Representative democracy Flashcards
(33 cards)
Define ‘representative democracy’
A more modern form of democracy, through which an inidividual selects a person/political party to exercise political choice on their behalf
Define ‘accountability’
Those who have been elected in representative democracies must be made accountable for their policies, actions, decisions and general conduct.Without such accountability, representation becomes largely meaningless
What are polls?
Another term for an election; they establish the support for a particular person, party or issue
What are ‘constituents’?
The ordinary voter who elects a representative, usually based on residence in a specific geographical area
What is the most common way of choosing representatives?
Through a formal, competitive election process
What would be the problem if representatives were elected without a vote?
It would call democracy into question
What does representative democracy ensure?
That those elected to positions of power and responsibilty are held to account by the people
Why is accountability important?
It ensures representatives act responsibly and in the interests of the people
What will opposition parties do during an election?
Highlight the shortcomings of the government and offer alternatives
What will the government do during an election?
Explain and justify what it has done in an effort to be re-elected
How are representatives held to account at election time?
They are judged on how well they have represented their constituents and whether their voting record in the legislature has the approval of those same constituents
Explain the dilemma that elected representatives face
They have to decide whether they should vote in accordance with their confidence or their constituents’ wishes
What did 18th century conservative thinker Edmund Burke write about the dilemma faced by elected representatives?
‘Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement too: and he betrays you instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion
How can those in power be held to account between elections?
- Investigations
- Media scrutiny
- Representatives asking questions on behalf of their constituents
Explain the idea of ‘national interest’
A term for something that may not be popular but is best for the nation as a whole, and, therefore, MPs have a duty to prioritise it over the demands of citizens.
Who normally decided what is in the national interest?
The government, but it is still a source of debate
What is ‘redress of grievances’?
This is an ancient function of the house of commons. It involves an MP pursuing a grievance that an individual constituent may have against a public body, usually claiming that they have been unfairly or unequally treated. MPs may lobby ministers and officials or raise the matter in the commons
Describe social representation
This implies that the characteristics of the members of representative bodies should be broadly in line with the characteristics of the population as a whole. In other words, they should be a ‘microcosm’ of society and should ‘look like’ society
What is the consequence of locally elected MPs sitting in a national parliament?
They are expected to represent the interests of the nation as a whole and do what they believe is right, rather than what people may want. Sometimes this causes them to clash with the local constituency they represent, so they have to resolve the issue in their own way
What is the idea behind constituency representation?
A geographical area will have similar socio-economic concerns
How can an MP represent their constituency as a whole?
Advocating for increased funding for local services or raising community concerns in parliament
How can an MP represent an individual constituent?
This is also referred to as ‘redress of grievances’. This happens when an MP champions a constituent who feels they have been treated unfairly
The vast majority of elected representatives are part of what?
A political party
Explain the idea of party representation
Members of a party are elected on the basis of its manifesto. This means they are representing their party, and voters understand this
