UK DEMOC & PARTICIPATION Flashcards
1
Q
how did abraham lincoln describe democracy as?
A
- ‘government for the ppl, by the ppl, for the people’
2
Q
what is representitive democracy?
A
- ppl elect reps who make decisions on their behalf
- elections are regular, competitive & representitive
- civil liberties are protected
- pol plluralism
- constitutoional checks prevent a concentration of gov power
- assembly reflects makeup of pop
- PGs have oppurtunity & freedom
- indep jud.
3
Q
how does representative democracy look in the UK?
A
- every 5 years, GE held; secretly held, legally binding by FPTP
- freedoms/ rights granted by HRA 2000
- cons, lab, lib dems; numerous no that contest GEs
- UK const sets boundries
- MPs expected to represent views of electorate
PGs integral part - 3 separate branches
4
Q
what are strengths of a representative democ?
A
- accountability
- reps become experts
- practical for complex issues
- gives voice to minority eg HRA & FIA
- trains future leaders eg BJ prominent roles under DC & TM before becoming PM
5
Q
what are weaknesses of representative democ?
A
- parties domination by indivs persuing own agendas
- incompetent/ corrupt politicians
- minority groups may feel concerns are unmerit
- not all vs get rep they want
6
Q
what is direct democracy?
A
- people make the decisions themselves- in its purest form, would be no goiv
- referendums are a form of DD
7
Q
what are strengths of direct democracy?
A
- some forms require a public meeting/ consultation - informed public
- encourages genuine debate- in sc indep ref was conducte din honest & open way
- everyone gets fair say eg 33million+ in EU ref
- org easier w modern tech#- unequal weight to votes
emcourages pop participation- mor eT/O - creates sense of community & responsibility
8
Q
what are weaknesses of direct democracy?
A
- lack of accountability- have to hold a whole pop to account if there’s unforseen consequences
- can divide communities eg EU ref
- can allow ill- educated pop to make decisions
9
Q
how did EU referendum show strengths of direct democracy?
A
- 52% got what they wanted- will of the ppl clear + a pure reflection of their will, entirely democratic
- 33million+, 72% turnout- encouraged participation & engagement
- outcome provided democratic legitimacy for a major constitutional change
10
Q
how did the EU referendum show weaknesses of direct democracy?
A
- sc mainly voted remain- a tyranny of te majority as sc’s wishes get overridden
- impractical- cost tens of millions
- caused political instability as politicians had different deals they supported
- uneducated ppl on a complex issue
- caused lots of divide afterwards, particularly as narrow result- 52%
11
Q
how do the 2024 GE results show strengths of representative democracy?
A
- most pop party (% of votes) has formed gov based on % of seays- clear winner can rep pop
- all of elected MPs will be accountable to voters at nect GE- at most 5 years
12
Q
how do the 2024 GE results show weaknesses of represemtative democracy?
A
- highly disproportionate results- FPTP- millions of vs not represented- so meant voters did not have equal value
- terrible turnout of 59.9%- only ever once been lower- outcome fails to rep entire pop
13
Q
what is a democratic deficit?
A
notion that there are areas of weakness within the UK’s democratic system
14
Q
what is a paticipation crisis?r
A
notion that the health of deomracy is being damaged by a lack of ppl getting involved in politics
- esp at elections, if ppl dont participate and vote, winners can only claim weak mandate- weakens their legit
15
Q
what is turnout?
A
percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot
16
Q
what is output legitimacy?
A
- when legit is gained from performing a valueable functioncrather than being voted in eg hol
17
Q
what is democratic/ input legitimacy?
A
- when ;egit is gained from being elected into power through an election in which a large % of the pop voted
18
Q
when did the GE turnout hit a record low and what was it in 2024?
A
- 2001: 59.4% (TB’s gov)
- 2024: 59.9%
19
Q
why is low turnout problematic for UK’s democracy?
A
- reduces legitimacy- weak mandate
- produces a (class) bias in electoral outcomes- less rep so not microcosm of soc
20
Q
what are some other European countries’ turnouts to compare UK to?
A
- 2024- Croatia: 21%
- EU National Average- 51%
- UK is usually much lower, eg Holland 2017: 82%
21
Q
what are some record low turnout figures for elections apart from GE in UK?
A
- PCC 2012: 15%
- 2014 EU Parliament elections- 35%
22
Q
what evidence shows fewer ppl are active in joining pol parties?
A
- lab & cons both had 1million+ members in 1950s
- today, they are down to the low thousands:
- 172000 cons
- 309000 lab (2023 first time dropped below 400,000 in a over a decade)
23
Q
how can 2024 election’s low turnout be explained?
A
- ppl already thought lab would win (33.7%- lowest % of v a gov has ver won, but 68% seats- most powerful gov in uk ever)
- same w TB’s gov (179 seat maj 1997)- practically guarenteed to win- makes it a rational decision not to vote
- ppl not happy w gov- not voting may be a political statement too
24
Q
how much has general election turnout actually fallen since 1983?
A
- 1983: 72.7%
- so only by 13.3%
- and an anomoly- in 2019, was 67.3%- only 5% dif
25
when was highest GE turnout?
- 1950: 83%
26
what referendums show high turnout of late?
- 2016 EU- 72%
- 2014 sc indep- 85%
27
membership of which parties have been increasing of late?
- lab under Corbyn
- green party- 60,000 in 2025
28
why might party membership figures not be a sign of the health/ crisis of UK democracy?
- more 'floating voters' today who are still interested & engaged in politics but aren't strongly committed to a single party
29
what crisis may there be instead of a participation one?
- may be crisis in electoral turnout rather than political participation
- nowadays, more ways to get involved- eg protests, boycotts, petitions
- GE is only one form of participation
- membership of PGs = increasing- no crisis there
30
how can u become a peer?
- hereditary- 92 atm
- appointed (to a life peer)
- become a bishop- 26 seats reserved for CoE
31
example of a peer with expertise?
- Lord Winston- provides effective scrut & op on scienec and health bills- is on the science & technology committe- select committes scrut work of hoc effectively eg EU committee during Brexit
32
what forms of chamber would hol turn into if elected/ party based?
- BLOCKING MAJOIRTY if maj by opp party
- EXTENSION OF HOC
33
what types of experts are in hol?
- ex-diplomats, former cabinet ministers, academic experts
34
how is independence a strength of unelected hol?
- avoids party whip system- flaws in hoc would be replocate din hol- public dies not want aggresive debates deemed distatesful eg 183 indep peers
- more open to soft resistance eg abstaining/ voting against party if they are in one- most app late in career so not looking for career advancement
35
how much were lab govs defeated between 1997-2010?
450
36
what areguements for elected HoL basivally?
- ACCOUNTABILITY; eg exppenses scandals- £305 per day/ a co-equal leg powered 2nd chamber would scrut leg w more confidence, legit in systematic fashion- atm uk has assymetric bicameralism- hol often only defeats on minor amendments not major bills, would lead to proper separation of leg & exec branches
- REPRESENTATION; not rep of whole pop- not from wide range of bgs eg 92 & bishops, brown & starmer sugg a region based elected sytem- ensures powers enshrined by const to devolved nations, much like germany & US stae based 2nd chambers
37
soph pt gor hol elected?
- no check on PMs overapp- can undermine hol, sometimes on purpose
38
what reforms have already been made to HoL?
- TB reduced hered peers to 92
- Starmer- leg to get rid of all hered peers & make peers retire once 80 years old
39
what are insider groups?
- PGs that work w the gov such as inside parliament, or through regular meetings w ministers eg NEU/ Shelter
40
What are outsider groups?
- PGs that are unable to work directly w gov & have to focus their efforts on infl public opinion (so indirect pressure can be put on gov)
41
what are interest groups?
- PGs that aim to protect the interets of theur members- membership is usu
