Edexcel A-level Politics: Democracy & Participation

Power

The ability to make people do things at will (even things they may not want to do)

Authority

The recognised/given right to influence the actions and behaviour of others

legitimacy

Whether a political institution is popularly accepted as having the right to wield power and authority

democracy

Political decisions should be made by all people, not a select few, with everyone having an equal ability to participate

participation

The involvement of individuals in the political process to influence outcomes

equality

Everyone has an equal opportunity to influence political decisions

Direct Democracy

People directly vote or offer guidance on specific issues though referendums, petitions, consultations etc. Used infrequently in the UK

Strengths of Direct Democracy (5)

• Genuine ‘people power’

• No need for representatives

• Encourages participation & political education

• People take responsibility for decisions, not blaming representatives

• Prevents political domination by the elite

Weaknesses of Direct Democracy (5)

• Impractical with large populations

• Public may lack time/interest/understanding

• Wealthy groups distort debate

• Public may avoid necessary reforms

• Risk of tyranny of the majority

Referendum

A (normally) yes/no vote on a specific political question posed to the wider public

Key Features of UK Referendums (4)

• Parliament can ignore results (PS) but doing so undermines legitimacy

• UK has held only 13 referendums; US held 155 in one month (2018)

• Government decides whether a referendum happens

• Parliament sets thresholds and wording

Representative Democracy

The public elect politicians to vote on issues on their behalf

Strengths of Representative Democracy (5)

• Practical for large populations

• Representatives have expertise

• Willing to take necessary but unpopular decisions

• Accountability at elections

• Protects minority interests

Weaknesses of Representative Democracy (4)

• Representatives may not reflect voters’ views

• Party influence over MPs

• Public political disengagement

• FPTP disadvantages small parties

General Elections

Held every 5 years; 650 constituencies of roughly equal populations elect one representative each. Only the Commons is elected, as the Lords is appointed by the monarch after recommendation by the PM or an appointments committee

Manifesto

A party’s proposed plan of policy if elected; winning party claims a mandate to implement it

Minority Government

Largest party without 326 seats must form a coalition of c&s agreement

Parliament vs Government

• Parliament: debates, approves laws, scrutinises government

• Government: proposes and implements laws; is part of Parliament but not vice versa

Confidence Motions

Called if Parliament loses confidence in the government; if the government loses, they have 14 days to win won or a General Election is called as a convention

Franchise Acts (5)

• 1832, 1867, 1884 Reform Acts — expanded franchise by lowering property requirements

• 1872 Ballot Act — introduced secret ballot

• 1918 Representation of the People Act — all men 21+, most women 30+

• 1928 Equal Franchise Act — women’s voting age lowered to 21

• 1969 Representation of the People Act — voting age lowered to 18 for almost all

Who cannot vote in the UK? (4)

• Non‑UK citizens

• Lords

• Prisoners

• Those convicted of electoral offences in the last 5 years

Models of representation (3)

• Delegate Model: MPs vote according to constituents’ wishes; risk of tyranny of the majority.

• Trustee (Burkean) Model: MPs use their own judgement; vote in national interest.

• Party/Mandate Model: MPs follow party manifesto that voters endorsed.

Electoral Forms of Participation (3)

• Voting

• Campaigning

• Donating

Non-Electoral Forms of Participation (9)

• Contacting MPs

• Joining parties

• Joining pressure groups

• Government consultations

• E‑petitions (10k = gov response; 100k = may be debated)

• Boycotts

• Marches

• Strikes

• Media Campaigns

Why is turnout important for a representative democracy? (2)

• Vital for the government to be seen as legitimate

• The government’s mandate to pursue manifesto pledges is questioned

Differential Turnout

The varying levels of electoral turnout across the country

What is the result of differential turnout on manifestos and government policies? (3)

• Government incentivised to ‘pander’ policies towards those more likely to vote

• Campaigning is more prevalent in areas of generally higher turnout

• Policies for younger generations/more working-class areas are neglected

Partisan Dealignment

Where voters no longer strongly identify with a party, and their support changes between parties from election to election

Reasons for lower participation. (5)

• Apathy

• Hapathy

• People may be too busy to participate

• Not enough choice

• Anti-Politics

Apathy

The public are uninterested in politics and don’t care about it, so do not vote

Hapathy

The public are uninterested in politics because they are largely content in their lives

Anti-Politics

Over the last two decades, there has been a considerable increase in the number of people who say they no longer trust politicians. This has been accompanied by a rise of populist parties, which pledge to stand for the public against the political elite

Populism

A ideology in which parties/party leaders claim to stand for the general population against the insensitive and out-of-touch political elite

Audit of Political Engagement, 2019. (3)

• 50% said that the main parties and politicians don’t care about people like them

• 72% said that the system of governing needs ‘quite a lot’ or a ‘great deal’ of improvement

• 54% said that Britain needs a stronger leader who is prepared to break the rules