3.1.2.1 democracy and participation Flashcards
Democracy
A system where power is held by ‘the people’
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
Represenative democracy
A system where the people elect a person or group of people to represent their intrests and make decisions on their behalf
pluralist democracy
A system of government where there is competition between different groups who represent popular concerns to the government of the day
in a pluralist democracy
-there will be a wide dispersal of power 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 are the functions of democracy
-representation
-accountability
-participation
-power dispersal
-legitimacy
-education
arguments in favour of direct democracy
-a pure form of democarcy
-increased legitimacy
-improves participation
-increases public engagement
-improves political education
-it works
arguments against direct democracy
-it is not practical
-tyranny of the majority
-undermines elected representatives
-low turnouts
-emotional responses
-populist outcomes
positive aspects of democracy in the uk
-free and fair elections
-turnout
-universal suffrage
-the party system
-pressure groups
-parliamentary sovereignty
-devolution
negative aspects of dmeocracy in the uk
-unelected elements
-turnout
-the west lothian question and EVEL
-the voting system
-lack of meaningful choice
-elitist pressure groups
-weaknesses of the electoral commision
-lack of entrenched rights
purdah
A phrase used to describe the period before an election or vote where members of locsl councils or government are not allowed to make any new statements or propsals that could affect the way in which people vote. the period is usually between 4 and 6 weeks
pressure groups
a group of 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
democratic deficit
A term used to describe the undemocratic nature of institutions or procedures that are suppossed to promote democracy
participation crisis
A term used to describe a failure of the public to participate in the political process, which can undermine democratic democracy
Franchise
the right to vote in elections
what extenstion of the franchise happened in 1832
voring rights extended to property owners
what extenstion of the franchise happened in 1867
voting rights extended skilled workers
what extenstion of the franchise happened in 1918
voting rights extended to all men over 21 and women over 30
what extenstion of the franchise happened in 1928
voting extended to everyone over 21
what extenstion of the franchise happened in 1969
voting rights extended to everyone 18 or above
traditional methods of participating
-voting
-joining a political party and helping it to campaign
-joining a pressure group
-organising or signing a petition
-going on a march
-going on a strike
-writing a letter
-standing for public office
modern developments in participation
-e-petitions
-blogging
-protesting on social media
-organising a demonstartion via social media
slacktivism
this is the term used to describe new methods of participating, as they require little energy
reasons there is a participation crisis
-electoral participation
-party membership
-the end of corportism
turnout in 1945 to 1992
75%
what was the 1950 election turnout?
84% - highest ever recorded
what the 2001 general election turnout?
59% - lowest ever recorded
other general election turnout
2005 - 61%
2010 - 65%
2015 - 66%
2017 - 69%
2019 - 67%
what is a problem with low turnout?
as it questions the legitmacy of the elected government
How many members did labour have in the 1950s?
1 million members
How many members did conservatives have in the 1950s
2.8 million
what percentage of the uk population is part of a political party as of 1983?
3.8% and since then this number has decreased to 1%
what is corportism?
refers to the process of incorporating different groups into the workings of the government
how many members did the labour party have in 2011?
193,000
how many members did the conservative party have in 2011?
130,000
what percentage of adults aren’t even registered to vote?
10%
How many members does the RSPB have?
1.5 million
what is the turnout for assembly elections?
they rarely achieve 50%
whats the turnout for local elections?
30%
what is the turnout for police and crime comission?
12%-14% with a low of 8%
how many parties were there in the last parliament?
11
how many parties were there in the 2017 general election
8
how many memebers did labour have in 2017
500,000
what is the turnout for the EU referndum
72%
what percentage of people claim to be strong supporters of a political party?
34%
Modern World democracys
In the modern world, particularly in the west, democracy is seen as the purest and most effective way of ruling a state, but this has not always been the case. Indeed, for centuries democracy was seen as an insult and something to be feared.
Modern democracies
In modern democracies, checks are put in place to limit the power given to the people. In America, the Declaration of Independence declared all men to be created equal and a founding principle of the constitution was the establishment of democracy, but various institutions were created to limit and check the power of the people and initially it was only wealthy, white men who could vote.
In britain has the extent of power given to the people been limited
yes
Why is British democracy power limited?
The House of Lords and the power of the monarch, for centuries only wealthy, male landowners had the right to vote for MPs. The franchise has been extended over time to include property owners, all men, women and eventually those over the age of 18. Yet even today, there are concerns about further extending the right to vote to other groups of people, such as 16- and 17-year-olds and those in prison. The argument is always the same — are these groups intelligent enough, capable enough and responsible enough to make decisions in the best interests of everyone in society?
Does how democracy is exercised change between state
Yes, some rely on majoritarian democracy and other on liberal democracy.
Does the definition of democracy change between country
Yes, for example, China - they hold elections but you can only vote for the chinese communist party
Different types of democracy
Some democracies are presidential while others are parliamentary, or even rely on a constitutional monarchy. All are democracies, but how effectively they allow the people to exercise power, and whether or not people power is in the national interest, is a matter of debate for each type.
Can people be trusted?
In the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, turnout was 72.2%, of whom 52% voted to leave. As a result, the British government is pursuing a policy that will fundamentally change the way Britain works — politically, socially and economically. Such a monumental decision was effectively made by only 37.7% of the voting population.
what issues did many people vote on in the EU election which turned out to be due to a lack of education?
- parliamentary sovereignty
- immigration
- dissatisfaction with the government at the time
NHS claim which led people to vote leave in the referendum
Much had been made of a claim that £350 million that was sent to the EU every week could instead be spent on the NHS.
after the NHS claim
The claim was contested before the vote and, after the vote, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the claim should never have been made, because there is no guarantee that the money could be redirected in this way.
Forms of democracy
- Liberal democracy
- Majoritarian democracy
- Parlaimentary democracy
- Presidential democracy
- Direct democracy
- Representatice democracy
Liberal democracy
In this form of democracy, the right to vote will be widespread and representatives will act in the interests of everyone in society.
Majoritarian democracy
This is a system whereby the will or desires of the majority of the population are the prime considerations of the government
Parliamentary democracy
This is a system where parliament stands
as the highest form of authority. The executive branch will be drawn from and accountable to the people’s representatives in parliament.
Presidential democracy
This is a system where the executive will be
elected separately from the legislative body and is therefore chosen by and directly accountable to the people.
Parliamentary and presidential democracy
Parliamentary democracy;
- The government is drawn from members of
parliament.
- The government is held to account by
parliament.
- There is a unified system, whereby the
executive and legislature are from the same
party.
- The head of state and head of government
are likely to be separate.
Presidential democracy
- The government is elected separately from
members of the legislature.
- The electorate holds the government to
account.
- There is the possibility of a divided
government when different parties control
the executive and legislature.
- The head of state will usually be the head of
government as well.
Functions of democracy
- Representation
- Accountability
- Participation
- Power dispersal
- Legitimacy
- Education
Representation (FOD)
There must be a means of the people being able to put their views to the government of the day.
Accountability (FOD)
There must be a process by which the government of the day can be made to explain and take responsibility for its actions.
Participation (FOD)
There must be a way in which the people can be
engaged and take part in the political process.
Power Dispersal (FOD)
There should be a system that ensures power is
spread across different political bodies to avoid one body becoming overly dominant.
Legitimacy (FOD)
The process for the selection of the different branches of government should have legal authority and fairly represent the will of
the people.
Education (FOD)
The political process should be open to all and there should be an educated and informed citizenry who are able to understand the issues and make informed decisions.
system of direct democracy
Direct democracy refers to a system where the eligible citizens make the political decisions themselves without operating through anyone else, such as representatives. Typically, decisions will be made by a majority vote on a simple for or against basis. In such a system the process of decision making is continuous and on-going, requiring a high level of education and engagement from the people.
Why is direct democracy seen as the purest form of direct democracy?
as the people are able to express their opinions directly, without being misinterpreted. While some modern states employ a level of direct democracy, the classical idea is just not possible with the geographic and population sizes of modern countries. However, elements of direct democracy are evident in most countries and are becoming more common in the UK.
What is the most common form of direct democracy?
Referendums
Initiative
A means by which the people, rather than the government, can call for a vote on a specific issue.
Petition
An appeal to make something specific happen, usually by demonstrating a high level of popular support.
Inititatives in other countries
Other countries and regions, especially some of the United States, have initiatives, which are similar to a referendum but are proposed and called by a percentage of the population. This allows the public more direct control over the issues being considered. In addition, the USA also adopts a system of town hall meetings where members of the public can attend and put their views directly to the people in power.
Other elememts of direct democracy in the UK
Other elements of direct democracy used in the UK include citizens’ juries and public petitions, both of which allow the people to express their opinion on a particular policy or area of government, although these are still tempered by representatives.
The nature of representation
The nature of the representation can take many forms but essentially the elected representatives will debate and discuss laws on behalf of the people who have elected them. They may act on what their constituents want or on what they think would be best for their constituents, or they may represent wider groups when debating and creating laws.
Free and fairer election
The UK has a wide variety of elections, allowing citizens to choose representatives for a range of local and national bodies, and providing many opportunities for the public to participate in the democratic process and be educated by political campaigns. Elections in the UK are free from government manipulation because they are conducted by the Electoral Commission, which is independent of any particular party. There are laws in place about campaigning in and around the ballot stations on the day of an election.
Other measures designed to make sure elections are fair include campaign spending limits and a ban on campaigning during the period of purdah. Furthermore, the UK restricts the amount of broadcast campaigning for each party by ensuring that party political broadcasts are allocated according to previous electoral support, are given the same amount of time and are broadcast at the same time each day.
The electoral commission
The Electoral Commission was created in 2000 by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. The Commission is independent from government and party influence and has the key responsibility of overseeing and strengthening democracy in the UK.
Responsibilties ot the electoral commission
- registering political parties
- advising and explaining the rules relating to campaign finance and election spending
- ensuring political parties comply with legal requirements
- setting the criteria by which elections are run
- reviewing and reporting on how well elections are run
- reviewing and reporting on all UK elections and referendums, with suggestions for improvements
- advising parliament and being consulted on changes to election laws and regulations
- approving the wording of referendum questions to ensure fairness
- educating the public on how to register to vote and on the importance of registering
Turnout
After hitting a historic low of 59% in the general election of 2001, turnout in UK general elections has been steadily increasing. Turnout was 61% in 2005, 65% in 2010 and 66% in 2015. Furthermore, turnout at the Scottish independence referendum was 84.6% and at the EU referendum was 72%, showing that more people are participating in the political process.
Universal suffrage
Building on the idea of fairness, the UK has a system of universal suffrage. This means that everyone over the age of 18 who is not a prisoner, mentally incapable or a peer, has the right to vote, on the basis of one person, one vote. This means that all votes are equal in value and that there is no distinction based on wealth, race, gender, class or any other grounds.
The party system
The UK has a wide variety of political parties and the number has grown greatly in the past 50 years. Currently, there are 11 different parties represented in the House of Commons, with many more contesting elections. This variety provides a wide range of options for voters with different views and visions for the country, as well as a greater degree of representation.
Furthermore, it is the parties who drive public education. With so many political parties contesting elections and scrutinising each other, the parties raise the profile of political issues and help to create a better informed and educated population.
Pressure groups
The UK has thousands of pressure groups, covering every issue possible. Pressure groups provide an alternative avenue of representation, particularly on small or minority issues, that might not concern a majority of the electorate or the parties seeking majority support. With such a large number of groups, the UK provides a mouthpiece for any minority interest as well as providing a variety of ways in which the public can participate.
What do pressure groups do ?
Pressure groups will investigate issues, raise public awareness and help to develop government policies in order to educate the electorate and ensure that the needs of people who may not be able to vote are taken into consideration. Pressure groups are legally equal and are free to compete with each other in order to allow the government and the public to make an informed and balanced decision.
Parliamentary sovereignty
Parliament holds legal sovereignty, which means that the chosen representatives of the people hold the ultimate power in making, amending and repealing laws. As such, government is drawn from members of parliament and is accountable to parliament. In trying to pass policies or on issues of taxation and spending, the government must get consent from the House of Commons, thereby gaining consent indirectly from the people.
Devolution
The process of devolution has allowed the constituent parts of the UK (apart from England), along with many cities, to make decisions on a local basis. Representatives are closer to the community in which they serve. This allows for better quality representation and ensures that policies are appropriate to each area, rather than being imposed by a remote and disconnected central government.
Unelected elements
An unelected hereditary monarchy and an unelected House of Lords undermine the concept of representative democracy in the UK. The monarch and peers have not been selected to represent any specific section of society and they can only be removed by death or, following the House of Lord Reform Act 2014, resigning or being expelled for failing to attend an entire annual parliamentary session or committing a serious criminal offence. This means there is no way for the public to hold them to account.
Therotically limited of the monarch and lords
Although the powers of the monarch and Lords are theoretically limited, this is only by convention, such as the Salisbury Doctrine, and can be ignored by the Lords if they choose to do so. Furthermore, even after reform, 92 hereditary peers remain and the system of appointment is often criticised for cronyism, making the undemocratic House of Lords appear even less democratic.
October 2015, tax cuts
In October 2015, the House of Lords rejected a series of proposed cuts to the tax credit system by 289 to 272 votes. The proposals had recently been passed by a narrow vote in the House of Commons. The government then dropped the plans to make the cuts but the situation raised questions over the nature and democratic legitimacy of the Lords.
Turnout (negative)
While the UK has many elections, turnout is often quite low, leading to claims of a participation crisis. Recent general election turnouts are still below the historic average of 75% or the 71% achieved in 1997. Below elections at the national level, turnout drops significantly, as shown in Table 9.2. Turnout at most referendums is also far below that of general elections. This raises questions about the legitimacy of the decisions made and the representatives elected.
The west lothian question and EVEL
Devolution has created an imbalance in UK politics, known as the West Lothian Question. The question relates to the fact that Scottish MPs (and Welsh, Northern Irish and London MPs, depending on the issue) can vote on issues that do not affect their constituents but do impact other people. For example, the increase in student tuition fees in England and Wales in 2004 was only passed with the votes of Scottish MPs, while the extension to Sunday trading was defeated in 2016 with the votes of SNP MPs, despite the fact that neither issue would directly affect residents in Scotland. This means that MPs are making decisions about things that affect people who cannot hold them accountable.
Critics of EVEL
Attempts to address this imbalance with ‘English votes for English laws’ (EVEL) have been limited and run the risk of creating two tiers of MPs, which would undermine the principle of a parliamentary chamber.
English votes for English laws
In order to address the West Lothian Question, the 2015 Conservative Party manifesto contained a proposal for an extra stage in the legislative process for legislation that would only affect England — ‘English votes for English Laws’ or EVEL. This additional stage gives English
MPs (or English and Welsh MPs, depending on the issue) the power to strike down legislation that would affect their constituents. This means that an issue such as the 2004 increase in tuition fees would be prevented from going to a vote of the whole house. However, it does not address the issue of Scottish MPs being able to strike down legislation which is supported by English MPs, as was shown in the case of the Sunday
Trading Bill in 2016
The west lothian question
During debates over Scottish devolution in the 1970s, the MP for West Lothian, Tam Dalyell, asked why Scottish MPs should be able to vote on matters that relate only to England, when English MPs could not vote on the same matters that had been devolved and therefore affected only people in Scotland. This has become known as the West Lothian Question and reflects the fact that Scottish MPs are able to vote on issues that do not affect their constituents. In 2003–04, Labour passed legislation for the creation of foundation hospitals and increases in student tuition fees, matters that would not affect anyone in Scotland. In both cases, the legislation only passed with the votes of Scottish MPs.
Scottish seats in regards to west lothian question
The number of Scottish seats at Westminster was reduced from 72 to 59 in 2005 to counter this problem, the issue has become more prominent since 2010 because the vast majority of Scottish MPs have represented a different party from the one in government. Since 2015, there has been a Conservative majority in Westminster but only one Conservative MP from Scotland.
First past the post flaws
- wasted votes
- safe seats
- unrepresentative
- winner’s bonus
-discriminates against parties with widespread support - minority constituencies
- two-party system
Wasted votes
Any votes cast for a candidate who does not win
in a constituency play no role in the selection of representatives in parliament, meaning they are effectively wasted.
Safe seats
Some constituencies elect a candidate from the same party in every election and the level of support required to win the constituency is
so high that voters see no point in voting for a different party.
Unrepresentative
Differences in the concentration of support across the UK mean that the result of elections does not reflect the way the public voted, with UKIP winning 13% of the vote in 2015 but only
1 seat, while the SNP gained 56 seats with only 2% of the national vote.
Winner’s bonus
The system exaggerates the support received by the most popular party, which means the party receives more seats than is proportional to the number of votes it received, thus boosting its majority in parliament.
Discriminates against parties with widespread support
Parties with support spread across the UK but not concentrated in a geographic area will find it difficult to gain seats and therefore representation, such as the Greens, Liberal Democrats and UKIP.
Minority constituencies
In these constituencies, an MP wins the most votes but does not gain more than 50% of the total vote, meaning a majority of the public did not vote for their representative.
Two-party system
It favours parties with a lot of support spread evenly across the country and generally results in one of the two main parties forming the government and the other forming an opposition or ‘government in waiting’.
Alternative systems to FPTP
Alternative systems have been tried but even when they have solved some of the problems of FPTP they have also had problems of their own, leading to extremist parties gaining representation, confusion at the polls, spoiled ballot papers and a lack of clear representation.
Lack of menaingful choice
Despite the range of parties competing, only two have a realistic chance of gaining power in Westminster. As a result, many people vote for one of the two main parties, which often have similar polices, especially in the period of post-Thatcherite consensus. Even in devolved areas, the contest tends to centre on a two-party system, with the SNP and Labour competing in Scotland since devolution and the Conservative and Labour parties mirroring the national results in London.
Elitist pressure groups
Pressure groups do not compete on an equal footing. A small number of pressure groups tend to dominate any political debate at the expense of other interests. This results from a number of factors:
- insider status
- size of membership
- wealth
- public profile
Consequently, British pressure group participation is based on elitism rather than a pluralist system of representation.
Weakness of the electoral commission
Although the Electoral Commission oversees the elections, it is often a reactive, rather than proactive, body. In terms of comments, adverts and spending, it tends to pass judgement and sanctions after an event, meaning the message has already had its impact. Furthermore, there are loopholes over spending and the use of social media that the Commission has no power to regulate or ability to control.
Lack of entrenched rights
Without a codified constitution, key rights can easily be overturned by the government without effective redress through the judicial system. This undermines a key principle of democracy that citizens’ rights are protected from government abuse.
How is freedom of the speech undermined
The creation of ‘safe spaces’ in universities has been criticised in parliament for restricting forums for debate and discussion.
How is freedom of protest undermined
Additional measures have been taken to restrict protests outside of parliament.
how is the right to vote undermined
Despite repeated judicial instructions, governments have not granted any prisoners the right to vote.
How is the right to due process undermined
Governments have been able to extend the period of detention without charge under the Terrorism Act to 28 days in 2006 (reduced to 14 days in January 2011) and suspend part of the Human Rights Act, as in the Belmarsh case.
Positive aspects of representative democracy in the UK
- Everyone is represented through a constituency MP
- The FPTP electoral system is simple and provides a clear winner for each seat.
- Britain has a variety of parties that contest elections, with 11 parties in parliament and many others contesting elections.
- Everyone over the age of 18, who is not a prisoner, mentally incapable or a peer, has the right to vote.
- There are thousands of pressure groups representing a wide variety of interests and groups which can compete.
- New groups and parties can easily be created to take on new issues.
- The Electoral Commission works hard to ensure that parties adhere to rules on spending and campaigning.
Negative aspects of representative democracy
- Due to the FPTP electoral system, there are many minority MPs who were not voted in by a majority of their constituents.
- The electoral system leads to wasted votes and unrepresentative outcomes in parliament.
- Safe seats across the UK mean that there is a lack of real choice in many constituencies. In addition, the fact that only two parties are in a realistic position to form a government reduces the level of choice.
- There are issues concerning the denial of the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds as well as prisoners.
- There are also many groups who are effectively disenfranchised by the process of registration, such as the homeless.
- There is relatively low turnout, with only around two-thirds of people voting in general elections, raising concerns about the democratic legitimacy of the government.
- Due to a variety of factors, including wealth, size and status, the competition between pressure groups is often unfair and elitist, giving some groups much greater power than others.
- In a situation of hyperpluralism, important issues can be drowned out by the sheer number of campaigns.
-Parties are able to find ways around the regulations to spend more.
The increasing use of the internet has effectively allowed parties to by-pass the broadcasting restrictions imposed in other areas.
Franchise
The franchise is the right to vote, so those who hold the franchise are those who are eligible to vote in elections. As elections are conducted by law in the UK, those who hold the franchise, or the automatic right to vote, are determined by legislation. The franchise can be extended in a one-off event, as it was in the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, but this is done on a case-by-case basis. For all representative elections in the UK, the franchise is currently extended to everyone over the age of 18 who is not a criminal, mentally incapable or a peer. This is known as universal suffrage and covers approximately 71.5% of the current UK population.
What was the franchise 200 years ago
2.7%
what is the argument over the franchise
The essential argument over the franchise is that those who pay tax should have a say in how that tax is spent, hence the rallying cry of the colonies in the American War of Independence: ‘No taxation without representation’. While other factors have also played a role, reform of the franchise has often been driven by the desire of those who pay taxes to determine how those taxes are raised and spent.
1832 - extenstion of the franchise
Voting rights extended to property owners
1867 - extenstion of the franchise
Voting rights extended to skilled workers
1918 - extenstio of the fracnchise
Voting rights extended to all men over 21 and women over 30
1928 - extenstion of the franchise
Voting rights extended to all women over 21
1969 - extenstion of the franchise
Voting rights extended to everyone aged 18 or above
Before 1832
The right to vote was based on the amount of land owned, essentially limiting it to members of the upper class. However, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain underwent rapid economic change during the Industrial Revolution, shifting from a rural, land-based economy to a more urban, industrial one. This led to the rise of the middle class as a major economic force in the UK, who contributed more to the economy than the land-owning nobility but held most of their wealth in property.
