Representative democracy and Direct democracy

Question 1

What is direct democracy?

Answer 1

All individuals express their own opinions

Question 2

What is representative democracy?

Answer 2

A person chosen to express other individuals behalfs

Question 3

What is legitimacy

Answer 3

The rightful use of power

Question 4

How does accountability hold current government responsible

Answer 4

• opposing parties highlights their past failure

Question 5

What is social representation?

Answer 5

The representative characteristics present in the current population

Question 5

What are the different types of representation?

Answer 5

• Social
• National Interest
• Constituency
• Party
• Occupational
• Causal

Question 6

What are 4 features of a liberal democracy?

Answer 6

• A constitution
• A peaceful transition of power
• Fair elections
• Widespread participation in politics
• Protection of rights and liberties
• Freedom of association
• Free elections
• Freedom of expression
• The rule of law

Question 7

What does democratic deficit mean

Answer 7

The process of making democratic descions is flawed either by leaders who lack legitimacy or the (electoral) system is broken

Question 8

Why is First Past The Post considered a contributing factor to the democratic deficit

Answer 8

• Disproportional results
• Creates wasted votes

Question 9

What about the Prime Minister causes people to believe there is a democratic deficit

Answer 9

• The PM’s powers are partially linked to the unelected monarch

Question 9

Why does the House of Lords contribute to the democratic deficit

Answer 9

They are an unelected body

Question 10

Evaluate whether or not the UK has a peaceful transition of power

Answer 10

• Its practically conflict free no big uprisings with the army or anything

Question 11

Evaluate whether or not the UK has free elections

Answer 11

For - as long as you’re over 18 you can vote

Against - Prisoners and the Homeless cant vote

Question 12

Evaluate whether or not the UK has fair elections

Answer 12

For - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use PR systems

Against - England uses FPTP and they make the most crucial decisions

Question 13

Evaluate whether or not the UK has widespread participation

Answer 13

For - Loads of participation in the UK via Pressure groups or e-petitions

Against - There has been a decline of voter turnout in elections and a decline of party membership

Question 14

Evaluate whether or not the UK has freedom of expression

Answer 14

For - Most of the press or broadcasting networks in theory should be able to distribute news freely even views that don’t align with the government’s

Against - False information still gets distributed esp via the internet

• Most News stations show some type of bias to a party/ideology
• Rupert Murdock owns most dominant news stations not only in the UK but in western countries eg USA, Australia and New Zealand

Question 15

Evaluate whether or not the UK has freedom of association

Answer 15

• No real bans against being able to make pressure groups or protest
• Protests can be stopped if it s felt to breach ‘public safety’

Question 16

Evaluate whether or not the UK protects the rights and liberties of people

Answer 16

For - Still must follow the ECHR
- The Human Rights Act 1998 is statute law

Against - The ECHR is not legally binding to the UK

Question 17

Evaluate whether or not the UK has a rule of law

Answer 17

For - The judicial branch is independent and non-political from legal restrictions
- There is evidence to suggest those of higher socioeconomic background get treated more leniently

Question 18

Evaluate whether or not the UK has a constitution

Answer 18

For - Uncodified generally respected

Against - Uncodified
- Parliamentary powers could be increased without constitutional boundaries

Question 19

Name 3 types of potential reform

Answer 19

• Replacing HoL with an elected chamber
• FPTP with PR
• Codifying the UK Constitution
• Create a devolved Parliament
• Have parties funded by the state
• Make voting compulsory
• Replace the monarch with an elected head

Question 20

Pros and Cons to having an elected chamber instead of HoL

Answer 20

Pros - Removing an unelected, unaccountable body

Cons - Would just become a second House of Commons - creating tension

Question 21

Pros and Cons of replacing FPTP with PR

Answer 21

Pros - Would remove Safe seats
- Unfair representation
- Removes governments with only minority support

Cons - More complex
- 2011 vote for electoral reform was voted against
- Losing the MP - Constituency link

Question 22

Pros and Cons of Codifying the Constitution

Answer 22

Pros - Provide the UK with entrenched laws
- The higher laws would stop the ability for laws to be bent

Cons - May be too rigid
- May become outdated
- Complaints on who would write it - which would question sovereignty

Question 23

Pros and Cons of having a devolved Parliament

Answer 23

Pros - Easily solving the West Lothian Question - More equal representation Cons - The UK is too large to do this accurately

Question 24

Pros and Cons of having parties that are funding

Answer 24

Pros - stops politicians from focusing on fundraising - stops controversial figures from donating to fit their own means - eg Racist or big industries Cons - helps voters feel connected to voters - helps independent voters - If it came from the government it would be tax payer money but not all tax payers support the same groups

Question 25

Pros and Cons of making voting compulsory

Answer 25

Pros - Increase voter turnout - increase legitimacy of elected politicians as EVERYONE has chosen Cons - Not everyone has the time to br adquently invested and educated enough in politics to make a well informed decision - The Right to vote includes the right not NOt vote

Question 26

Replacing the monarch with an elected leader

Answer 26

For - A figure who could be held accountable Against - The monarch is neutral and can unify in a way a politician cannot also has the power to remove the PM in times

Question 27

Types of political participation in the UK

Answer 27

Standing for public office - normally part time Active party membership - attend local meetings and campaigning in the community Active pressure groups - helps organising demonstrations and help raise money Passive or group membership - being a member but not being very active, maybe only helping during election times or maybe, signing a petition Digital activists - only taking patrrt son movements and campaigns that take place online eg e-petitions and social media campaigns Voting the most important but easiest form of pp as it only occurs MAYBE once a year

Question 28

What is a participation crisis

Answer 28

A lack of engagement in the political

Question 29

Give a statistic showing a lower level of participation

Answer 29

1992 - 77.7% 2001 - 59.4% - although the is argued that this is due to Labour having been in power for so long they saw no reason to participate

Question 30

What does elective dictatorship mean

Answer 30

A government that dominates parliament would barely be opposed hence could be described as a dictatorship

Question 31

Stats on Labour, Conservative and Lib Dems party membership

Answer 31

2021 Labour - 432K Conservative - 172K Lib Dem - 74K 2025 Labour - 309K Conservative - 131K Lib Dems - 90K

Question 32

What causes increases in party membership

Answer 32

Labour membership increased when Ed Miliband decreased membership to £3 Or coming up to elections following the Scottish Independence referendum the SNP had a 100k increase in membership Or UKIP following the 2015 election had a 50K increase

Question 33

Another statistic on voting behaviour support

Answer 33

2001 - 59.4% 2017 - 68.7%

Question 34

What are reasons for the UK to make voting compulsory

Answer 34

- increase young voters to participate more - more pp = more legitimacy - policy makers for have to make sure all policies are inclusive - could be believed to be a civic duty