Studied by 2 people
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
