democracy and participation Flashcards
(8 cards)
1
Q
what is the difference between direct and representative democracy
A
- direct is when the public directly expresses their views like a referendum
- representative is when the public vote for someone to carry out of job, like an MP
2
Q
what are the differences between direct and representative democracy
A
- voters are not electing an individual under direct democracy, its not elective
- voters are considering a range of issues under representative democracy, whereas direct democracy often focuses on a specific issue
- focus of direct democracy focuses on quick decision making, representative is about debate and accountability
- voters in direct democracy are actively involved but in representative are more passive
3
Q
what are the advantages of direct democracy
A
- equal weight to all votes + everyone has a say
- no need for elected politicians
- encourages participation and educated public on key issues
- technology makes easy to organise
- encourages genuine debate
4
Q
what are the disadvantages of direct democracy
A
- modern population sizes make it impractical
- very costly and time consuming
- tyranny of the majority (minority ignored)
- can divide communities
- lack of accountability to whole population
5
Q
what are the advantages of representative democracy
A
- unpopular or poor performing representatives can be voted out as they hold accountability for their actions
- trains future leaders
- practical for quick decision making
6
Q
what are the disadvantages of representative democracy
A
- low public interest and participation can leave decisions so a small elite
- parties have great influence over the actions of representatives so may not represent views of the public
- dominated by pms pursuing their own agendas
6
Q
what are the main features of UK democracy
A
- pluralism (power lies in diff places)
- free and fair elections
- parliamentary democracy
- liberal democracy
- healthy participation
7
Q
A
