Democracy And Participation

Question 1

Democracy

Answer 1

-a form of government in which power is held by the people
-the power is usually exercised on behalf of the people by their elected representatives

Question 2

Direct Democracy

Answer 2

-where citizens are directly involved in the decision making process
-it is impractical to organise mass meetings in a democracy where there are millions are voters
-although there are occasional referendums are held in the UK in order to answer major political questions

Question 3

Representative democracy

Answer 3

-where the people transfer the power to make decisions to elected representative
-for the most part Britain functions as a representative democracy

Question 4

Parliamentary Democracy

Answer 4

-a democracy where the government is not directly elected
-but it’s drawn from the elected representatives in Parliament

Question 5

Liberal Democracy

Answer 5

-a form of democracy where there are limited on government power
-the vote is widely held
-there are entrenched rights to protect individual freedoms

Question 6

What are the strengths of direct democracy?

Answer 6

-most genuine forms of democracy as people give their view on every political issue
-no need for elective representatives
-system promotes a high level of political education, engagement and participation
-people seriously consider political issues and take responsibility for their decisions as there aren’t elected representatives to blame
-prevents power from being concentrated in the hands of a small political elite

Question 7

What are the weaknesses of a direct democracy?

Answer 7

-modern populations means its expensive and impractical
-many members of the public may not have the time, interest or inclination to be politically engaged
-the wealthy in society can distort the referendum process through manipulation of the media or corruption
-public might be unwilling to vote for unpopular but necessary decisions
-biggest groups in society will always get their way (‘tyranny of the majority’)

Question 8

What are the strengths of representative democracy?

Answer 8

-more practical to allow elected representatives to make political decisions
-MPs develop great expertise (enables them to carefully consider complex decisions)
-experience politicians more likely to implement unpopular but necessary decisions
-representatives likely to represent voters because they know they will be held accountable at the next election
-MPs seek to represent the needs of all constituents

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of a representative democracy?

Answer 9

-representatives don’t always respond to the view of voters
-parties have a big influence over the actions of MPs at the expense of the view of voters
-public become more disengaged with politics between elections due to a lack of opportunities for meaningful participation (leaves power in the hands of a small political elite)
-UKs FPTP system makes it hard for smaller groups to win (means views of many are completely unrepresented)
-UKIP won 12% of votes in 2015 but just 1 seat

Question 10

Give examples of recent referendums

Answer 10

2011: AV referendum 32% voted ‘yes’ and 68% voted ‘no’

2014: Scottish Indy Referendum 45% voted ‘yes’ and 55% voted ‘no’

2016: EU referendum 48% voted ‘remain’ and 53% voted ‘leave’

Question 11

What does the government decide in a referendum?

Answer 11

The threshold for success (1979 Scottish Parliament referendum required 40% of total electorate to vote ‘Yes’)

The question (1997 Scottish Parliament referendum divided the referendum into 2 questions: Should there be a Scottish Parliament? Should it have tax-raising powers?)

Question 12

How does representative democracy work in a general election?

Answer 12

-UK divided in roughly 650 constituencies (roughly of equal size)
-each constituencies elects a single MP who represents them

Question 13

How representative democracy seen in a party manifesto?

Answer 13

-voters read manifestos and vote for the party whose policies they support
-the party that wins claims mandate (means the authority to implement the policies outlined in their manifesto)

Question 14

How is representative democracy seen in government?

Answer 14

-formed by the party that wins a majority (usually)
-leader of the party becomes PM (2019 Conservatives won 365 seats)

Question 15

Hung Parliament

Answer 15

-when no party wins a majority
-a coalition or minority government may be formed

Question 16

How many people are enfranchised in the UK?

Answer 16

71.5%

Question 17

Great Reform Act 1832

Answer 17

-1 in 5 male adults could now vote
-comprised 5.6% of adult male population
-enfranchised middle class males
-abolished ‘rotten boroughs’ such as Old Sarum
-were constituencies that had almost no voters but dutifully elected 2 MPs every election

Question 18

Second Reform Act 1867

Answer 18

-allowed many working class men in cities to vote
-doubled the size of the electorate
-roughly 1/3 of men could now vote

Question 19

Third Reform Act 1884

Answer 19

-established a uniform franchise across the country for men
-all working men who met property qualifications could now vote
-40% of adult men were still excluded

Question 20

Representation of the people Act 1918

Answer 20

-all men over the age of 21 (or 19 for veterans) could vote
-women over 30 who met the property qualifications could now vote

Question 21

Representation of people act 1928

Answer 21

-women finally received the vote on equal terms to men
-all men and women over 21 could now vote
-property qualifications were removed

Question 22

Representation of the people act 1969

Answer 22

-lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

Question 23

What was the chartist movement?

Answer 23

-first mass movement driven by the working classes
-grew following the failure of the 1832 Reform Act to extent the vote beyond those owning property

Question 24

What were the people’s charters 6 demands?

Answer 24

-all men to have the vote on equal
-secret ballot
-annual parliamentary elections
-constituencies of equal size
-MPs should be paid
-property qualifications for MPs abolished

Question 25

What methods did the chartists use?

Answer 25

-mass petitions and provoked some civil unrest in the 1830s and 1840s -Second Reform Act 1867 extended the franchise to skilled workers -by 1918 5/6 of the demands had been achieved

Question 26

Who were the suffragists?

Answer 26

-1866 first petition calling for women to have the right to vote presented in parliament -NUWSS set up in 1987 led by Millicent Fawcett -peaceful and legal -by 1914 there were 100,000 members

Question 27

Why were the suffragettes significant?

Answer 27

-formed in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters -early membership was working class women (moved to upper and middle class women) -methods were violent -public opinion dimly against suffragettes

Question 28

What evident is there that there is a participation crisis in the UK?

Answer 28

-poor turnout (2019: 67%, 2017: 69%, 2001: 51%) -differential turnout: 2016 turnout in Glasgow (north-east) was 59% the lowest in the country -turnout among 18-24 year olds 54% -partisan dealignment: people no longer strongly identify with a party -polls suggest only 35% feel strong support for a political party

Question 29

What are the causes of low participation

Answer 29

-apathy -hapathy (too content to vote) -lack of time -class dealignment -FPTP -lack of choice -anti politics

Question 30

Argument that there is a participation crisis?

Answer 30

-low turnout (recent election below 75% overage) -question mandate: Conservatives only got 29% of the electorates vote in 2019 -differential turnout: young and working class less likely to vote -dealing party membership -political disengagement

Question 31

Argument that there isn’t a participation crisis?

Answer 31

-increase turnout in recent elections (Scottish Indy 85% and Brexit was 75%) -recent rise in party membership -non electoral participation is strong: pressure groups (RSPB have more members than the three major parties combined) -eDemocracies: e-petitions

Question 32

What are the features of a liberal democracy?

Answer 32

-regular, free and fair elections with universal suffrage -a constitution which lays out the power and functions of gov institutions, establishes clear limits clear limits on gov power, limiting rights belonging citizens -separation of powers into executive, legislative and judicial branches -checks and balances to limit the power of any branch of government -rights of individuals entrenched in fundamental, higher law -pluralism: many competing parties and pressure groups -a free press than can scrutinise the government

Question 33

Ways in which the UK can be viewed as a Liberal democracy

Answer 33

-all adults can elect representatives in free and fair national and local elections -the governmnet depends on the support of the HoC for survival -parliament scrutinises the government -government are bound by the rule of law -all laws must be compatible with the HRA -independent judiciary -wide range of political parties -wide range of pressure groups -a free press

Question 34

Issues which cast doubt on the UK’s status as a liberal democracy

Answer 34

-low participation -FPTP -unelected HoL -unelected Head of State -elective dictatorship -royal prerogative -un entrenched rights -Elitism: Jenrick scandal 2020

Question 35

How paticipation and democracy be improved

Answer 35

-codifying the constitution -reform of the monarchy -reform of the Lords (currently contains 92 hereditary peers) -greater use of direct democracy -recall elections -electoral reform (FPTP is flawed) -reform the devolved system: 2004 referendum on a north-east devolved assembly (78% voted no)

Question 36

Argument for prisoners voting

Answer 36

-the denial of the right to vote removes a sense of civic responsibility + making rehabilitation even harder -there is no evident that the loss of the franchise acts as a deterrent -the right to vote is fundamental and cannot be removed -removal of the vote makes a prisoner a non-person and further alienate them from society -in 2005 European Court of Human Rights ruled that the blanket ban on prisoners is a violation of the HRA

Question 37

Arguments against prisoners voting

Answer 37

-those who commit a custodial crime against society should lose the right to have a say in how that society is run -the threat of losing the right to vote prevents crime and enhances civic responsibility -giving criminals the right to have a say in 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 representatives for those communities

Question 38

Argument for the voting age being lowered to 16

Answer 38

-16 and 17 year olds voting in 2014 Indy Ref widely seen as a success -would broaden franchise to a group who already have considerable rights and responsibilities -pressure group Votes at 16 claims that lowering the voting age will ‘engage, empower and inspire’ 16 and 17 year olds -there are many places around the world where 16 and 17 year olds can vote (like in Germany in state elections)

Question 39

Argument for the voting age not being lowered

Answer 39

-most 16 and 17 year olds pay little or no tax -has been suggested that young voters will be ill-informed and immature to be given the vote -turnout among 18-24 year olds is already the lowest of any age group (would worsen the participation crisis) -PMBs proposing the idea have failed to progress beyond the second reading