1.2 a wider franchise, debates over suffrage and a democratic deficit Flashcards

Question

An example of the UK not doing this well? 'protection of rights and liberties'

Answer 1

- the ECHR is not binding on the UK parliament

Answer 2

- this means people have the freedom to form parties or pressure groups, providing their aims and methods are legal

Answer 3

- there are no restrictions on legal organisations - people may organise and instigate public protests - article 11 of thee ECHR makes it a right to association

Answer 4

- public meetings and demonstrations can be restricted on the grounds of 'public safety' - such as the meeting in a quaker meeting room in april 2025, when 6 women were arrested on conspiracy charges for discussing gaza and climate change https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/03/protest-britain-activists-quaker-meeting-house?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Answer 5

-the usual way to set limits of government power is to define them in a constituiton that will be enforced by the forces of law

Answer 6

- parliament and the courts ensure the government acts within the law - The human rights acts as a restraint on the actions of the government

Answer 7

- there is no codified UK constitution so the limits to government power are vague

Answer 8

- it is the key role of the judiciary to ensure that the tule of law is upheld. - Will ensure that all individuals and groups in society are treated equally under the law

Answer 9

- the judiciary is independent and non political

Answer 10

- 'enemies of the people' 2017 gina miller case

Answer 11

-join a pressure group -become a party member -attend events/forums -run as a representative -vote -petition -write to your MP -protest -e democracy -write a political article

Answer 12

most -standing for public office -active party membership -active pressure group membership -passive party/pressure group memerbship -digital activists -voting least

Answer 13

a lack of engagement with the political process by significant numbers of citizens, either choosing not to vote or not to join or become members of political parties or not to offer themselves for public office

Answer 14

in the 1940s and 50s membership of all political parties rose to over 3 million. Now only 1.77% of the electoral have party membership.

Answer 15

- a huge surge in labour membership when it was made possible in 2015 to join for £3, it icnreased to 325,000, the highest since 1990 - following 2014 Scottish independence referendum, memberships to SNP rose to 5 mil - increase in UKIP membership in the run up to the 2015 election from 30,000 in 2013 to 45,000 in May 2015

Answer 16

-since 1979 voting participation increased from 76% to 77.7% in 1992. it decreased largely in 2001 to 59.4%, but has risen ever since to 68.7% in 2017. -The uk turnout is average compared to western countries, in 2019 Australias turnout was 91.89\5, the uk's 67.3% and americas 55.7%. however much of Europe has a large turnout compared to the Uk like Italy, beluguim, France and Germany. -In recent referendums participation has been 84.6% (2014 soctland) and 72.2% (brexit) , this is an increase from the 2011 Alternative Vote Referendumwith a voter turnout of 42%. however it may be a result of the question asked rather than voters e.g Scottish independence has the largest voter turnout

Answer 17

require little effort and it is immediately clear how much support a particular issue may have

Answer 18

no guarantee the participants know much about the issue

Answer 19

in 2020 175,654 voted to offer more support to the arts and so it was debated and more funding was announced (In 2020, an e-petition titled "Offer more support to the arts (particularly Theatres and Music) amidst COVID-19" garnered 179,699 signatures. This significant support led to a parliamentary debate on June 25, 2020, where the government announced a £1.57 billion funding package for cultural organizations.)

Answer 20

- as membership of and activism in political parties have declined, they have partly been replaced by participation in pressure groups. groups like trade unions and professional associations have been prominent - rspb membership= 1.2 mil - conserve membership=172,000 They are also a method of political participation. 40-50% of the UK population is a member of at least one pressure group.

Answer 21

these groups rely on mass membership, seeking mass activism. they rely on mass active support rather than a large membership

Answer 22

a campaign on current issues can be mounted in just a few hours or days, information about various injustices or demands for immediate action over some kind of social evil can circulate quickly, putting pressure on decision makers and elected representatives. sites such as 38 degrees and change.org help facilitate this the Led By Donkeys campaign effectively utilized social media to rapidly disseminate information and mobilize public opinion during the Brexit process. Beginning with the projection of historical Brexiteer statements on billboards, the group's activities quickly gained viral attention online. Their strategic use of social media platforms facilitated swift information spread, leading to significant public engagement and discussions, which in turn applied pressure on political figures and decisions.

Answer 23

- parties can gather data from social media accounts to help target specific voters with specific issues that will resonate with them. social media allows more personalised campaigning that is relevant to key voters.

Answer 24

- ballot act 1872: this introduces the secret ballot. The main result is that votes can be no longer be bought by corrupt candidates and voters are free to make up their own minds -representation of the people act 1948: until this act some universities returned their own MP. This meant some people, who were members of the universities, had two votes- one for the university member and one for the constituency where they lived. so the principal of 'one person, one vote' is now finally established in the uk

Answer 25

-great reforms act 1832: the franchise is extended to new classes of people including shopkeepers and small farmers and anyone whose property attracts a rent of at least £10per annum. made the franchise 6%of the population, rising from 4% -second reform act 1867: this act extends the right to vote again, though it doubles the electoral to about 2 million. women, the propertyless and tenants of very cheap properties were excluded -third reform act 1884: the franchise is extended to most working men, about 60% of adults have the right to vote

Answer 26

-representation of the people act 1918: women over 30 who are married or a property owner or a graduate can vote - representation of the act (equal franchise act) 1928: this extends the franchise to all adults over 21, including women

Answer 27

representation of the people act 1969

Answer 28

decreased the age for votes to the senead to 16-17 from 18

Answer 29

both refer to the ability/right to vote in public elections. suffragettes were women campaigning for the right to vote on the same terms as men

Answer 30

- members in the house of lords - those sectioned under the mental health act - prisoners - those under 18 - the homeless - EU citizen residents in the UK

Answer 31

- the uk has a blurred age of majority, with the age for various activities being lower than 18. 16 is the age that people can leave full time education ,work for 20 hours a week, pay direct tax, consent to sexual relationships, join the army, get married, consent to medical treatment - the lack of political representation for young people aged between 16 and 18 means that their needs, views and interests are routinely marginalised or ginned. therefore lowing the voting age gives greater attention to and stimulate thinking on issues such as education, drugs policy and social morality. - concerns bout declining civil engagement focuses on the young, as 18 to 24 year olds have the lowest turnout rates, lowering the voting age would re-engage such voters in two ways; by strenghening their interest and to reoriantate politics around issues that have more meaning to young people - the notion that the current voting age is a reflection of intellectual and educational development is flawed. it both ignores the steady rise in educational standards, and the fact that no restrictions are applied to politically ignorant and poorly educated adults

Answer 32

- until 18 most young people are in full time education and continue to live with their parents. this means they are not full citizens and their educational development remains incomplete. most 16-18 year olds are unlikely to be interested in or have knowledge of politics - to regard the lack of representation of 16-18 year olds as a political injustice Is absurd. young people are not permanently denied political representation, it is just delated or deferred. - there is a possibility, that by lowering the voting age, turnout rates may decline, as you voters are less likely to vote than older voters they may choose not to vote - the campaign to lower the voting age is a symptom of a larger trend to erode childhood by forcing adult responsibilities and choices on children and young adults

Answer 33

- the almost certain consequence of introducing compulsory voting would be that turnout rates would increase. a significant impetus for the introduction of compulsory voting in Australia was a decline in voter turnout, which had fallen to 60% at the 1924 election but has remained stable at over 90% since. - governments formed on the basis of compulsory voting a more likely to rest on majority or at the very least, have a much larger percentage of the total electorate. compulsory voting would therefore strengthen the democratic legitimacy of UK governments - making voting compulsory would have wider educational implications in emphasising that political participation is a civic duty - voting voluntarily disadvantages the most vulnerable elements in society, the unemployed and low skilled workers, young people and ethnic minorities, those who are less likely to vote.

Answer 34

- It could be argued to be an abuse of freedom- the removal of the choice not to vote. Some may choose not to vote deliberately, as a political act- this choice would no longer be possible - Although turnout may increase, this does not necessarily mean people will automatically become more engaged in politics - Forcing people to vote may increase the number of ill-thought out and unconsidered choices - Politicians may focus their efforts more on volatile voters, who would not normally vote. Therefore, their interests are considered more than others

Answer 35

- the denial of the right to vote removes a sense of civic responsibility, making rehabilitation harder - there is no evidence that a loss of franchise acts as a deterent - the right to vote is fundamental and cannot be removed - removal of the vote makes a prisoner a non person and further alienates them from society - the ECHR has rules that the blanket ban on prisoners is a violation of the HRA

Answer 36

- those who commit a custodial crime against society should lose the right to have a say in how the country is run - the threat of losing the right to vote prevents criminals and enhances civic responsibility - how laws are made would undermine the principle of justice - prisoners are concentrated in certain constituencies where they are unlikely to remain once free, so they should not be able to choose the local representatives for those communities

Answer 37

voters at 16, is a coalition of a number of different groups that believe the franchise should be extended to 16 and 17 year olds across the UK in all elections

Answer 38

- producing and publishing information through its website - providing templates and advice on how to email local MPS to raise the issue in parliament - providing information and advice on how to raise awareness and campaign locally, in schools and universities - providing advice on how to lobby MPs - organising an initiative called 'adopt a peer' tp encourage members to contact and lobby specific members of the House of Lords

Answer 39

- lowering the voting age to 16 was official party policy in the 2019 manifestos for labour, Lib Dem and the green party - before the 2019 election , seven conservative MPs publicly endorsed lowering the voting age to 16 - the voting age for elections to the Scottish and welsh parliaments has now been lowered to 16 - in 2014 the voting age was lowered to 16 for the Scottish independence referendum - in 2012 a debate on the issue was held in Westminster hall

Answer 40

campaigners in the early part of the 20th century advocating votes for women, who used both parliamentary lobbying and civil disobedience as their methods

Answer 41

the last struggle over suffrage wast to give women an equal right to the vote with men, the first petition to give women the right to vote was presented to Parliament in 1866 but was largely ignore. local movements united in 1897 under the leadership of millicent Fawcett and the national union of women's suffrage societies. it was opened to all and internally democratic, putting pressure on those In power through letter writing, producing publication, peaceful marches and protests. by 1914 the NUWSS had 100,00 members across 400 branches. despite the work fo the NUWSS some women felt the pace of change was too slow, leading to the creation of the Women's; social and political union (WSPU) or the suffragettes in 1903 by emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. it was only open to when and was not internally democratic, it focused on 'deeds not words' using violence and illegal methods to publicise the issue of female suffrage and to put external pressure on those in power. methods included changing themselves to railings, attempting to blow up buildings, destroying letters in post boxes, and going on hunger strikes in resin. they also sold badges and games to raise awareness of their cause. the violence adopted by the WSPU drew attention to the case leading to people talking about the issue, however the violence also cost them support, with people believing that given women the right to vote would be giving in to terrorist actions. it was the work of women during WW1 and the fear of a resumption of the violence of the WSPU that persuaded parliament in 1918 to give women over 30 the right to vote

1.2 a wider franchise, debates over suffrage and a democratic deficit Flashcards

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