1.2 the franchise

Question 1

What % of the UK does the franchise consist of?

Answer 1

approx 71.5%

Question 1

Before any franchise extension, what % of the population could vote?

Answer 1

2.7%

Question 2

What happened in 1832 to extend the franchise?

Answer 2

The Great Reform Act 1832
Came from the emergence of the rising middle class, who were the biggest contributors to the economy
voting rights were extended to 5.6% of the population (about 20% of men) as the vote extended to property owners. It showed how future groups might persuade further change to happen

Question 3

What happened in 1867 to extend the franchise?

Answer 3

Voting rights extended to skilled workers on the basis of payment of taxes, which doubled the electorate from 1 to 2 million, out of a male adult population of 7 million

Question 4

What happened in 1918 to extend the franchise?

Answer 4

The representation of the people act 1918
Voting rights extended to all men over 21 and all women over 30
As a result of the suffragettes and suffragists action and their efforts in war work, showing they were responsible
Also allowing men who had fought in the first world war to vote

Question 5

What aspects of life changed for women which helped them to get the vote in 1918

Answer 5

-more job opportunities like teachers and nurses
-many men lost lives overseas
-gov afraid of suffragettes being violent again
-David Lloyd George was far more supportive of the idea than Herbert Asquith

Question 6

What happened in 1928 to extend the franchise?

Answer 6

The representation of the people act 1928
Voting rights for all women over 21. This was thanks to the work of peaceful protests by the suffragists who campaigned for legal and political equality

Question 7

What happened in 1969 to extend the franchise?

Answer 7

Representation of the people act 1969
This gave 18-21 year old’s the right to vote
This is due to changing attitudes as young people were becoming more financially independent. Arguably, they were increasingly mature, better educated, better technology allowed them to be better informed and 21 no longer served as an arbitary anchroism

Question 8

Who were the suffragettes?

Answer 8

Organization run by the Pankhurst’s who used violent and illegal methods to protest. It was only open to women

Question 9

What were the aims of the suffragettes?

Answer 9

secure equal voting rights
to be a group of actions, not words
to focus only on the issue of political equality and nothing else

Question 10

What methods did the suffragettes use?

Answer 10

-chained themselves to railings
-smashing windows
-setting fire/blowing up buildings
-destroying letters in postboxes
-going on hunger strike

Question 11

What happened on black Friday?

Answer 11

18th November 1910
A WSPU protest resulted in a fight with police that saw many women physically/sexually assaulted by police
some public felt the police had acted inappropriately but many thought women had brought it upon themselves

Question 12

What was the Cat and Mouse Act?

Answer 12

The gov was worried that women on hunger strike in prison might die and therefore gain public sympathy
The Cat and Mouse Act 1913 allowed women on the brink of death to be temporarily released in order to gain strength and then return to prison when strong enough

Question 13

How did violence of the suffragettes help their cause?

Answer 13

-violence was sensationalized and meant the media reported on what was happening, raising public awareness
-regular attacks kept the public fearful
-brutal suppression by the police helped them gain sympathy
-people already put off by them were no more put off
-at the end of the war, the gov were fearful the suffragettes would become violent again

Question 14

Why did violence not help the suffragettes cause?

Answer 14

-proved women were not responsible enough to have the vote
-the gov couldn’t be seen as giving into terrorism
-violence turned moderate men and women away from the cause
-membership of the WSPU was declining as people turned to the peaceful NUWSS
-the work of the women during the war played a crucial part, not the violence

Question 15

How did suffragette violence end?

Answer 15

The government could continuously ignore the demands as public opinion turned against them
When war broke out in 1914, the WSPU promised to end their violence and began to help the government organise female workers

Question 16

What are the key features of the suffragists?

Answer 16

Various movements united by Millicent Fawcett in 1897 as NUWSS
Membership open to all and it was internally democratic
Their protest was peaceful

Question 17

What was the only aim of the suffragists?

Answer 17

achieve the right to vote for women through constitutional and peaceful means

Question 18

What is votes at 16?

Answer 18

A coalition of groups who believe the franchise should be extended to 16 and 17 year old’s. This is based on the opinion that 16 and 17 year old’s already have lots of responsibility

Question 19

What can 16 year old’s legally do?

Answer 19

-join armed forces
-get married
-consent to sexual relations
-pay income tax and national insurance
-leave school and enter work

Question 20

What are the arguments that 16 year old’s should be able to vote?

Answer 20

-youth participation in Scottish referendum was high
-apathy is the biggest problem the UK faces and engaging people from a younger age would improve political engagement
-lack of education doesn’t prevent adults voting
-young people’s interests can be easily ignored

Question 21

What are the arguments against 16 year old’s having the right to vote?

Answer 21

-unlikely to be interested or informed
-easily influenced by parents
-less likely to vote, undermining an already low turnout
-young people should enjoy childhood and focus on development
-extending the period when someone cannot vote may increase their desire to vote eventually
-few other countries allow voting at 16
-representation isn’t denied only delayed
-It’s unfair people who have worked their whole life could have their votes outnumbered by people who haven’t started work

Question 22

What are some of the events in the timeline of votes at 16?

Answer 22

2009- SNP passes a resolution to allow 16/17s the right to vote in an independence referendum
2015- second reading of private member’s bill in HOC to lower age
2015- Scottish Parliament allows 16/17s vote in all Scottish local and parliamentary elections
2017- Lib Dems commit to lower voting age
2019- Labor pledges to reduce age
2020- Welsh Senedd passes legislation allowing them to vote

Question 23

Why should prisoners be allowed the right to vote?

Answer 23

-removing civic responsibility makes rehabilitation harder
-no evidence loss of vote acts as a deterrent
-the right to vote is fundamental and taking it away alienates them
The ECtHR have ruled the blanket ban is a violation of the human rights act 1998

Question 24

Why should prisoners not be allowed the right to vote?

Answer 24

-those who commit a crime against society should lose the right to have a say in how its run -crime prevention -undermines the principle of justice -prisoners are concentrated in certain constituencies and they are unlikely to remain there when released. Therefore, they should not be allowed to choose the representative for local communities

Question 25

What is the evidence for a participation crisis?

Answer 25

-election participation -party membership -the weakening of group power

Question 26

What are the arguments against a participation crisis?

Answer 26

Increasing turnout more parties pressure group membership social media campaigns

Question 27

How does electoral participation prove there is a participation crisis?

Answer 27

General election turnout from 1945 to 1992 was usually above 74% and reached 84% in 1950. Since 1997 general election turnout has been historically low, with 2001 having the lowest turnout ever of 59%

Question 28

What is the problem with a low turnout?

Answer 28

makes us question the legitimacy of elected officials

Question 29

What does a low turnout leave room for?

Answer 29

allows extremist parties to get a share of the vote, raise their profile and maybe even gain representation. It also allows for a lack of accountability as politicians don't need to fear an electorate that doesn't turnout to hold them to account

Question 30

How does declining party membership show a participation crisis?

Answer 30

now less than 1% of the population are in a political party compared to 3.8% in 1983.

Question 31

Why is a lack of party membership an issue for political parties and the public

Answer 31

reduces their funds and pool of committed activists. It also means a much more limited choice of candidates to put up for election. For the public, a lack of people means there are a smaller group of people influencing government policy

Question 32

How has the weakening of group power affected turnout?

Answer 32

Margaret Thatcher disrupted group activity and favoured individual and free market policies. She weakened the power of trade unions, resulting in a decline of membership and activity. Workers are now left with much weaker voices to represent their concerns to the government. There is also a decline in people willing to fight for collective interests and hold the government to account

Question 33

How is increasing turnout evidence against a participation crisis?

Answer 33

Since 2001, turnout has been growing, suggesting people are increasingly engaging, with a slight dip in 2019. High turnout in referendums show people will engage in issues they care about.

Question 34

How does the rising population show there is not a participation crisis?

Answer 34

Turnout percentages may be lower, but in terms of number of people voting, it's more than ever before.

Question 35

How are more parties evidence for increasing turnout?

Answer 35

Since 2019, 10 parties have been represented in parliament, compared to when party membership was high, about 80-90% of the vote would go to the two main parties

Question 36

How is increasing pressure group membership evidence against a participation crisis?

Answer 36

Membership of pressure groups has risen markedly since the 1980s. This shows rather than a participation crisis, the nature of participation crisis has changed

Question 37

How are social media campaigns evidence against a participation crisis?

Answer 37

In the past, getting people to sign petitions, raising awareness through a protest or holding a mass rally took time, effort and a lot of organisation. By making it easier and cheaper to get involved, social media has given people an opportunity to participate in a way that suits them

Question 38

What is differential turnout?

Answer 38

varying levels of turnout across the UK or between different social groups.

Question 39

How does turnout likelihood change with age?

Answer 39

people over 65 are more likely to vote than under 24s - 71% to 54% likelihood. This is known as the grey vote and is an issue as policies in an election tend to be directed at older people as younger people don't hold them to account

Question 40

What is partisan dealignment?

Answer 40

where voters no longer strongly identify with a party, and their support for a party changes from one election to the next

Question 41

What % of people claim to be fairly or strongly supporting of a political party?

Answer 41

34%

Question 42

What is apathy?

Answer 42

not voting because they aren't interested in politics

Question 43

What is hapathy?

Answer 43

not motivated to vote because they are largely content

Question 44

Why may participation levels be healthier than first thought?

Answer 44

Turnout may be 9% higher than initially thought as it becomes increasingly inaccurate. People buying second homes or people at University can legally appear on more than one council register, but then can only vote once. If a person votes once then it appears as 50% rather than 100%

Question 45

What does the 2019 Audit of Political Engagement suggest about the health of UK representative democracy?

Answer 45

a 15 year high in the number who strongly disagree that political involvement can change the way the UK is run (18%) a record 47% felt like they had no influence over national decision making

Question 46

what are the explanations for young people not voting?

Answer 46

it could be generational and we simply don't care about voting, or people could be more likely to vote when they are older

Question 47

Why is the 2022 Elections Act negative for democracy?

Answer 47

voter ID will be required in future elections, meaning it will disenfranchise thousands of voters, especially younger ones and black people. Around 3.5 million in the UK do not carry any form of photo ID and only 53% of black people have a drivers licence, while 76% of white people do

Question 48

Why is the Tiverton and Honiton 2022 by-election relevant to threat of legitimacy?

Answer 48

This election was triggered after MP Neil Parish resigned due to being caught for watching porn in the HOC. However, despite the publicity given to by election, and the result making history by overturning the Largest Conservative majority ever, with a swing of 29.9% to the Lib Dems, the turnout was only 52%