Democracy And Participation
- Created by: Eleri M
- Created on: 27-11-18 14:30
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- Democracy and Participation
- Direct Democracy
- Advantages
- Gives equal weight to all votes
- Encourages popular participation
- Removes need for trusted representatives
- The people take responsibility
- Develops sense of community and encourages debate
- Disadvantages
- Impractical in large heavily populated places
- Many people may not want to and feel unqualified to do so
- Open to manipulation by the cleverest and best speakers
- Will of the majority is not mediated
- Minority viewpoints are disregarded
- Advantages
- Representative Democracy
- Advantages
- Only practical system
- Good for rapid response and complex issues
- pluralist democracy
- reduces chances of tyranny of majority
- Elections allow representatives to be held to account
- Politicians are better informed than most
- Disadvantages
- leads to reduced participation
- Politicians avoid accountability
- minorities are still under-represented
- politicians are corrupt
- they could betray election promises or put loyalty to their party above responsibility to the electorate
- Advantages
- UK Democratic System
- Positives
- Devolved governments
- decisions are taken closer to local people through devolution
- Power is shared so it is more democratic
- Independent Judiciary
- separate form other branches of government
- Free and Fair Elections
- free of corruption and intimidation
- Free Media
- challenges policy and exposes politicians
- Wide range of political parties and pressure groupds
- Devolved governments
- Negatives
- Under-representation of minority
- House of Commons is elected by FPTP
- Makes a mismatch
- between votes cast for political parties
- and the seats each party wins
- between votes cast for political parties
- Makes a mismatch
- House of Commons is elected by FPTP
- House of Lords lacks democratic legitimacy
- Unelected
- appointed by prime ministers
- small number from cross-bencher appointments
- Lack of Protection for citizens' rights
- Control of the sections of the media by wealthy unaccountable business interests
- Under-representation of minority
- Possible Reforms
- allowing people to vote anywhere in their constituency
- allow voting to take place over several days
- allow electronic voting
- wider use of postal voting
- voting age should be reduced to 16
- Compulsory Voting
- Positives
- it is a social duty
- makes a more representative parliament
- policies would have to be aimed at the whole electorate
- could still spoil ballots
- Negatives
- it is undemocratic to force people to vote
- doesn't stop campaigns being focused on marginal seats
- doesn't address deeper reasons why people choose not to vote
- Positives
- Positives
- Pressure Groups
- Types
- Sectional
- promote the interests of a group of society
- membership is only for specific people
- Promotional
- focused on achieving a goal
- Raise awareness for an issue
- membership to everyone
- Insider
- rely on contacts with ministers and civil servants to achieve their aims
- Outsider
- they are not consulted by the government
- Sectional
- Difference in Influence
- Resources
- financial resources
- size of membership
- financial resources
- Tactics and Leadership
- knowing 'access points' in UK political systems to target
- need experienced and capable leaders
- Public Support
- need agendas in support with public opinion
- government attitudes
- contacts with ministers are key
- Resources
- Examples
- BMA
- Insider
- Sectional
- International graduates can apply for jobs in Scotland
- lobbying
- Amnesty International
- Outsider Promotional
- Teachers Union
- Sectional outsider
- Liberty
- Insider promotional
- WWF
- Specialist Insider
- RSPB
- Outsider and also promotional
- BMA
- Pros and Cons
- Positives
- Educate the public and inform all
- ensure governments are up to date with public wants
- prevents tyranny of the majority
- groups compete which spreads out power
- forms of direct democracy
- critiques government
- enables people to interact with politics
- Negatives
- Political Inequality
- Tyranny of the minority
- non-legitimate power
- The leaders are unelected
- public are only told of the debates the leaders want them to hear about
- Behind the scenes influence
- Why are they involved in governmental decisions when they aren't democratic or elected
- Not held accountable
- Not subject to scrutiny
- Positives
- Types
- Rights
- List of Rights in UK
- Fair and equal treatment under the law
- Freedom of expression in speech and writing
- Freedom of conscience including worshipping as one wishes
- The right to vote, to stand for an election and join a party
- The right to belong to an organisation
- Freedom of Movement
- Issues with Rights
- Parliamentary Sovereignty
- No rights can ever override Parliament or be out of their reach
- No rights can impact Parliamentary Sovereignty either
- Protection of Rights
- The rights are given through acts of parliament
- Parliament can take away or abolish rights in theory
- Parliamentary Sovereignty
- How they came into being
- Began with Magna Carta as foundation for citizen rights
- European Convention of Human Rights
- 1950 - it was made after World War II
- Human Rights Act
- 1998 - Passed by New Labour government
- Right to Life and fair trial etc.
- 1998 - Passed by New Labour government
- Equality Act
- Brought together other legislation outlawing discrimination and unfair treatment
- 2010 - Identified nine 'protected characteristics'
- List of Rights in UK
- Direct Democracy
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