Direct Democracy

Question 1

What are the 3 types of direct democracy and describe them?

Answer 1

• Focus groups: Select group of citizens are consulted on policies by parties. They don’t make decisions but they can influence the direction of a party
• Consultations: Local government can ask opinion of residents about their services. Decisions aren’t binding but do need to be considered
• Referendum: Decisions of national importance can be decided by the people. Results aren’t necessarily binding but it would unthinkable for the government to ignore the will of the people

Question 2

What are advantages of direct democracy?

Answer 2

• Everyone in society participates
• People directly make decisions in their interests
• All citizens’ voices are equal
• It’s the purest form of democracy

Question 3

What are disadvantages of direct democracy?

Answer 3

• Impractical to achieve securely as it requires all citizens to be involved in decision-making daily
• Citizens become apathetic if they are asked too often to participate
• People will vote in their own interest, not society’s
• No minority voices can be heard, resulting in the tyranny of the majority

Question 4

What are arguments for referendums?

Answer 4

• Trust in politicians is low, and many questions are too important to leave to them. It enable a single issue to be isolated, so that an unambiguous popular verdict can be given. For example, the UK’s membership of the EU had pro- and anti- EU politicians in both major political parties, so a real choice cannot be given in a general election.
• Gives people the opportunity to have their say more frequently between elections and prevents the government from becoming remote and unaccountable and rushing a change without consulting people
• It settles arguments and entrench reforms. Change could be reversed but only with major public debate. Support for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland peace processes helped to bring stability to the new institutions created.
• Raises voters’ political awareness. For example, Scottish referendum (2014) was praised for raising awareness to issues relating to the independence, such as impact on the economy, future of the nuclear deterrent based on River Clyde and Scotland’s relationship with the EU.
• Conduct of referendums has been subject to independent supervision by the Electoral Commission since 2000 which reduces the chances of results being skewed as a result of unfair influence as expenditure of the competing sides is limited and the wording of the question is subjected to review by an independent body

Question 5

What are arguments against referendums?

Answer 5

• Ordinary people lack the expertise to make decisions on complex questions, for example if Britain should join the euro, a subject that the New Labour gov. declared that it would put to popular vote if it ever recommended joining.
• If arguments aren’t explained clearly to the public, popular participation may be low. A factor in the low turnout in the 2011 referendum on electoral reform. After the 2016 EU vote, the Electoral Commission reported arguments used by the leaders of both campaigns had a degree of distortion, and there should be greater regulation of campaigns to ensure that people receive a fair presentation of arguments
• Govs. choose to call one or not. Blair and Brown denied the electorate a vote on the Lisbon Treaty (2007) as previous govs. hadn’t given votes on treaties, which extended the process of European integration. Caused outrage among the opposition, who said voters had been denied a vote on an agreement that transferred significant authority to the EU. Govs can hold referendums for political reasons, to defuse opposition (2011) to overcome their own differences.
• Low turnout has been the norm, exceptions with the Scottish independence 2014. Limits legitimacy of the decision. Turnout in 1997 Welsh devolution vote was barely above 50%, which cast a shadow over the new Assembly for some time.
• Outcomes can be influenced by factors that have nothing to do with the subject brought to the electorate. For example, the defeat of the Alternative Vote proposal in the 2011 referendum was affected by the unpopularity of the Liberal Democrats