Democracy and Participation Flashcards
(54 cards)
1
Q
What is Representative Democracy?
A
A form of democracy where the people elect or somehow choose representatives who make political decisions on their behalf. It also implies representatives are accountable for what they do.
2
Q
What is Pluralism?
A
- A theory of the distribution of political power that holds that power is widely and evenly dispersed in society, rather than concentrated in the hands of an elite or ruling class. In particular, pluralists have a positive view of pressure-group politics, believing that groups promote healthy debate and discussion and that they strengthen the democratic process.
- In political ideologies, pluralism is particularly promoted by liberals, who argue that tolerance of moral, cultural and political diversity is essential for freedom, and only a democracy in which diverse groups of individuals are able to compete, with the state acting as a ‘neutral’ arbiter between those groups, is a truly liberal democracy.
- A lack of pluralism can lead to alienation of groups from society, and result also in some people abstaining from participating in our political system, seeing there is no point as they are not able to wield any power within it.
3
Q
How do Representative Democracies work?
A
- Most modern forms of government are representative democracies. Representatives are not delegates, because they must exercise their judgement.
- In representative democracies individuals elect others to make political decisions on their behalf.
- Representative democracy is underpinned by accountability as representatives are accountable to the people who they represent.
- Accountability is dependent on frequent free and fair elections.
4
Q
What is Legitimacy?
A
- Legitimate authority means power that has been legally acquired and is exercised according to the rule of law.
- If people have voted, or if MPs have voted – the outcome of the vote can be said to have legitimacy – people are the electorate, MPs have a mandate, as voted by the people.
- A dictator can claim power but not legitimate power
5
Q
What is meant by Party Representation?
A
- Modern democracy is characterised by the existence of political parties.
- The majority of those who seek election do so whilst running as a candidate for a political party.
- Parties have stated policies, which are proposed in a manifesto. Members of the party campaign and are elected on the basis of their party’s manifesto, which means they are representing the party and voters understand they are.
- Candidates within the UK generally adhere to their party’s manifesto.
6
Q
What are manifestos?
A
- A statement of a party’s agreed policies produced during an election campaign to inform the public about the political platform upon which it’s standing. Candidates for the party are expected to support the manifesto and usually do so in the UK, with a few exceptions.
7
Q
What is meant by Constituency Representation and what are the implications?
A
Constituency representation concerns local interests.
Three implications:
- Whole constituency interests are represented. E.g. redevelopment of town centre.
- Individual constituent interests are represented. (redress of grievances). (Redress of grievances means resolution to problems or complaints.)
- Representative may simply listen to views but personally disagree with the views, and may consequently vote against the prevailing attitude of their constituents. This was common during the EU referendum campaign.
8
Q
How are Political Pressure Groups Representative?
A
- They behave like political parties in that they often have formal memberships, they represent the interests of their members and propose policies to benefit them. Examples include British Medical Association (BMA), National Farmer’s Union (NFU) and Automobile Association (AA).
- Some have no formal membership and no direct means to determine demands, however represent sections of society in an indirect way. Examples include Age UK, Stonewall (for the gay community) and British Driver’s Association.
- Some pressure groups are engaged in
causal representation in that they represent a set of beliefs, demands or principles which they believe is for the benefit of the entire community. Examples include Liberty (human rights,) Friends of the Earth, Action on Smoking and Health and Unlock Democracy.
9
Q
What is Electoral Mandate and what does it imply?
A
The principle, operating in the UK, whereby a party that has been elected to government has the authority of the electorate to carry out its manifesto commitments. This gives the government legitimacy.
- Parties elected to government, regardless of whether they receive over 50% of the vote in a general election are said to have the authority to carry out their election manifesto.
- This doctrine is universally accepted, all politicians and parties know where they stand.
10
Q
A
11
Q
What are the strengths of an Electoral Mandate?
A
- The incoming government has clear authority and therefore at least appears more legitimate.
- It allows parliament and voters to evaluate the performance of the government and whether it holds to commitments.
- It demonstrates clearly when a government oversteps it’s elective authority. It provides an indicator of the limits of government authority.
12
Q
What are the weaknesses of an Electoral Mandate?
A
- Parties in the UK are always elected with less than 50% of the popular vote. Therefore, is their mandate really that strong?
- The true wishes of the voters are not always reflected in the manifesto commitments of the elected party. People often don’t vote according to manifesto commitments.
- It is unclear whether the government has authority to carry out policies not contained within the election manifesto. This is especially an issue when flexibility is required by the circumstances a government faces. E.g. 2008 financial crisis and bailout of financial sector.
13
Q
What is an Insider Pressure Group?
A
- An insider group is defined as having a close and established working relationship with government.
- This in a sense confers a type of legitimacy or acceptance on the group and it is seen to be an advantage.
14
Q
What is an Outsider Pressure Group?
A
- Outsider groups by contrast have no established working patterns or productive links with government.
- They are seen as outside the decision-making framework of governments and are not consulted. They ane less likely to have their views taken into account. This may make it more difficult for outsiders to achieve success.
- Outsiders may have that status for a number of reasons. It may be that they are not established enough, they may not wish to be insiders because that would limit their independence or they may not wish to be accountable for their actions. Outsiders have greater freedom to act as they wish, including acts of civil disobedience.
15
Q
What are some examples of Insider Pressure Groups?
A
- BMA – the British Medical Association, advised the coalition government on NHS reform issues
- NFU – consulted by both the British government and the EU on issues such as farm subsidies and agricultural policy
- RSPCA – consults with ministers and Parliament on animal welfare
16
Q
What are some examples of Outsider Pressure Groups?
A
- Greenpeace – specialises in acts of disobedience such as destroying genetically modified (GM) crops and obstructing whaling ships
- Taxpayers’ Alliance – a relatively new group, which tends to be hostile to government, so is not granted insider status
17
Q
What are Sectional Pressure Groups?
A
18
Q
What are Sectional Pressure Groups?
A
- Sectional groups are sometimes described as interest groups’ or ‘protective groups. Such a group is defined by a common uniting feature of the group members.
- Often the uniting feature will be economic interests, but sectional groups can also represent social groups or those who have some other common interest, such as sufferers from a particular disease.
19
Q
What are Causal Pressure Groups?
A
- Promotional groups are sometimes known as issue groups’ or ‘cause groups’. Such groups are defined by commonly-held beliefs or causes.
- The uniting feature may take many forms; it could be cause of wildlife, the environment or child welfare.
- Promotional groups tend to be interested in the interests of the whole community, not merely a section of the community, as is the case with sectional groups.
20
Q
What are examples of Sectional Pressure Groups?
A
- NFU – the National Farmers’ Union, representing farming interests
- Unite – Britain’s biggest trade union, representing general workers
- Taxpayers’ Alliance – looking after the interests of all who pay taxes
21
Q
What are examples of Causal Pressure Groups?
A
- RSPCA – concerned with animal welfare issues
- Friends of the Earth – campaigning on a range of issues concerning environmental protection
- Liberty – a campaign group interested in strengthening individual rights and liberties
22
Q
What are the advantages of Representative Democracy?
A
23
Q
What are the advantages of Representative Democracy?
A
- Representative democracy is the only practical system in a large and modern state needing rapid response at times (e.g. military).
- Politicians form political parties, giving people a real choice of representatives. Pressure groups also form to promote debate and represent different interests. This encourages pluralist democracy.
- Representatives are accountable through elections, which helps them to behave responsibly.
- Representatives can mediate between the interests of different sections of society, avoiding the ‘tyranny of the majority’ (which is when minority rights get overridden by the will of the majority).
- Elected or appointed representatives may have superior experience and judgement to the general population. Politicians are (in theory) better informed than the average citizen.
24
Q
What are the disadvantages of Representative Democracy?
A
- Politicians are not always accountable, e.g. in the UK general elections are spaced five years apart. Politicians may also be corrupt and incompetent, and can betray their election promises without any real consequences.
- Party representation in particular can prevent elected representatives from acting independently, as representatives often are pressured to vote with their party and may be more loyal to the party than to voters.
- Minorities may still be underrepresented as politicians are more likely to follow the views of the majority in order to win an election.
25
What are the arguments for Direct Democracy?
- It is the purest form of democracy. The people's voice is clearly heard.
- It can avoid delay and deadock within the political system.
- The fact that people are making a decision gives it greater legitimacy.
26
What are the arguments against Direct Democracy?
- It can lead to the 'tyranny of the majority'. whereby the winning majority ignores the interests of the minority.
- The people may be too easily swayed by short-term emotional appeals by charismatic individuals.
- Some issues may be too complex for the ordinary citizen to understand.
27
What are the similarities between representative and direct democracy?
- Popular consent is important
- There is an active role for the people
- The decisions of the governement derive from the people
- The actions of the government are accountable to the people
- The public must be informed and engaged in political matters
- The processes will be governed by constitutional laws and rules
28
What are the differences between representative and direct democracy?
- With direct democracy the people themselves make political decisions, while with rep democracy decisions are made by members of elected bodies.
- With direct democracy decisions are made by referendum, while with rep democracy decisions are made by government and elected assemblies.
- With direct democracy the people decide on single issues, while with rep democracy people choose between full political programmes at elections.
29
What are the main problems associated in with democracy in the UK?
- The House of Lords is unelected General elections produce unrepresentative outcomes. Governments may achieve an overall majority of the seats in parliament, but they never achieve a majority of the total votes.
- Some parties, such as the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, are under- represented because of the electoral system, while others, such as Conservatives, Labour and SNP are over-represented - The system of devolution has led to an imbalance of representation across the UK. - There is a lack of government accountability between elections and accountability to Parliament is weak.
30
Evaluate the positives, negatives and the reform proposals of elections?
- **Positives: ** Nearly all over 18 can vote. There is little electoral fraud and string legal safeguards exist to prevent fraud.
- **Negatives:** In general elections, the first-past-the-podt system distorts support for parties and produces an unrepresentative HoC.
- **Reform Proposals:** Reform the electoral system and introduce some form of proportional representation
31
Evaluate the positives, negatives and the reform proposals for Parliament?
- Positive: The HoC can hold the government to account.
- Negatives: The HoL is unelected
- Reform Proposals: Introduce an elected second chamber.
32
Evaluate the positives, negatives and the reform proposals of distribution of power?
- Positives: Devolution has spread power away from London to the national regions
- Negatives: Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have varying powers.
England has no form of devolved representation, other than for some cities.
- Reform Proposals: Grant further powers to devolved governments. Create English devolution.
33
Evidence for Low Turnout in Elections?
- Has not been above 70% since 1997 - and 1997 was lower than previous 4 elections.
- 2015: 66%
- 2024: 60%
34
Arguments for low turnout is other types of voting?
- In 2012, the AV Referendum had a 42% turnout.
- Other Elections:
- Police&Crime Commissioners - turnout was 15% in 2012.
35
Arguments against low turnout is other types of voting?
- 1975 EEC Referendum: 64.6%
- 2016 EU Referendum: 72.2% (The highest turnout in a UK wide vote since 1983)
- 2014 Scottish Referendum: 85%
- The PCC elections in 2016 was 26%
36
Arguments for decline in party membership?
- 1950 - over 3 mil people in parties
- 2010 - 397,000 people in parties
37
Arguments against decline in party membership?
- Labour party increased in membership from 190,000 in 2014 to 552,000 in 2018.
- Due to the introduction of 'one member, one vote' by Ed Miliband for for the radical alternative introduced by Jeremy Corbyn.
- The emergence of Reform and the Green Party as potential challenges to the main parties boosted their membership
- 2019 Conservative membership rose due to Pro-Brexit supporters.
38
What was the North East Assembly Referendum 2004?
Question: Whether the North East of England should have an elected assembly with powers over local matters like transport and economic development.
Turnout: 48%
Outcome: No (78%), Yes (12%)
Impact: Highlighted the disparity between Labour govs vision for the country and what the voters want.
39
Why is Digital Democracy dengerous and not reliable?
- Might encourage more voting however would also mean that voting is no longer carried out in secret and so the possibility of voter manipulation would increase.
- Allegations of cyber-interference in Western elections by Russia indicates that electronic voting is more open to fraud than traditional voting.
- The way in which politicians use Twitter can encourage populist sloganeering
40
What is complusory voting and where is it used?
- The first country to introduce compulsory voting was Belgium in 1892. It is an accepted part of Belgium life and in the 2014 federal election turnout was 89%.
- Australia had required citizens to vote in national elections since 1924. In its 2016 federal elections, 91% of those eligible voted.
41
What is the Votes at 16 Coalition?
- Established in 2003 to bring together groups such as the National Union of Students and the British Youth Council to campaign for lowering of the voting age.
- In 2014 Scottish Independence referendum, 16 and 17 year olds were allowed to vote.
- In 2015, the Scottish Parliament then legislated to give 16 and 17 year olds the vote in Scottish local and parliamentary elections.
42
What is the mnemonic to measure pressure group success?
- R (Resources/Membership)
- I (Ideological Compatibility with the gov)
- P (Popularity/Public support)
- E (Expertise/Leadership)
43
What are Think Tanks?
Public policy research organisations that seek to influence government policy.
- Generally funded from charitable and corparate sources
- Influence public policy and debate
44
An example of a Think Tank?
1. **Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)** is a great example – huge links to Liz Truss and her Cabinet when she was PM
- Also has close links to **Tax Payers Alliance and Leave EU campaign**
- Links to Global Warming Policy Foundation – **climate change denial lobby group**
- Strong links to **fossil fuel industry** (hence the opposition to green taxes)
- 2016 IEA report argued for a private health insurance model in the UK
- IEA is funded by **British American Tobacco**
- IEA chair donated £32,000 to Matt Hancock
- IEA published a book in 2012 called Britannia Unchained – authors were: Liz Truss’s, Kwasi
Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab
- It called Britons “among the worst idlers in the world”.
- Pro free market; low tax; deregulation; minimal welfare state; reduced workers rights.
- **i.e. exactly what Truss’s government did in those 45 day**
45
What are examples of left-wing Think Tanks and why havent they been influential pre-2024?
CLASS (Centre for labour and social studies)
- Minimal influence pre-2024
- IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research)
- 2 think-tanks – both pro-Labour
- CLASS = pro-Corbyn
- IPPR – linked to moderate wing of Labour
- Labour is not in power.
46
What are some examples of Corporate influence on democracy?
2023:
- £250,000 by Flowidea Ltd to the Conservative Party
- £200,000 by Dusty TLP Ltd to the Labour Party
The biggest donation ever recorded by the Electoral Commission:
- £2.1 million by International Motors Limited to the Conservative Party in 2006
47
What is the 'revolving door syndrome'?
Over 50 ex-ministers are working in the private sector - WORKS BOTH WAYS: hence revolving door
- 1 in 5 Tory MPs elected in 2019 had worked in lobbying or in “public relations” for corporation
- Priti Patel, used to be a lobbyist for the firm Weber Shandwick and later became a minister
48
What is Private lobbying in the UK?
£2 billion industry - 80% of lobbying comes from FTSE 100 companies
- Major corporations group together to form “lobby groups”
- BBA = banking (now called UK Finance) - successfully lobbied Gordon Brown in 2010 to bail out the banks at a cost of 100bn pounds.
- Have knowledge and expertise of their industry, therefore the Government consults lobby firms to assess the impact of legislation
- ALSO: the ‘revolving door syndrome’ – ex-MPs and ministers – Owen Patterson is a great example
49
Why cant Lobbyists always get what they want?
- The windfall tax on oil and gas company profits was
opposed by the industry but happened anyway
- Energy UK opposed the introduction of an energy bill
“cap” under Theresa May – happened anyway
- Tobacco is now heavily regulated – suggested the
industry lobby has little influence compared to BMA,
ASH, etc.
- Government has passed legislation to restrict
lobbying: Transparency of Lobbying Act, 2014
50
What are Civil liberties?
The rights and freedoms **enjoyed by citizens that protect them from unfair treatment by the state and government**.
Guaranteed by the state/constitution.
Examples:
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of the press
- Right to a trial by jury
- Freedom of religious worship
51
What are Civil rights?
The rights and freedoms that are protected by the gvt, **meaning that the state must take an active role in ensuring people are protected** and allowed to carry out these rights freely and equally.
Examples:
- Right to Life
- Right to exercise your vote
- Right to equal treatment
- Right to education
52
What is the ECHR?
- The **Human Rights Act** was passed in **1998** and came into force from **2000**.
- This brought many of the provisions of the **European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)** into British law.
- Legal decisions on the ECHR were judged by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which meant that people could only challenge the actions of a government under the ECHR if they had the resources to bring their case to the European court.
- When the Human Rights Act was passed, many of the provisions of the ECHR were codified into statute law.
- This meant that people could bring legal cases to British law courts under the Human Rights At. It is now much easier for British people to challenge where they feel their rights have been infringed.
- **For this reason there has been the development of ‘rights culture’ in the UK since 2000**.
53
The Deported Albanians and ECHR 2014
- An Albanian criminal who sneaked back into Britain after being deported has won the right to stay under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
- Ardit Binaj, 32, was freed just six months into a two-and-a-half year jail sentence for burglary and deported as part of a prisoner transfer agreement with Albania.
54
Why is there conflict over rights?
- Human Rights Act 1998 + Equality Act 2010 – having these rights **only matters if they are protected**. Remember, **Parliament is sovereign** – it has the power to take rights away – they make laws, that is their job, they can and have taken them away
- It is up to Parliament to **make sure these rights are protected**
- During Blair/Brown era after London bombings, they wanted to increase the amount of time suspects of terrorists could be held without charge (from 14 days to 90 days) was defeated in the Commons. **This went against HRA/ECHR.**
- As Parliament MAKES laws, it then passed legislation to allow greater surveillance on suspects.
- In times of crisis – balance between individual rights versus collective rights – for the sake of security, should we have ID cards? It was a plan put forward by Blair gvt, but subsequently scrapped by Coalition
- Invasion of privacy/personal – **Liberty** would say this was an infringement of HRA
- Boris Johnson – said he didn’t care if people’s lives were being interfered
