comparative approaches in democracy and participation

what specification says about democracy and participation

the different nature of the party systems

Rational Approach

USA is diverse which means it makes rational sense to be inclusive in composition and approach.

• Parties need a wide coalition of supporters (I.e. Democrats need environmentalists and Republicans need poorer white voters in the South).

• Makes it harder for third parties to find a niche.

• UK parties also are disincentivized from making major changes to the electoral system

  • As in the US, no one wants to cast a 'wasted' vote.

  • However this is less of an issue in Mayoral elections (SV)

Cultural Approach

• Electoral systems in the UK have changed – there used to be similarity with the US.

  • UK change has been motivated by changing culture – growth of nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales plus the culture of Euroscepticism in England. Elections beyond Westminster are very much multi party.

  • Each part of the UK has a distinct culture – through NI troubles and devolution for Scotland and Wales

  • Cultural autonomy is also inherent in the UK in the fear of losing national sovereignty which led to Brexit. Nationalist autonomy was therefore culturally stronger than the belief in supranationalism.

• USA is so culturally diverse that cultural autonomy is consumed within a wider allegiance to the USA as a nation - 'e pluribus unum' 

• Whilst the 'struggle for the soul of America' is nothing new - there is no need for nationalist political parties, and only a small minority hold separatist views.

Structural Approach

• Structures reinforce the systems. FPTP is dominant in both countries.

  • Where there are different systems (I.e. AMS in Scotland) multi party systems have emerged.

• Despite federalism in the US, there is two party dominance.

  • Reinforced by the primary system which then in turn removed the incentive for running a third party candidate.

  • Policies also have to be tailored to the personal electorate as their personal record plays a considerable role in elections.

• In the UK party structure has been influenced mainly for a drive to the centre.

• Also concerned with national politics and personal records are less important which affects party candidates and loyalty.

Party Unity & Policies (came up in 2024)

• It is dangerous to assume the Democrats’ policies match Labour and the Republicans’ match those of the Conservatives.

• The British Labour Party came out of the trade union movement and has been a truly socialist party for most of its life.

• In contrast, the Democrat party has never been a socialist party – culturally the appeal of socialism has never been widespread for decades. This is due to the ‘Red Scare’ and fear of communism.

• The British Conservative Party came out of the the British 19th century politics as a party dominated by the landed aristocracy and the established church.

• In contrast the Republican Party has nothing that resembles that, having been born out of the civil war.

the lines of agreement (policies)

policy differences

• Republicans sit to the right of the Conservatives

• Democrats sit to the right of the Labour Party – most certainly when Labour was under Corbyn’s labour leadership.

points on third parties

• Support for third parties in the US is limited but more widespread in the UK

• The issues that draw UK voters to third parties mainly concern the constituent parts of the UK – i.e. nationalism and Europe (in the case of England)

• When both parties in the UK were pro-EU, anti-EU supporters had no choice but to support a third party that didn’t support Europe.

• Minor parties in the USA face more problems than UK parties because of the central position of the presidential structure.

• In addition the structures of major parties in the USA are more flexible with primaries allowing them to be more responsive.

• Finally USA elections are more expensive and organisation on a national scale is more challenging than in the UK – making it difficult to compete in national elections.

analysis: party unity/functions

additional important information