Democracy and Participation

Democracy and Participation Topic one

What is a Democracy?

Rule by the People

What is Representative Democracy?

The people select individuals to act on their behalf and exercise political choice

What is Direct Democracy?

Individuals express their opinions and vote on laws themselves

What is an example of Representative Democracy?

UK

MPs

What is an example of direct democracy in the UK?

2011 AV Referendums

2016 Scottish Independence Referendum

What Country has a large use of Direct Democracy?

Switzerland around 10 referendums a year

What is the issues with Direct Democracy?

• Conflicts with Parliamentary representative

• Not legally binding

What is a Pluralist Democracy?

Government makes decisions as a result of the interplay of various ideas and contrasting arguments from competing groups

What is Legitimacy?

The Legal Right to excercise power

Why is Legitimacy important?

Validates the policies of government in power as has been derived from support from the people

What is the Protective perspective of Democracy?

Working of democracy as a protection for individual freedom and doesn’t expect large scale citizen participation in politics but enough for legitimacy

What is Developmental perspective of Democracy

For democracy to be successful citizens need to engage on an active basis

What are the similarities between Direct and Representative democracy?

• Both designed to implement the will of the people

• Both can be implemented at different levels of government

• Both systems can sway the people by individuals

• Direct Democracy plays a role in a representative democracy (Petitions and Pressure groups)

What are the differences between Direct and Representative democracy?

• Direct- Express themselves Representative- Made on behalf

• D- Citzens are much more involved in decision making on a regular basis

• R- Political parties D- Campaigns on each side of debate

• R- More protections for minorities D-Acts through the rule of the majority

• R- Handle complex and technical political decisions D- Cannot

What are some of the Advantages of Direct Democracy?

• Equal Weight to all Votes

• Encourages participation

• Minimises possibility for corruption or will of people not being followed

• Removes the need for trusted individuals

• Encourages debate as people feel they have a state in the system

• Develps a sense of community

What are some of the Advantages of Representative Democracy?

• Practical in large complicated country

• Represent the public and give a choice

• Reduces the chance of tyranny of the majoiry

• Representative can be held to account through elections

• POliticans are better informed

What are some of the disadvantages of Direct Democracy?

• Impractial in large states

• Many people feel unqualified

• Open to manipulation by articulate speakers

• Tyranny of majority

• Minority viewpoints are disregarded

What are some of the disadvantages of Representative Democracy?

• May lead to reduced participation as responsibility is handed to politics

• Parties and politicians dont always represent the best interest of the people

• Minorities are still underrepresented as they dont hold much electoral weight

• Politicians may put their interest and their party interests before those of the people and betray election promises

• Votes hold unequal weight

• Representatives are often elected with less than 50% of the vote in FPTP

Does the UK have a participation crisis?

Elections

Party Membership

Other methods of participation

Elections- Participation Crisis

Voter turnout has been increasing since 2001 but is still at 68%

This may be due to political apathy

What was voter turnout at in 145-1997?

76%

How much of the electorate belonged to a political party in 2022

1.5%

How much of the electorate belonged to a political party in 1983

3.8%

How many people are members of the conservative party in 2022

72,000

How many people were members of the conservative party in 2016

150,000

How many peoplee voted in the 2016 EU referendum

72.2%

How many peopled in the Scottish independce referendum in 2016

84%

Why is the Uk not in a participation crisis?

Political Hapathy (people are content)

How many people joined Labour in 2015 and why?

membershup was just £3 and now 366,000

What party had an increase leading up to the 2015 General election?

SNP

How else do people engage with politics?

Petitions

Demonstrations

Social MEdia

How many people signed revoke article 50 in 2019?

5.5 million

How can you increase turnout?

• Online voting

• Change the day from a thursday to a weeknd

• Postal votes

What is a democratic defecit?

A deficiency in the way a democratic body works esepcially in terms of accountability and control over policy

What are some positives of the UK Political system?

• Devolved bodies

• Independ Judiciary

• Free media

• Free, fair elecitons

• Wide range of parties and pressue groups

What are examples the UK in in political defeciet?

• Unelected Lords chamber

• First past the post system minorities are not represented

• Lack of protection for citzens rights

• Control of the media by wealthy unaccountable business interests

• Many career politics

When was the Magna Carta and What?

1215

No free man should be convicted unless fairly trialed

When and what was the Bill of Rights?

Agreement to govern with the consent of parliament constitutional monarch

What was Somerset V Stewart and when was it?

1771

Lord Mansfield stated that slavery was illegal within the UK since it had not been legislated for by an act of parliament

What was Entick V Carrington and when was it?

1765

Lord Camden lay down the principle that government can only act according to the law

What was the representation of the people act and when was it?

Universial suggrage

When was the human rights act?

1998

What was the human rights act?

Incorporates the European Convention fully into British Law

British citizens now posses a clear statements of their liberties which is enforceable in court

What was the freedom of information act?

Established a ‘right of acess’ to information held by public vodies so long it doesnt compromise national security allows people to know how establishments such as NHS operate and acess information held abouut them

When was the freedom of information act?

2000

What has the freedom of information act exposed?

MP expenses scandal in 2009

What is the equality act?

Equality before the law and you cannot be discriminated against for

• Age

• Disability

• Race

• Gender

• Sex

• Marriage

• Paternity

When wass the equality act?

2010

What is potential further electoral reform?

Votes at 16

Should there be votes at 16? YES

• 16-year-olds have other legal rights- join armed forces and leave school

• Create voting as a habit

• Increased political awareness through social media (climate change)

• In Sctoland increased engagement

• Say on issues that mean a lot

Should there be votes at 16? No

• Lack necessary life expereince

• Likely to be taken in by fake news

• Know little about POlitics

• In the army they cannot be on the front line and have only part time jobs

• Voting turnout is low among 18-24 year oldss

• Few countries give them the right to vote

What is an e-democracy?

The way the internet has impactd the way democracy operates in the UK

Why is an e-democracy beneficial?

• Help inform the general public more effectively than traditional media

• Greater interaction

• Organisations with modest financial backing to mount political campaigns

• Allow people to participate more readily in politics

How many signitures does a e-petition need to have a government response?

10,000

How many signatures does a petition need to be considered in debate?

100,000 and Mp backing

How many signatures did the ban all ISIS members from returning to the UK recieve?

600,000

How does e-petitions increase political particpation?

• Increase political participation by bringing in poeple who dont have the time to participate in more conventional ways

• Make a better informed electorate

• Communicate directly

• Enhance pluralism by preventing powerful elitsit grousp dictating

How does e-petitions negative?

• Give people greater acess to extremist groups

• Misinforamtion is a big problem

• Government may be influenced by populist campaign

Should voting be compulsory?

• Social duty as well as rihgt

• Parliament more representative

• Run campaigns with whole electorate in mind

• Would still be legal to spoil a ballot

Why Should voting not be compulsory?

• Undemocratic

• Doesnt adress deeper reasons why people dont vote

• WOuldnt stop neglecting safe seats

• People may rank in order they see ABC voting

Why should prisoners vote?

• Fundamental right

• Losing the voter is unlikely to deter crime

• Removes civic resposibility forom prisoners further alienating them

Why should prisoners not vote?

• Criminals therefore forfeit the right to say how society should be run

• Should have no say in the criminal justice system

• Due to FPTP would heavily impact some consituences

What did Hist V United Kingdom 2005 rule?

Blanket ban on British priosners not being able to vote is contrary to European Convention on Humans rights

What are pressure groups?

Organised groups of individuals brought together for the purpose of fulfilling a specific goal or a common cause

What is an inside pressure groups?

Regular contact with decision makers and are often consulted on specific issues by politicans

Why can insider pressure groups be seen as moderate?

They work with decision makers so have to keep them on their side resulting in less extreme action

What are examples of insider pressure groups?

NICE (national institute for health care and excellence)

NFU (national farmers union)

What is an outsider pressure groups?

Not consulted by the government so do not have direct and regular contact with decision makers and do not operate through influencing those within the system

How do outsider pressure groups function?

By gaining the support of the public

What are examples of Outsider Pressure groups?

Fathers4Justice

Plane stupid (against the expansion of UK airports)

Who do sectional pressure groups represent?

Represent a specific section of society

What are examples of sectional groups?

House Builders Federation (represents hosue building industry)

BMA

What are examples of promotional groups?

Stop HS2 (wants to stop the building of a second high speed rail in the UK)

How many doctors does the BMA represent?

160,000

What kind of pressure group is Greenpeace?

Promotional

What do promotional groups promote?

Ideas that benefit the public in general rather than a specific group

What are the functions of pressure groups?

• Political representation

• Government scrutiny

• Political debate

• Influencing policy

• Political participation

• Political education

What can pressure groups help prevent?

Tyranny of the majority

What did ‘We Demand a Referedum’ drop off in downing street? and when

A petition calling for a referendum of EU membership

2012

What many people signed ‘We demand a referendums’ petition?

100,000

What pressure group tries to influence policy?

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

What pressure groups promote public education?

Migration watch UK (provides numbers on immigration)

What party supported Jeremy Corbyn to have their issue represented in the partys manifesto?

Momentum (supported more left wing policies)

Why and where did Fathers for justice march in 2011?

Outside David Camerons home

He had called men that abandoned their families as ‘feckless fathers’ ‘should be looked at like drink drivers’

What methods do pressure groups use?

• Petitions

• Protest
  Direct action

• Legal challenges

What is an example of direct action?

Animal Liberation Front attacking homes of people who partake in animal research

Father4Justice with a man dressed in batman scaling Buckingham palace

What are factors affecting pressure group sucess?

• Public support

• Resource

• Membership size

• Acess to decision makers

What campaing did the NFU lead?

A campaign against bovine tuberculosis

What did the NFU argue?

bTB is harmful to farmers as it kills cattle

How much did the NFU say that BTB cost the Uk every year

100 million

Did the NFU have a culll?

Yes despite opposition but it had insider statis so was able to pass B

What are think tanks?

Collection of experts who provide advice and solutions to specific political, social or economic problems they can research policy and influence policy makers

What is a think tank related to Conservative party policy?

Centre for Policy Studies

How do think tanks influence?

• Direct acess to decision makers

• Publish policy ideas

What have the Legatum institute influenbced?

Propsed Britain leave EU and remove tarrifs

Helped draw a letter with Johnon and Gove to May outlining their Brexit demands

What are lobbyists?

Paid to influence decision makers in the governmeng such as MPs and HOL members creating policy inb the interest of their clients

How do lobbyists influence?

• Political donations (donations, gifts, meals)

• Work on behalf of organisations

• Most significant when they have access to personal contacts who are politicals/ decision makers

What is an example of a Lobbyist?

Hanbury Stratgey

What is Hanbury Strategy?

Set up by a former special adviser to David Cameron and a director for the group Vote Leave

Connections to senior decision makers

Lobby around Brexit effecting clinets

Who set up Hanbruy Strategy?

Ameet Gill

Paul Stephenson