Representative and Direct Democracy

Question 1

What is a democracy? - Democracy

Answer 1

A democracy is a state where all citizens who are eligible to do so are granted the right to vote.

Question 2

How did the Magna Carta develop democracy in the UK? When? - Democracy

Answer 2

The Magna Carta (1215) developed UK Democracy as it established the rule of law in the UK, with the principle being that no individual is above the law.

Question 3

How did the Bill of Rights advance UK Democracy? When? - Democracy

Answer 3

The Bill of Rights (1689) advanced UK Democracy as it enshrined in Law that the monarch would rule alongside parliament. Also agreed for frequent elections, freedom of speech for MPs, PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY.

Question 4

How did the Great Reform Act advance UK Democracy? When? - Democracy

Answer 4

The Great Reform Act (1832) extended the franchise further to landowners and redrew electoral boundaries to better represent densely populated urban areas compared to rotten boroughs.

Question 5

How did the development of a 2 party system develop UK Democracy? - Democracy

Answer 5

The development of 2 distinct parties (Conservatives and Liberals) provided 2 ideologies for which the electorate could conform depending on their views.

Question 6

How was the 2 Party system further developed from the 1900s? - Democracy

Answer 6

The 2 Party system was further developed as the emergence of the union-funded Labour Party started the decline of the Liberal a Party. Created a 3 Party system with Liberals as 3rd Party.

Question 7

How did the creation of the Welfare State advance UK Democracy? When? - Democracy

Answer 7

The Creation of the Welfare State in the aftermath of WW2 increased the responsibility of the state towards the people as the state funded many previously private industries for the benefit of the wider population.

Question 8

What is meant by a government having legitimacy? - Democracy

Answer 8

Legitimacy is where a government is recognised and accepted as a power with the right to govern the people.

Question 9

What is direct democracy? What are examples of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 9

A direct democracy is where all eligible citizens have a direct say in the decision making process in a state.
Leadership elections, RECALL OF MPs ACT, Referendums, PETITIONS.

Question 10

Could the UK ever be a direct democracy? What issues are there with this? - Democracy

Answer 10

In theory, the UK could be a direct democracy through providing each individual a vote on every issue. However, in practice, this is far too time consuming for such a large population, meaning it makes sense for a representative to act on our behalf.

Question 11

What is a representative democracy? What levels of representation are there in the UK? - Democracy

Answer 11

A representative democracy is where citizens elect individuals to make decisions on their behalf. In the UK, we have national, regional, local, mayoral elections, as well as the devolved nations having devolved governments.

Question 12

How has the UK begun to incorporate direct democracy into its representative democracy? - Democracy

Answer 12

Recall of MPs Act, referendum use on constitutional change, Parliament petitions, leadership elections etc.

Question 13

What benefits are there of referendum use as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 13

Referendums provide clear and obvious judgements from public opinion on single issues. If over 50% of people vote for something, it provides a clear mandate for the implementation of an action, something which parliament cannot decide.

Question 14

What negatives are there of referendum use as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 14

The yes/no nature of referendums can be divisive in terms of public opinion fractious to society’s stability. Can fuel anger or discontent if margins are tight. Also may result in tyranny of the majority if a small portion of society are discriminated against by the result.

Question 15

What advantages are there of E-Petition use as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 15

E-Petitions allow any issues raised by public with significant support to be debated by parliament, meaning there is greater representation of the opinions of the wider population.

Question 16

What disadvantages are there of E-Petition use as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 16

E-Petitions debated in Parliament often do not result in any meaningful legislative change as there is no requirement/guarantee of legislation being created as a result of debate.

Question 17

What advantages are there of Party Leaders being elected using direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 17

Party Leadership elections give a Party’s core, dedicated vote the chance to elect a new leader and direction for their party. Also hoped that a party’s membership represents the spectrum of views within a party, meaning that a party’s target electorate will hopefully get their desired candidate.

Question 18

What advantages are there of the 2015 Recall of MPs Act being used as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 18

The Recall of MPs Act 2015 allows constituents to trigger a by-election if their MP is suspended from the Commons for more than 14 days or they are given a custodial sentence and a petition gets 10% of constituents to sign it. Makes MPs more accountable for their actions to their constituents.

Question 19

What disadvantages are there of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 being used as a form of direct democracy? - Democracy

Answer 19

The Recall of MPs Act only requires 10% of constituents to sign a petition, meaning it can be fairly easy for a recall petition to result in a by-election.

Question 20

What are the 3 main advantages of direct democracy use through Referendums in the UK? - Democracy

Answer 20

Allows the public to directly influence the democratic process outside of elections, gives a clear and decisive mandate for a government to implement a decision, answers questions too complex for a representative to do on our behalf.

Question 21

What advantages are there of representative democracy in terms of practicality? - Democracy

Answer 21

It is far simpler and less time consuming for one single representative of the people to vote compared to the entire population on every issue. The Brexit Referendum, for example, took months to organise.

Question 22

What advantages are there of representative democracy in terms of accountability? - Democracy

Answer 22

An MP must be able to be held to account in return for being elected by the electorate, in the form of being able to explain their actions to the electorate.

Question 23

What advantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of representation? - Democracy

Answer 23

MPs can aggregate the views of their constituents to form an informed judgement on an individual. They are also able to campaign against traditional party views or policy if it would negatively impact their constituents.

Question 24

What example is there of MPs acting as good representatives of the interests of their constituents? (Even if it goes against the views of their party) - Democracy

Answer 24

Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, often rebels against the Conservative Party, defending doing so by saying that his often controversial stances are those that reflects the views of his constituents.

Question 25

What advantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of being professional? - Democracy

Answer 25

MPs mostly have the sole job of representing their constituents, meaning they are mostly dedicated to this role. They also have a certain amount of expertise which they can use to make informed judgements.

Question 26

What evidence is there of MPs having expertise/dedication to their role? - Democracy

Answer 26

The longest serving MP is Peter Bottomley, who has done so for 48 years. 82% of MPs have degrees in a subject as well.

Question 27

What disadvantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of representatives being disengaged? - Democracy

Answer 27

MPs often become disengaged from the opinions of their constituents in favour of representing party interests. MPs can also become disengaged from the political process as they are often elected by <50% of their constituents.

Question 28

What disadvantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of it being socially unrepresentative? - Democracy

Answer 28

The majority of MPs are white, middle class males, which is not representative of the demographic of society as a whole.
Only 29% of MPs are women, whereas 51% of the population is.

Question 29

What disadvantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of it being unrepresentative of constituent views? What evidence is there of this? - Democracy

Answer 29

Often MPs do not represent the views of their constituents, instead voting on party lines due to the threat imposed by the whip. Career politicians also have little experience outside of politics. Andrew Jones has never voted against the Conservative Party.

Question 30

What disadvantages are there of a representative democracy in terms of conflicts of interest? What evidence is there of this? - Democracy

Answer 30

Some MPs may have other roles outside of representing constituents that conflict with the interests of their constituents. This can be seen through Sajid Javid holding a consultants’ role at JP Morgan and Priti Patel working on the interests of her previous employer (lobbying firm).

Question 31

What is a participation crisis? - Democracy

Answer 31

A participation crisis is the point at which the public becomes disengaged with the political process to the point where low turnout levels lead to the legitimacy of the government being questioned.

Question 32

What is a democratic deficit? - Democracy

Answer 32

When a democracy does not sufficiently function to the point where it begins to fall short of democratic standards due to a lack of accountability/opportunity to exert equal political influence.

Question 33

What forms are there of participation in politics? What are considered the most intense forms of participation? - Democracy

Answer 33

Standing for public office, party membership, pressure group membership, voting, canvassing, digital activism.
Standing for public office, canvassing, party membership and pressure group membership.

Question 34

Why might voting turnouts have fallen recently? - Democracy

Answer 34

Apathy, content with the status quo of politics, may feel their vote is wasted by the FPTP voting system, there is little difference between the policies of different parties.

Question 35

What has happened to Party membership recently? What nuance is there between the membership of different parties? - Democracy

Answer 35

The overall trend of party membership is of a decline in party membership. However, a distinction can be made between the decline in main party membership and the increase in membership of smaller, issue based parties.

Question 36

What positives are there of increasing participation through compulsory voting? - Democracy

Answer 36

Would dramatically increase turnout at elections and perhaps force people to become more engaged with politics. Would also provide greater legitimacy to a victorious government.

Question 37

What negatives are there of increasing participation through compulsory voting? - Democracy

Answer 37

Civil rights groups argue a basic human right is to determine whether or not to vote, whilst it could encourage people who have no political knowledge to vote, swaying the balance of politics.

Question 38

What advantages are there of increasing participation through reducing the voting age? - Democracy

Answer 38

Reducing the voting age would force younger people to become more engaged with politics due to them having a greater stake in society. Also allows, intelligent, opinionated young people to vote, which would improve turnout among younger voters.

Question 39

What negatives are there of increasing participation by reducing the voting age? - Democracy

Answer 39

Reducing the voting age may mean that people who aren’t politically aware are voting, perhaps purely on parental views. This could also lead to lower turnout among younger groups if this section of the electorate was enlarged.

Question 40

What positives are there of increasing participation through improving ease of voting? What negatives are there? - Democracy

Answer 40

Improving ease of voting may encourage more people to vote if it were possible without going to the ballot (eg supermarkets/post offices), as well as stopping people being eliminated from voting register.
Negatives may be that it could lead to increased voting fraud if the voting system is complicated.

Question 41

What positives are there of increasing participation through better citizenship education? What negatives are there? - Democracy

Answer 41

Could force more people into voting if they have the knowledge to make informed decisions, would increase educated discussion among younger people on current affairs and debates.
Negatives may be that the citizenship education is considered dull and boring to kids.

Question 42

What positives are there of increasing participation through changing the electoral system? - Democracy

Answer 42

Changing the electoral system would make more people feel their vote is valued, rather than potentially wasted by FPTP, as well as that FPTP gives disproportionate power to the winning party compared to their percentage of a vote at the election.

Question 43

What negatives are there of increasing participation through changing the electoral system? - Democracy

Answer 43

Many people are currently happy with the existing electoral system, and there is little demand for change, as seen at the 2011 AV Referendum which resulted in over 2/3 voting against the reform. The FPTP system also enthuses and excites the electorate, producing exciting elections.

Question 44

What positives are there of increasing participation through use of digital democracy and media?

Answer 44

Digital democracy and media provides a wider range of people with access to participation, especially since the creation of Parliament’s debate petitions. Further increases relevance of issues in politics to younger generations.

Question 45

What negatives are there of increasing participation through use of digital democracy and media? - Democracy

Answer 45

The campaigning on issues on social media can often be corrupted by extremist ideas or manipulated by fake news. In addition, social media campaigns can be distant from Westminster power, meaning they don’t necessarily succeed.