UK Politics: Democracy & Participation Flashcards
Definition of Constitutional monarchy
Monarchy has little to no power.
Anarchy
No government.
Oligarchy
Power in the hands of a few.
Mandate meaning
Most votes given mandate based on their promises - manifesto.
Direct democracy
Form of democracy where people decide on political initiatives themselves e.g. referendums.
Representative democracy
Democracy where people vote for elected representatives to make decisions on people’s behalf e.g. general elections.
Features of democracy
-Elections
-Representation
-Legitimacy
-Participation
-Accountability
-Rule of law
-Smooth transition of power
-Civil rights
-Education & information
Elections
Should be free, fair & equal so everyone gets an equal say in selection of representative.
However, turnout varies dependant on age.
Representation
Elected must act in best interest of their constituents & people should be able to represent their opinions to elected.
Most elected represent parties.
Legitimacy
Govt & legislature given mandate, so have legal authority as they were fairly chosen in elections.
FPTP distorts party representation.
Participation
People can get involved & contribute to politics & policy making.
Wide range of participation opportunities & some require a lot more commitment.
Accountability
Those elected to govt or local council are held accountable for actions & they should be transparent.
Frequent complaints about how govt try to cover up mistakes.
Rule of law
Laws apply equally to everyone including govt and elected officials. Punishment for anyone who doesn’t oblige.
Argued that politicians believe they are exempt from laws.
Smooth transition of power
Formal process of handing power from one govt to the next - takes place peacefully.
Civil rights
Rights of people are protected and defended in court.
UK lacks embedded rights.
Education and information
Public are well educated politically & have access to accurate information. Enables effected & informed participation.
Lots of news is biased & one sided.
Direct democracy advantages
-promotes accountability
-promotes political education
-enhances legitimacy
-promotes participation
-referendums are engaging e.g. 2014 Scottish independence referendum had 84.6% turnout.
-‘purer form of democracy’
Disadvantages of direct democracy
-lack of political education
-not binding on govt, no obligation for govt to do it.
-populist outcomes can prevail (emotional short term reasoning.)
-turnout is low E.g. AV 2011 had 42%.
-majority could vote something undermining rights of minority group.
-impractical, costly & time consuming.
Representative democracy advantages
-representatives are educated & have knowledge and experience.
-able to take broader view of issues & decision making long term.
-efficient system.
-voters have idea of how representative will act based on party preferences.
Representative democracy disadvantages
-FPTP leads to wasted votes.
-underrepresented outcomes.
-low turnout means under representation.
E-petitions
Any e-petition with over 10,000 signatures received response from govt & over 100,000 earns a debate in parliament - form of DD.
E.g. 2017 1.86 million signatures to stop Donald Trump from making state visit to UK.
Universal suffrage meaning
Right to vote is available to everybody.
Franchise meaning
Who in the country is given right to govern.
Everyone in UK who is registered over the age of 18 can vote.
Enfranchisement meaning
Being given right to vote.
How did suffrage develop?
Before 1832, political power was oligarchy and laid in hands of few people.
Then in 1832, only 2.7 of population could vote, before all adult population was enfranchised.
Relatively peaceful minus some protesting for Chartists, Suffragists & Suffragettes.
Finally everyone but prisoners, peers, under 18s & many foreign citizens can vote.
Great Reform act 1832
1/5 male adults can vote. 5.6% of total population.’
Abolished ‘rotten boroughs’ such as Old Sarum( 7 votes)
- constituency with few voters. (152 seats chosen by fewer than 100)
Second reform act 1867
Passed by conservative govt.
Allowed working class men to vote doubling size of electorate.
1/3 of men could vote.
Third reform act 1884
Liberal govt.
All working men who met a property qualification could now vote.
40% adult men still excluded - rural counties.
Representation of the people act 1918
Product of social & political changes caused by WW1.
All men over age of 21 (19 veterans) could vote.
Women over 30 who met properly qualification could vote.
Representation of the people act 1928
Conservative govt.
Women and men vote equally over age of 21.
Representation of the people act 1969
Harold Wilson’s Labour govt.
Voting age lowered to 18.
Chartists & the class dimension
Chartists demands:
1. All men have vote irrespective of wealth & property ownership.
2. Voting should take place by secret ballot.
3. Elections annually, not every 7 years.
4. Equal sized constituencies.
5. Members of pmt should be paid.
6. Property qualification to become member should be abolished.
Chartists tactics
Compilation of 3 monster petitions in 1839, 1842, & 1848.
Up to 6 million signatures but still rejected.
& violent protests.
Overall, ineffective but long term influenced other groups.
Suffragists & suffragettes demands
- Men and women treated on an equal basis.
Suffragists 1897 led by Millicent Fawcett.
Suffragettes 1903 led by Emmeline Pankhurst & her daughters.
Suffragists
-Peaceful & consitutional methods including meetings, handing out leaflets, petitions, marchers & lobbying politicians.
-“slow moving but unstoppable”
-Had around 100,000 members by 1914.
Suffragettes
-Prepared to break law.
-Chained themselves to railing, disrupted public meetings & did arson. -Went on hunger strikes leading govt to release ‘Cat & Mouse act’ enabling force feeding to suffragettes.
-Emily Davidson trampled by kings horse 1913. Martyred.
Key demands of Suffs
-Women are intellectual equals of men.
-Women paid equivalent taxes.
-Women can vote in elections & become doctors and teachers.
Arguments against women enfranchisement.
-Politics & military “naturally better suited” to men.
-Women are “too emotional”.
-Women’s key role is mothering and wives.
-Women cant make sacrifice for country.
-Drastic actions of suffragettes highlighted emotion.
-Women would outnumber and take over politics.
Conclusion of Suffs
-More effective than Chartists. Given vote in 1918.
-Contribution during war played Mary in their success.
-Nancy Astor first MP. 1919.
-Margaret Thatcher first PM 1979.
Debate over ethnicity, age & the vote.
-Minority groups are significantly underrepresented.
-1987 first POCS elected as MPs.
-2019 parliament 10% of MPs from minority ethnic backgrounds.
-25% black voters & 24% Asians haven’t registered to vote.
Suffrage as a human right
-Until 20th century, voting was a privilege.
-UN Universal Declaration of HR 1948 proclaimed that “everyone has the right to take party in the govt of his country.” “Equal suffrage”.
-Under 18s voting and prisoners is highly debated.
John Hirst case
-Prisoner John Hirst began a legal campaign from prison supported by Prison reform trust to vote. UK high court dismissed in 2001 but 2005 court ruled the blanket ban on prisoners voting was deemed unlawful.
-2017, justice secretary David Lidington proposed granting vote to prisoners on temporary license affecting 100 prisoners at a time.
Why should UK prisoners have the right to vote?
-Part of civil responsibility & rehabilitation is harder without it.
-Voting is a fundamental right.
-No evidence that taking away right to vote is an effective deterrent.
-Alienates prisoners.
-UK must honour courts opinion.
Why shouldn’t UK prisoners have the right to vote?
-Rights come with responsibilities. Prisoners lose right to vote when incarcerated.
-Public disagrees.
-Undermines parliamentary sovereignty.
Forms & Patterns of participation
-Elections, referendums.
-Membership of political party.
-Pressure groups.
-Writing letters to MPs & councillors.
-Protests, marches, strikes.
-E-petitions.
-Social media.
-Boycotting.
Slacktivism definition
Minimalist approach taken by activists online (shallow form) e.g. liking & reposting social media.
Democratic deficit definition
Occurs when govt fall short of fulfilling the principles of democracy & these institutions are discredited in eyes of public.
Partisan dealignment definition
Process where people become less partisan in terms of their support for a particular political party. Voters become less connected to their political party.
Participation crisis?
Evidence for participation:
Voter turnout in elections.
Membership of political parties.
Growing volatility among voters.
Participation through voting
Turnout 84% in 1950.
67.3% in 2019.
59.7% 2024
Recent elections generally have low turnout 20-50%
47% 18-24, 74% over 65s.2019 election.
Participation through party membership
Failing membership of political parties:
Labour: 1 million & trade union support to 485,000 members.
Conservative: 2.8 million to 180,000 members
SNP: 126,000.
Participation & electoral volatility
Wider disillusionment with parties and politicians.
Social class has become less reliable as an indicator of voting behaviour
Newer parties gaining popularity UKIP & Brexit party.
Is there a participation crisis in the UK? Yes.
-low turnout.
-declining membership in political parties.
-partisan dealignment suggests voters feel no affiliation to parties.
-disillusionment w politicians increased since 2009 expenses scandal.
-18-24 ages less likely to vote.
-increase in ‘slacktivism’.
Is there a participation crisis in the UK? No.
-some parties such as the SNP & Green Party have seen growth in membership.
-some referendums and votes have received higher turnouts.
-shift from traditional modes of participation.
-social movements e.g. BLM.
-pressure groups growing membership.
-internet based movements can be powerful & effective e.g. MeTOO campaign.
Is internet improving participation? Yes.
-easy and simple.
-easy access to large amounts of info.
Is the internet improving participation? No.
-not everyone has access.
-still can’t vote online.
-polarisation of what people are shown.
-slacktivism.
-trolling or fake news.
-twitter bots distort reality.
Reforms that could improve political participations
-compulsory voting
-reform of the voting system
-more e-democracy
-votes at 16
Positives & Negatives of compulsory voting
-people compelled to vote.
-political participation is inevitable.
-not democratic to take away the right to vote or not vote.
-people cant afford fines.
-people may not understand English well.
Positives & negatives of reform of the voting system to representative
-people are more hopeful to the fact their individuality can make a difference.
-the party that the actual majority want will be elected.
-instability & no long-term govt.
-complex for votes to understand.
Positives & negatives of more e-democracy.
-will increase political participation.
-easy.
-inclusive for younger generations.
-people may not have access online.
-usually dismissed by govt.
-easier to influence people on vote.
Positives & negatives of votes at 16.
-young people are likely to participate.
-future is dependant on youngsters.
-youth interest won’t be ignored.
-low turnout for young people.
-young are easily influenced & swayed.
-preserving childhood.
Main factors that affect voting
-the ‘primary model’ of voting.
-the ‘secondary model’ of voting.
-class dealignment.
-floating/swing voters.
-identity politics.
-age.
-valence issues.
The ‘primary model’ of voting.
Long term factors such as social class, age, ethnicity implies voting patterns change when voters feels a particular party no longer represents them.
The ‘secondary model’ of voting.
Influence of ST factors like issues about leadership suggests that voting behaviour is much more unpredictable.
Class dealignment
Class became harder to define and therefore harder to predict how PEOPE would vote. Less likely to feel like a party is for them.
Post 1945, W/C tended to vote for Labour.
Floating/swing voters
Willing to switch votes and open to persuasion.
Campaigns appeal to these voters.
Identity politics
A tendency for people of a particular religion, ethnic group, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broad-based party politics.
Age
Younger generation more left wing, older more right.
Valence issues
Uniformly liked or disliked by voters so used to evaluate parties effectiveness e.g. healthcare in NHS.
Primacy definition
Long term inate characteristics: age, region, gender.
Recency definition
Short term influences: party’s leader, campaign, what’s happening at the time.
“Safe seat”
Expected to vote for same party.
“Marginal seat”
Unpredictable, floating voters.
