CHAPTER 1 - democracy and participation suffrage Flashcards
(39 cards)
1
Q
what does democracy mean?
A
- “rule by the people”, rather than by a single ruler or elite group
- “people power”
2
Q
what is direct democracy?
A
- a from of democracy where people directly make decisions on policies or laws, without intermediaries like representatives
3
Q
what is the key criteria for democracy?
A
- participation - express opinions before decisions
- voting equality - equal opportunity to vote; all votes are equal
- understanding - access to information
- agenda setting - ability to influence the agenda
- universality - equal rights for all adults to participate
4
Q
what is representative democracy?
A
- a system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions and laws on their behalf
- most common form of democracy today
5
Q
what are 3 key features of representative democracy?
A
- indirect participation - citizens do not govern direct
- mediated participation - the people are connected to the government through elected officials
- limited participation - involvement is usually restricted to voting during elections (happen every few years)
6
Q
what is the criteria for democratic elections?
A
- free, fair, and regular elections: voters must freely express their views
- universal suffrage: all adults can vote, with equal voting rights (one person, one vote)
- competition: voters must have multiple parties and candidates to choose from, with access to information on their platforms
7
Q
what is liberal democracy?
A
- a from of democracy that combines representative democracy with protections for individual rights and freedoms, as well as rule of law.
8
Q
what is a referendum?
A
- a popular vote on a specific issue, often used as a from of direct democracy
9
Q
3 advantages of direct democracy:
A
- transparency (openness between government and citizens)
- reflects the will of the people (ensures that the will of the people is clear - clear directive to act)
- cooperation (people are more likely to engage in the political process if they believe they will make a difference)
10
Q
3 disadvantages of direct democracy:
A
- impractical (too time-consuming, expensive, may not be practical - millions of citizens)
- can be manipulated (the way the questions are phrased and the timing of them can manipulate the results)
- voters may not be experts (voters may be less knowledgeable and less able to make an informed decision than a representative politician)
11
Q
what is political participation?
A
- the ways in which citizens get involved in political processes, such as voting, joining a party, campaigning, or protesting
12
Q
what are the key features of direct democracy in athens?
A
- direct participation in policy decisions
- no professional politicians
- continuous involvement in decision making
13
Q
what is electoral reform
A
- changes to the electoral system aimed at making elections more fair and representative
- such as moving from first-past-the-post to proportional representation
14
Q
will reforms enhance democracy in the UK?
A
for
- more direct involvement = legitimacy
- more engagement and participation
- automatic voter registration
- voting and electoral reform will increase participation across ALL sections of society
against
- more direct democracy would increase political apathy and undermine representative democracy
> weakens ability of politicians to deliver election promises
- concerns about fraud, accuracy, and cost
- may not increase effective levels of participation
- may undermine key features of democracy
- danger of increasing opposition to elected institutions
- weaken power of parliament
15
Q
how could proportional representation enhance UK democracy?
A
- PR would ensure that seats in parliament reflect the percentage of votes each party receives
- making representation more fair and reducing wasted votes
16
Q
give one advantage and one disadvantage of compulsory voting:
A
advantage
- increases voter turnout and ensures broader representation
disadvantages
- could lead to uniformed voting
- people might vote without fully understanding the issues
17
Q
why might some support lowering the voting age to 16?
A
- young people are impacted by political decisions
- it could increase lifelong political engagement
- many 16-year-olds are already politically aware through education and social media
18
Q
what are the arguments against lowering the voting age to 16?
A
- 16-year-olds lack maturity and experience
- concern that they may be easily influenced by peers or teachers
19
Q
what are the 3 key democratic deficit issues?
A
- voter disengagement (low turnout, undermining democratic issues)
- unaccountable representatives (elected officials seen as untrustworthy)
- political acknowledgement (politicians recognise issues but struggle to implement reforms to boost voter engagement)
20
Q
points for why the uk HAS been suffering from a participation crisis:
A
- low voter turnout (despite slight improvements, turnout has generally declined)
- decline in party membership (major political parties, particularly conservatives and labour, have seen a significant drop in membership)
- rise of political apathy (especially young people feel increasingly disillusioned or apathetic towards politics
21
Q
points for why the uk HASN’T been suffering from a participation crisis:
A
- higher turnout in recent elections
- increased political engagement through social media (major platform for political discussion, activism, and organisation)
- rise of single-issue and grassroots campaigns (e.g. petitions on things like climate change, social justice. i.e. Extinction Rebellion, BLM)
- individual politics (new way for people to engage in politics in new and innovative ways. these methods are very democratic - open to all)
22
Q
how does reforming the house of lords aim to enhance democracy?
A
- making the house of lords fully elected or removing hereditary peers would increase accountability and legitimacy of this legislative body
23
Q
what is recall of MPs and how does it enhance democracy?
A
- allowing voters to remove an MP before the end of their term
- holding them accountable for misconduct and increasing responsiveness to constituents
24
Q
what are some examples of digital democracy?
A
- using digital technology
- online voting, e-petitions, digital consultation platforms
25
what are citizens assemblies and how can they enhance democracy?
- groups of citizens chosen to deliberate on specific issues, representing a cross section of society and providing informed, diverse perspectives on policy decisions
- involving citizens directly in the policy making process (more inclusive)
26
what is universal suffrage?
- voting rights expanded through the 19th and 20th centuries based on class, gender, and age, driven by popular demand
27
when did the great reform act take place, and what was it?
- 1832
- ended 'rotten boroughs' and enfranchised middle-class male property
- electorate expanded but under 6% of the population could vote
28
when did the representation of the people act take place and what was it?
- 1918
- established universal male suffrage
- enfranchised women over 30 with property
- tripled electorate size
- 43% women
- 1969
- lowered voting age from 21 to 18
29
when did the third reform act take place and what was it?
- 1884
- extended voting to rural and mining areas
- enfranchised nearly all male householders with tenants
30
when did the equal franchise act take place and what was it?
- 1928
- achieved equal voting rights for men and women by lowering women's voting age to 21
- removed property requirements for women too
31
when did the second reform act take place and what was it?
- 1867
- granted the vote to all settled male tenants in boroughs, introducing a working-class franchise
32
who were the suffragists?
- 'national union of women's suffrage society's, led by Millicent Fawcett'
- advocated peaceful methods (petitions, letter writing etc. for change)
33
who were the suffragetes?
- 'women's social and political union, led by Emmeline Parkhurst'
- used militant tactics (letterbox destruction, window smashing) after peaceful methods stalled
34
what was a key moment for the work of the suffragists/suffragetes?
- the death of Emily Davidson in 1913
- raised public awareness
35
who is eligible and not eligible to vote in the 21st century?
- must be 18 or over, a british/irish/commonweath citizen, resident in the UK, not disqualified
- cannot be, a house of lords member, non-british/irish/commonweath/eu citizens, prisoners, individuals convicted of election crimes within 5 years
36
what was the 'barred from voting campaign'?
- 2004
- launched by Prison Reform Trust and Unlocked
- argued that the ban on prisoners voting undermines voting equality and democracy
37
what was the UK compliance that occurred in 2017?
- the UK allowed some prisoners to register and vote while on temporary release
- affected a small amount of prisoners
38
what are the arguments FOR prisoners voting?
- voting is a fundamental human right
- voting equality is essential to democracy
- voting can air prisoner rehabilitation and regeneration
- could make politicians address prisoners' needs and rights more seriously
39
what is the political and public opposition in letting prisoners vote again?
- strong resistance from UK politicians; David Cameron felt "physically ill" at the idea
- cross party support for the voting ban since 1970
- majority of the UK is against it
- main argument: breaking the law means forfeiting the right to influence it
