democracy and participation

Direct democracy

People make policies, immediate

Advantages of direct democracy

-purest form

-carries more authority

Disadvantages of direct democracy

-minority groups often ignored

-requires participation of everyone

Key functions of democracy (RAPPLE)

-representation

-accountability

-participation-power dispersal

-legitimacy

-education

Representative democracy

Public choose who will rule on their behalf, mediated

Advantages of representative democracy

-better protects minorities

-regular and fair elections

-effective choice

Disadvantages of representative democracy

-potential for self interested leadership

-disconnect between gov and public

Elections act 2022

-must show photo ID

-gov gained more influence over electoral commission

Positives of democracy

• Free and fair elections

• Universal suffrage

• Devolution

Negatives of democracy

• Unelected elements, HoL and monarchy

• Devolution led to imbalance in uk politics

• FPTP votes don’t count

Party memberships

• C- 123,000. Was 200,000

• L- 309,000. Was 430,000

• G- 78,000. Was 53,000

• SNP- 56,011. Was 119,000

Election turnouts

2001- 59.4

2019- 67.3

2024- 59.4

Advantages of e-democracy

• Minimal effort

• Easy to see levels of support

• Little to no costs

• Youth engagement

Disadvantages of e-democracy

Is minimal effort really participation

Fraud can take place

Doesn’t allow opposing view to be heard

Promotional/cause pressure group

Dedicated to specific cause such as human rights

Sectional/functional pressure groups

Dedicated to a particular section of society such as jobs

Referendums

12 in uk since 1973, vote on specific issues

55% of public agreed important Qs should be resolved by referendums

Too many can cause voter apathy, lowering turnouts

Initiatives

Not in uk but in Switzerland they allow people to propose law

But would undermine uk politicians

Citizen assemblies

People represent a cross section

Allow public to scrutinise issues

Recall elections

Removes elected representative before end of term of office

• Convicted of offence

• Suspended from HoC or broken code of conduct

• Convicted of making false expense claims

Voting and electoral reform

Lower turnouts raise Qs of need to increase turnout ‘

Compulsory voting: enhance legitimacy but people should have the right to choose if they want to vote

Voting age: reduce to 16, but youth is disinterested in politics

Voting system: FPTP wasted votes but the system is embedded and offers clear majority

Voter ID

Elections act 2022

Only 1 person convicted of voter fraud in 2019

Many don’t carry ID, concerns of voter suppression as certain demographics are less likely to carry ID

2024 50,000 turned away from voting

750,000 voters lack accepted ID

Voting age should be lowered to 16

16 year olds are responsible, can get married and leave school

Political decisions affect them such as education

Stimulates fresh thinking on certain issues

Voting age should not be lowered to 16

Young people do not receive enough education about politics

Youth turnout has always been low

More important to increase turnout of those who can already vote

16 year olds still need parental permission for many things such as marriage

For compulsory voting

Increases participation

Give elected gov greater legitimacy

Genuine political equality requires all to vote

Against compulsory voting

Right to vote means having a choice of whether or not you exercise that right

Doesn’t address deeper problems about engagement

Increases number of unthinking votes

Pressure group

Group seeking to influence policy without seeking political power

Typically have a narrow issue focus

Member share belief

Reasons for success

• Insider status

• Wealth

• Large membership

• Organisation

• Compatibility with gov

• Expertise

• Celebrity endorsement

• Public mood/support

Pressure groups enhance democracy

Disperse power and influence widely

If groups challenge each other no one interest can dominate

People prefer group representation

Educate about political issues

Address broader range of issues

Pressure groups threaten democracy

Some are elitist and concentrate power in few hands

May distort info to suit their agenda

Can use illegal methods

Insider status

Regularly consulted by gov

Need to be law abiding and maintain good public image

Often provide expert advice to gov

Often employ professional lobbyists to gain access to decision makers

Insider status

Work with ministers and civil servants and parliament and parties

Outsider status

Tactics appeal to large numbers aiming to show good public is on their side

Usually cause groups

Some aim top gain insider status

Outsider status

Engage the public

Use the courts

Extinction rebellion

Want gov to declare a climate and ecological emergency, reduce greenhouse emission to net zero by 2025, must create and be led by a citizens assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Over 460 councils adopted a climate emergency motion

Uses large demonstrations

Think tanks

Group of experts who provide advice, ideas and policy on problems

Conduct research to provide detailed evidence

Help parties by developing policies from academic research

Example of think tanks

Labour together- designed to get labour re elected

Centre for policy studies- promote enterprise, ownership

Corporations

Work closely with gov to check policies are practical and help implement proposals

May lobby gov to influence key part of the economy

May threaten to relocate to get what they want

Example of corporation power

Zero emission vehicle mandated % of cars sold which must be electric

Car companies like ford called fir gov to relax their targets

Labour relaxed it till 2030

Lobbyists

Individuals and firms who aim to influence gov

But can be abused by those trying to further private interests

Example of lobbying

Badenoch announced u turn on the commitment to net zero by 2050 saying it was impossible

Came a month after a £14,350 weeklong residential with shadow cabinet colleagues courtesy of donor Neil record who chairs a climate sceptic lobby group.