Participation Crisis Flashcards
(7 cards)
Key def
Uk democracy has a ‘participation crisis’ as particularly in the 21st century, there has been declining traditional political involvement.
- Elections and refs
2024, GE TO = 59.8% whereas between 1945-1997 it was 76%, even lower in so called ‘second order’ elections such as 46.6% in the 2024 Senedd elections.
- low to means that govt are elected on a reduced share of the popular vote, therefore calling the strength of their democratic mandate into question.
-voter apathy, which is true of younger voters, therefore limiting the responsiveness of political institutions to the interests of young people as to among the 65+ age group in 2017 was about 25% higher than 18-24 yo.
Distrust in politicians: 49% of respondents say they ‘almost never’ trust the British gov to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own party e.g manifold of scandals : since 2019 election, therefore calling has been 23 by-elections, mostly triggered due to MPs being forced to resign for breaking the law e.g the recall of Peter bone due to allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.
Distrust continued due to ‘freebiegate’ scandal in 2024 when Labour was accused of cronyism.
Against elections and ref
Recall of Peter Bone was example to local direct democracy, strengthening the Burkean Principle
High voter tos in 2014 Scottish independence referendum and 2016 Brexit ref, 84.6% and 72.2% respectively, sig engagement surrounding political issue
Voter hapathy don’t need to push for change
Overall, have participation crisis bc high tos is key to granting the system legitimacy, voter hapathy may explain the low to in 2001 and 2005 elections when the uk economy was booming, but not low to in 2010 and 2024.
Party membership
Yes-
Only 1.6% of the electorate now belongs to a political party compared to 3.8% in 1983.
The con party has an estimated 100,000 members today, an sig drop from an estimated 400,000 in the mid 1990s.
If one takes a ‘developmental’ perspective on democracy which sees regular active political engagement from the public key to the successful functioning of democracy, then this lack of party membership can be seen as a major problem for democracy
Against party membership
Surge in lab party membership in 2015, when Miliband made it possible to join for just £3 party membership grew over just 500,000 members.
2025, farage claimed that reform uk had surpassed 200,000 members.
Further, the ‘protective’ perspective on democracy suggests that mass political involvement isn’t necessary for the protection of democracy, just enough to grant the system legitimacy.
*democracy isnt a means of mass participation but a system where a competitive group of leaders vie for electoral support in the context of a broader respect for individual freedoms and liberties. As long as these freedoms continued to be respected, then democracy isnt in a crisis
- Other methods of political party no pp
Many demonstrations have been well attended on issues such as the Iraq war, Brexit, Black Lives Matter and climate crisis.
Conventional politics has let them down and are turning to new methods of expression.
In the first half of 2024, protests in London and across the uk for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to put pressure on the Israeli govt to end the war. Crucial e.gof electoral engaging in politics, there is just disengagement with party politics and the two main parties
- Other political methods have pp
E-pet are a form of online participation and ‘slacktivism’ takes little real effort and aren’t a replacement for traditional forms of participation
Some ignored by politicians = participation crisis, undermining uk politics
