U1. Democracy and participation Flashcards
What is direct democracy?
A system where the people are able to make decisions directly on an issue usually in the form of a yes or no response (referendums)
Give reasons in favour of DD?
A pure form of democracy Increased legitimacy Improves participation Increases public engagement Improves political education It functions effectively
Give reasons against DD?
It is not practical Tyranny of the majority - minorities are left out Undermines elected representatives Low turnouts Emotional responses Populist outcomes & Demagoguery
Define representative democracy
A system where the people elect a person or group of people to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf
Describe a pluralist democracy
A system of government where there is competition between different groups who represent popular concerns to the government of the day
Aspects of pluralist democracy
There will be a wide dispersal of powers among competing groups
There will be no elite groups
Groups will be internally democratic
Group leaders will be accountable to their members
There will be a range of access points
The government should be politically neutral
What is Accountability?
This means that those who have been elected in a representative democracy must be made responsible for their policies, actions, decisions and general conduct. Without such accountability, representation becomes largely meaningless
Explain Redress of grievances
The practice, adopted by many elected representatives, of taking up the case of an individual constituent who feels they have suffered an injustice, usually at the hands of government or an agency of the state
Define manifesto
A statement of a party’s agreed policies produced during an election campaign to inform the public about the political platform upon which its candidates are standing. Candidates for the party are expected to support the manifesto and usually do so in the UK, though there may be expectations.
What is a (electoral) mandate?
The principle, operating in the UK, whereby a party that has been elected to the government has the authority of the electorate to carry out its manifesto commitments
What is a civil society?
A collective name for all the various associations, including parties, pressure groups, regions, voluntary organisations, charities etc. to which citizens belong and in which they may become active. Civil society acts as a vital counterbalance to the power of government.
What does ‘limited government’ mean?
A feature of democracies with a constitutional safeguard is that the power of the government should have strict limits and that these limits will be enforced by the judiciary and the legal system in general
Define pluralism
The idea that a wide variety of beliefs, lifestyles, religions etc. can flourish in a society and be tolerated
Define hyperpluralism
A modern phenomenon describing the rapid growth in the number of interest and campaign groups operating in modern democracies. It is feared that the growth in numbers and influence of such groups makes government extremely difficult, as so many different demands and interests have to be satisfied
What is ‘elitism’?
A description of a society or political system where power and influence are concentrated in the hands of a few people and organisations
Explain decentralisation
The process of spreading power from the centre (i.e central government) both towards devolved governments in the national regions and to local government
What is a petition?
An appeal to make something specific happen, usually by demonstrating a high level of popular support
Define ‘purdah’
A phrase used to describe the period before an election or vote where members of local councils or government are not allowed to make any new statements or proposals that could affect the way in which people vote. The period is usually between 4 and 6 weeks
Define pressure group
A group like-minded individuals who come together on the basis of shared interests or a commonly held cause in order to put pressure on policy makers at Westminster and beyond
What is a democratic deficit?
A term used to describe the undemocratic nature of institutions or procedures that are supposed to promote democracy
What is a participation crisis?
A term used to describe a failure of the public to participate in the political process, which can undermine democratic legitimacy
Explain the term franchise
(also known as suffrage) The term ‘franchise’ essentially means the same as suffrage - that is, the right to vote. The franchise has been gradually extended in the UK since 1832 to include all adults over 18 (over 16 in Scotland) with a few exceptions, such as prisoners currently serving a sentence
Explain e-democracy
A name used to describe the growing tendency for democracy to be carried out online in the form of e-petitions and other online campaigns
Who were the suffragettes?
Campaigners in the early part of the twentieth century advocating votes for women, who used both parliamentary lobbying and civil disobedience as their methods
Explain clicktocracy
The increasing practice of taking in surveys, petitions and political campaigns by registering one’s opinion online. The 38 Degrees site is a prominent example of this
What is a promotional group?
An association whose goal is to promote a particular cause or set of beliefs or values. Such groups seek to promote favourable legislation, prevent unfavourable legislation or simply bring an issue onto the political agenda
What is a sectional group?
An association which has an identifiable membership of supporting group. Such groups represent a section or society and are mainly concerned with their own interests
Explain the term ‘lobbying’
An activity, commonly used by pressure groups, to promote causes and interests. Lobbying takes various forms, including organising large gatherings at parliament or council offices, seeking direct meetings with decision makers including ministers and councillors, and employing professional organisations to run campaigns
Define group politics
A term that refers to the idea that political decision making involves meditating between the competing demands of different groups. It also implies that different groups have open access to decision making individuals and bodies and that the demands of different groups are heard
What are civil liberties
The rights and freedoms enjoyed by citizens which protect them from unfair and arbitrary treatment by the state and government. They are also those freedoms that are guaranteed by the state and the constitution. Civil liberties are sometimes referred to as civil rights especially in the USA
Explain common law
Traditional concepts of how disputes should be settled and what rights individuals have. Common law is established by judges through judicial precedents when they declare what traditional, common law should be. It is sometimes described as ‘judge-made law’, although common law judgements can be found in law books or in digital form.
Describe and explain formal equality
The term formal equality refers to aspects of equality that are established by law. The rule of law, in particular, establishes formal equality under the legal system - all must be treated equally by the courts and parliament. Formal equality may also refer to equal treatment for different sections of society, established in law. This is also often described as ‘equal rights’
What is a think tank?
An organisation whose role is to undertake research into various aspects of public policy. They are financed either by government or by private sources or both and they are used by decision makers to inform they policy deliberation. They may be neutral or have a political axe to grind.
What is an insider pressure group?
They have have close links with the decision makers at all levels. They are seen as reasonable e.g would not use methods such as civic disobedience to displace their opinions.
Describe the characteristics of an insider pressure group
- Becoming involved in the early stages of policy and law making, meaning they are consulted by the decision makers and can offer advice and information
- Some groups employ professional lobbyists who can gain access to decision makers
- Government of different levels use specific committees to make decisions about policies. As a result, some groups may be represented in these bodies and have a privileged position. The NFU and IOD have advise the government on these committees. So have trade unions and professional bodies who represent the workers.
- Sectional groups may be called to testify before parliamentary committees, both select and legislative. However, they attend to give advice and information it is also an opportunity to have some long-term influence.
What is an outsider pressure group?
have no links with the government, either because the decision makers do not wish to be associated with them or because they want to maintain independent from governance. For example, Greenpeace, which is very radical, will have nothing to do with the government and the government will have nothing to do with them.
