Democracy and Participation Flashcards
(20 cards)
Legitimacy
right to govern - given through elections
representative democracy
laws and rules created through an elected representative on the people’s behalf
direct democracy
laws and rules created through the people
Referéndums
form of direct democracy = direct public vote of a policy measure, with a single ballot with a binary choice
oligarchy
power held by small group
suffrage
right to vote
franchise
vote
disenfranchised
cannot vote
chartists
1830s - working class who wished to gain political rights and influence
- secret ballot
- universal franchise
- MPs to be paid
suffragists and suffragettes
early 1900s:
- suffragists: non violent (petitions)
- suffragettes: violent (attack MPs)
who can’t vote
- Lords
- Prisoners
- guilty of electoral offences
- under 18
- detained in mental health facility
factors affecting participation
- age
- gender
- ethnicity
- socioeconomic status
2024 GE turnout and who most likely to vote
60%
- homeowners
- old people
- people not from ethnic minority backgrounds
Examples of traditional and modern forms of participation
traditional:
- voting
- joining party or pressure group
- stand for public office
- going on march/steike
- sign/make petitions
- writing a letter
modern:
- blogging
- e-petitions
-social media
For and against direct democracy and eg
for:
- purest form of democracy
- increased legitimacy
- improves participation
- improves political education
e.g Scot Independence Ref 2014:
No = 55.4% (clear)
Turnout = 84.5% (high)
against:
- impractical
- tyranny of the majority
- undermines representative democracy
e.g Brexit referendum 2016:
Stay: 48% Leave: 51% (unclear)
Turnout: 72.2%
for and against representative democracy
for:
- practical
- more informed policy
- everyone 18+ can vote on a representative
- variety of parties
- people don’t want to be constantly making decisions
against:
- lack of choice
- not everyone who is eligible to vote turns out or is registered
Democratic participation crisis?
Yes:
- gov is ineffective
- younger generation aren’t participating
- decline in more powerful forms of participation
(voting: 1959 -78%, 2024 -60%)
• decreased voting and party membership
No:
- more participation of social media platforms
- easier to gain publicity nowadays
- people oppose gov, not democracy
• increased consumer boycotts and public protests
forms of democracy:
- individualistic
- collective
- contact
- doesn’t require an organisation (voting)
• 2014 Scot Ind referendum = high turnout 84% - involves organisation based cooperation (going on strike)
• British Medical Association went on strike and advocated for a pay rise for junior doctors = gov raised wages by 22% - seeking help from policy makers (petition)
• 1.8 mil people signed a petition to prevent Donald Trump from making state visit to UK
- Representation of the People Act 1918
- 1928
- 1969
- product of social and political changes post war
men 21+ (veterans 19+) could vote
and women 30+ who met properly criteria could vote - all men and women 21+ could vote (equal voting rights) and all property qualifications removed
- voting age lowered to 18
1.Great Reform Act 1832
2.Second Reform Act 1867
3.Third Reform Act 1884
- 1/5 male adults could vote (5.6% pop) and rottern boroughs (constituencies with little voters and 2 MPS) abolished
- allowed some working class men to vote (1/3 men) and highlighted disparity in franchise between urban and rural areas
- established uniform franchise for men, all working men who met a property criteria could vote but 40% men still excluded - many being working class in rural counties
