direct meetings, and employing organisations
77
Q

PG methods: public campaigning

A
  • groups without direct access to the gov tend to mobilise public demonstrations to convince the gov to listen to them
  • organising mass demonstrations
  • creating e-petitions
  • using celebrities to gain support
  • eg. Extinction Rebellion
78
Q

PG methods: civil disobedience

A
  • illegal methods, often used as a last resort
  • used as means of gaining publicity
  • eg Greenpeace, Just Stop Oil
79
Q

PG methods: media campaigns

A
  • can be very important
  • using press TV, radio
  • publicising concerns
  • although most broadcast media is neutral, some programming may publicise an issue to the benefit of the cause
80
Q

factors in the success and failures of PG

A
  • size of membership
  • finance
  • strategic position of a particular sectional group
  • public mood
  • attitude of the movement
81
Q

C.S - causal PG

A

ASH

82
Q

C.S - causal PG: ASH

A
  • Action on Smoking and Health
  • spreading information about tobacco use
  • conducts research and publicises information
  • insider group, concentrating on lobbying lawmakers and gov
83
Q

C.S successes of ASH

A
  • restrictions on advertising tobacco products and tobacco sponsorship
  • health warnings on cigarette packs
  • persuading governments to increase taxf
84
Q

C.S failures of ASH

A
  • no success in changing gov policy in areas of e-cigarettes
85
Q

C.S reasons for ASH success

A
  • helps government make policy by providing evidence and information
  • acts responsibly and has built up a network of supporters within gov
86
Q

C.S sectional PG

A
  • RMT Union (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers)
87
Q

C.S: sectional PG - RMT Union

A
  • founded in 1990
  • promotion of better pay and conditions for its members including shorter hours and safer working hours
  • negotiates contracts with major transport companies, including TFL
  • lobbies gov for better legislative protections
  • organises and conducts strikes
  • has, in the past, put up members for election and affiliated with the Labour party
88
Q

C.S: successes of the RMT Union

A
  • in 2016 secured a £500 consolidation payment to all operational staff following Night Tube service
  • the RMT has helped members bring legal cases following injury
  • securing bonus payments during 2012 Olympics
  • improving safety standards on offshore oil platforms
  • credit union to help members with their finances
89
Q

C.S failures of the RMT union

A
  • closed ticket offices on the tube network
  • gov removed guards from trains
  • campaigns for higher wages not always met
90
Q

C.S reasons for RMT Union success

A
  • represents workers on a strategically important transport network
  • strikes have large consequences on the country
91
Q

C.S causal outsider PG

A

Greenpeace

92
Q

C.S causal outsider: Greenpeace

A
  • dedicated to preserving endangered species of animals, preventing animal abuses, heightening awareness
93
Q

C.S methods of Greenpeace

A
  • investigations into exposing those responsible for the destruction of habitats
    -lobbying
  • peaceful direct action
94
Q

C.S successes of Greenpeace

A
  • wind power
  • low emissions
  • diesel and petrol cars to be banned 10 years early
95
Q

C.S failures of Greenpeace

A
  • emissions are still high
  • world leaders not responding fast enough
96
Q

C.S reasons for Greenpeace failures/successes

A
  • harder for them to access gov as they are an outsider group
  • large membership
97
Q

C.S sectional PG

A
  • BMA (british medical association)
98
Q

C.S sectional PG: BMA

A
  • promotes the medical and sciences
  • to maintain the interests of the medical profession on behalf of doctors and nurses
99
Q

C.S methods of BMA

A
  • research top back the cause
  • negotiate contracts
  • campaign to raise awareness
  • lobby and influence policy
100
Q

C.S successes of BMA

A
  • has had successful campaigning on many issues
101
Q

C.S failures of BMA

A
  • some say it doesn’t strike to protect staff or NHS, just itself
102
Q

C.S reasons for successes/failures of BMA

A
  • large organisation with lots of funding
103
Q
A

politics ms ellis (1 decks)

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