Feautures of UK democracy

Outlines and discusses features of democracy.

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  • Created by: Econ123
  • Created on: 26-12-10 12:00

Features of UK democracy.

Features:

  • Elections
    • Free and fair, universal suffrage + electoral choice.
  • Parliament
  • Pressure Groups
  • Referendums
  • Devolution
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Elections

1. Elections:

a) Free and Fair:

+ One person, one vote.

+ Electoral Commission (protects public confidence).

- FPTP is unfair; plurality rule, wasted votes & tactical voting.

b) Universal suffrage:

- Prisoners/mentall incapable/House of Lords members can't vote.

c) Electoral choice:

- 2 party system in Westmister elections between Lab and Cons.

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Parliament

2. Parliament

+ Links govt to people.

+ MPs represent constituencies.

+ House of Commons - debating chamber of nation.

+ Deliberative democracy (pulicinterest decided through debates).

- House of Lords unelected.

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Pressure Groups

3. Pressure Groups

+ Political voice to minorities.

+ Citizens can exert influence between elections.

- Power lies with wealthy, large PGs and business groups.

- Ignore parliament and go straight to govt (weakens role of elected MPs).

- Unelected, unaccountable leaders.

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Referendums

4. Referendums.

+ Form of direct democracy.

+ Vote on specific issue.

Important: 1975 referendum on continued membership of European Community (aka EU).

- Irresponsible govt (hand decisions over to electorate but govt are elected to make policy decisions).

- Strengthens govt (they decide when & where its held).

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Devolution

5. Devolution

created in 1998 (Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly & Northern Ireland Assembly).

+ Constituent nations given own political voice.

+ Increase political participation and education.

- Major economic and foreign policy decisions still made at Westminster.

- Devolution not advanced democracy in England where 84% of UK population live.

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Comments

Hannah bayfield

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representative is spelt incorrectly.

also, this is wrong. A referendum is a feature of direct democracy rather than representative democracy.

Econ123

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Oops, sorry for that careless mistake. I've corrected it now. But thank you for pointing that out though! :)

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