POLITICS. Democracy and Participation.

The appeal and challenges of democracy.

Democracy and participation have a strong emotional and natural emotional appeal, yet they also contain some inherent flaws. Winston Churchill was surely right when in 1917 he observed that : No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise…Indeed it has been said that democracy is one of the worst flaws of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.

What does the term Democracy mean?

A system of government in which the people have ultimate power.

What does the term Participation mean?

The various ways that people can get involved in the political process. These can range in scale from standing for elected office to signing an e-petition. The most central form of participation is voting in elections

What five key questions did the veteran labour MP, Tony Benn, identify? Who should these questions be asked to?

The questions : What power have you got? Where did you get it from? In whose interests do you use it? To whom are you accountable? How do we get rid of you? These questions were to be asked to any politician.

The nature of democracy - Where does the word democracy some from?

It comes from the Greek word ‘demos’ meaning ‘the people’ and 'kratia’ meaning ‘rule by’. It has origins dating back to the fifth century BC.

The nature of democracy - What was Athenian democracy, and why?

Not perfect. Enslaved people, women and foreign residents were excluded from the political process. The term ‘people’ in practise meant a minority (10-20%) of Athens inhabitants : all male and free.

The nature of democracy - For much of human history what has the term democracy connoted to?

It has had negative connotations, being associated with mob rule and disorder. Only really in the 20th century has it come to be seen as a desirable positive and a fundamental human right.

The nature of democracy - What has happened to the term democracy over time?

The term has both changed meaning over time and can take several different forms.

The nature of democracy - What are the features of democracy in the UK?

• Elections

• Representation

• Legitimacy

• Participation

• Accountability

• Rule of law

• Smooth transition of power

• Civil Rights

The nature of democracy - The features of democracy - Elections : explanation, challenges and questions

Explanation - These should be free, fair an secret. Everyone has equal say in selection of their elected representative irrespective of gender, class, ethnicity, wealthy etc.

Challenges - Turnout varies particularly according to age group.

Questions - Should prisoners be able to vote?

The nature of democracy - The features of democracy - Representation : explanation, challenges and questions

Explanation - Those who are elected must act in the best interests of the citizens in their area and represent their views effectively. The people must also be able to represent their opinions to their elected representatives.

Challenges - Most elected representatives belong to a political party and represent their party’s views most of the time.

Questions - How far do MPs listen to and represent the views of those who don’t vote for them, and with whom they disagree over certain issues.

The nature of democracy - The features of democracy- Legitimacy : explanation, challenges, questions

Explanation - Governments and legislature have legitimacy or legal authority as they have been fairly chosen by the people in elections.

Challenges - The first past the post electoral system distorts party representation at Westminster. No recent UK government has won the support of over 50% of those who voted, let alone a majority of the entire electorate.

Questions - Should voting be made compulsory? Should the electoral system be changed?

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Participation : Explanation, challenges, questions

Explanation - People can get involved and contribute to politics and policy making in a number of ways, according to commitment, aptitude and opportunity.

Challenges - There is a wide range of participation opportunities, some of which require far more commitment than others.

Questions - Are the higher levels of participation such as standing as MP really open to all equally. For example, those with demanding full time jobs who might not have the time to campaign

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Accountability : Explanation, challenges and questions

Explanation - Those elected to government or local councils are held accountable for their actions, which should be transparent, open and free from corruption.

Challenges - There are frequent complaints about how government and public bodies try to cover up their mistakes. There are also many allegations of cronyism and partisan favouritism in many areas of government.

Questions - Is there a need for more independent scrutiny of government? 

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Rule Of Law : Explanation, challenges and questions

Explanation - Laws apply equally to everyone, including the government and elected officials. Anyone who breaks the law is punished.

Challenges - Many argue politicians and other elected officials sometimes see themselves as above or exempt from the laws everyone else has to follow. Scandals including : cash for questions, Partygate and honours as rewards for political donations / loyalty increase this perception.

Questions - Do we expect too much of our politicians, or are there double standards when it comes to following rules they set for everyone else? Do we need tighter safeguards on how politicians conduct themselves?

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Smooth Transition Of Power : Explanation, challenges and explanations 

Explanation - There is a formal process for handing power from one government to the next. This takes place peacefully without violence or mass protests.

Challenges - In general, elections and government handovers are calm and peaceful in the UK. The prolonged hiatus and debate in Parliament over a Brexit deal was, however, viewed by many leave supporters as an attempt to thwart the will of the people.

Questions - Do we need a more transparent system for forming a government if no single party commands an overall Commons majority?

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Civil Rights : Explanation, challenges and questions

Explanation - The rights of the people are protected and defended by the law and through the courts.

Challenges - The UK lacks an embedded set of civil rights and relies largely on parliamentary statues that can, in theory, be repealed. Access to justice can be prohibitively expensive for many.

Questions - How well does the UK compare to other western democracies when it comes to protecting civil rights?

The nature of democracy - Features of democracy - Education and Information : Explanation, challenges and questions 

Explanation - The public are well educated politically and have access to accurate information from trustworthy sources. This enables effective and informed participation in the political process.

Challenges - Many sources of news and information are biased and one sided. This is traditionally true for newspapers. In addition, social media such as X and Tik Tok allows misleading and fake news to reach a wide audience, and influence voting and political perceptions. Election campaigns rely on highly simplified messages, that at their worst can be very misleading.

Questions - Is greater regulation of the press, and perhaps even more so of social media, necessary to avoid fake news and conspiracy theories that have no foundation in fact?

The Different Types Of Democracy - Democracy in the UK takes the form of what?

Representative democracy. With the occasional element of direct democracy 

The Different Types Of Democracy - What type of democracy does the USA have?

Presidential democracy. This involves a directly elected leader who governs alongside a representative body, i.e. Congress. 

The Different Types Of Democracy - What is representative democracy?

It’s by far the most common form of democracy in the UK, with regular elections for parliament and local councils. It involves the people voting for representatives who then serve in parliament or on councils as MPs or councillors. Certainly at Westminster level, virtually all MPs belong to a political party. Once in office, they make decisions and pass laws on behalf of voters. Accountability comes in the form of regular elections when voters can endorse or reject candidates at the ballot box. 

The Different Types Of Democracy - What are the most commonly cited advantages of representative democracy and elected representatives?

• Elected representatives have the knowledge and skill to make often difficult and complex decisions on behalf of voters 

• By being responsible for nearly all areas of policy and decision making, they are able to take a broader view of issues and balance effectively competing claims and issues. This is particularly significant when it comes to priorities for allocating spending, balancing budgets and setting taxes. 

• Belonging to a political party often enables voters to have a good idea of how representatives will act once in power. Will they cut taxes, spend more on health than defence or trim welfare benefits?

• Representative government is more efficient than laying numerous decisions and laws directly before the people for approval or rejection. 

The Different types Of Democracy - What is Direct Democracy?

It is in many ways, the opposite of representative democracy. It entails directly involving the people in policy choices as opposed to leaving it purely to elected officials. It is rarely used in the UK, and then almost exclusively reserved for constitutional issues. 

The Different Types Of Democracy - What is commonly associated with direct democracy?

Referendums 

The Different Types Of Democracy - Examples of direct democracy in the UK.

• 1973 - Northern Ireland : vote on whether it would remain part of the UK.

• 1975 - Whole of the UK : voted on continued membership of the EU. 

• 1979 and 1997 - Scotland and Wales : proposed introduction of devolution.

• 1998 - London : referendum on whether there should be a directly elected mayor of London and the creation of the Greater London Authority. 

• 1998 - Northern Ireland : vote on the Good Friday Agreement.

• 2011 - Whole of the UK : proposal to replace the FPTP electoral system with the alternative vote (AV). 

• 2011 - Wales : vote on whether more powers should be transferred to the Welsh Assembly.

• 2014 - Scotland : Independence referendum 

• 2016 - Whole of the UK : EU referendum 

The Different Types Of Democracy - What does the UK’s relatively limited use of direct democracy contrast sharply with?

Other democracies that make far more use of direct democracy. A prime example is Switzerland

The Different Types Of Democracy - Switzerland and Direct Democracy

The practise of direct democracy is strongly embedded in their political culture. For example, 50,000 people can challenge any piece of legislation within 100 days of its adoption by parliament - a process known as an optional referendum and a clear check on representative government. There is also scope for citizens to draw up their own laws provided 100,000 people within 18 months sign up to a measure. Among the measures voted on by Swizz citizens over the years are joining the UN and banning the construction of minarets for mosques

The Different Types Of Democracy - The Republic Of Ireland and its use of referendums (direct democracy).

The ROI, too, has made quite extensive use of referendums on ethical issues that have led to the legislation of both abortion and same sex marriage