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democracy and participation - Coggle Diagram
democracy and participation
participation crisis
A participation crisis is the decline in voter turnout and political engagement, indicating widespread disinterest or distrust in the political system
Voter Turnout
Declining turnout in general elections
Low engagement in local elections
Factors contributing to low turnout (e.g., voter apathy, disillusionment)
youth turnout
Low participation rates among young voters
Possible reasons (e.g., feeling of disconnection from politics, lack of education on political issues)
Efforts to increase youth engagement (e.g., educational programs, social media campaigns)
Political Trust
General distrust in politicians and political institutions
Scandals and their impact on public perception
Role of media in shaping trust
extending the franchise
Extending the franchise refers to expanding the right to vote to more individuals within a society. This process typically involves lowering age requirements, removing property or income qualifications, and including previously excluded groups, thereby broadening democratic participation.
Great Reform Act, 1832
Enfranchised some members of the middle class.
Before the act, only 2% of the population (land-owning elite) could vote.
Reduced property qualifications, allowing more middle-class citizens to vote.
Defined voters as males; women were not allowed to vote.
Reform Acts of 1867 and 1884
Further lowered property qualifications.
Increased voting rights for the middle class.
The Representation of the People Act, 1918
Allowed women over 30 to vote if they met property qualifications, benefiting mostly wealthy, white women.
Lowered the age limit for men to 21.
The Representation of the People Act, 1928
Removed property qualifications for voting.
Reduced the voting age for women to 21.
The Representation of the People Act, 1969
Lowered the voting age to 18.
direct and representative democracy
direct
Purest form of democracy
Direct democracy gives voters significant powers
Created in Ancient Greece
Gives the people a lot of power
Put civilians in political offices
This form is rarely used in the Moden world.
Still used in Switzerland
representative
Government is carried out by political professionals
More likely to make highly educated decisions
Politicians obliged to make unbiased and factually supported decisions
Practical in a large country and does not burden voters with lots of small decisions
rights (collective V individual)
collective rights- Rights that are held by a group rather than individuals. These often relate to groups' identities, cultures, or interests, like minority rights or indigenous peoples' rights.
individual rights- Rights that are held by individuals. These protect personal freedoms and entitlements, such as freedom of speech, right to privacy, and the right to a fair trial.
collective
Minority rights
Indigenous peoples' rights
Religious group rights
Social and Economic Rights:
Workers' rights
Rights to access community resources
individual
Personal Freedoms:
Freedom of speech
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of religion
Legal Protections:
Right to a fair trial
Right to privacy
Protection from discrimination
Economic Rights:
Right to work
Right to own property
Right to receive education
Social Rights:
Right to healthcare
Right to housing
Right to social security
pressure groups (types, methods success+)
A pressure group is an organized group seeking to influence government policy or public opinion on specific issues without seeking election, through lobbying, advocacy, and other forms of activism
insider- A group with direct access to government officials, often consulted due to their expertise and reliability in their field. These groups can significantly influence policy decisions.
outsider A group that lacks direct access to government officials and operates outside formal power channels. They use public campaigns, media, and protests to influence policy and public opinion
Interest Pressure Group Represents the interests of a specific section of society, such as trade unions or business associations. Their main goal is to promote and protect the interests of their members.
Promotional Pressure Group Advocates for broader societal causes or specific issues, like human rights or environmental protection. Their focus is on benefiting society at large rather than just their members.
what makes them successful
lobbying
Access to decision-making allows pressure groups to lobby politicians.
Influence leads to law changes and policy creation.
Example: General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, Jack Jones, was called 'the most powerful man in Britain'.
Influence of AA and RAC on smart motorways to temporarily halt the roll-out for more data collection
financial
Wealth groups can invest heavily in research and meetings with politicians to influence them.
Big businesses like Amazon and Meta use their wealth to influence government policy on tax and social media regulations.
Example: National Trust.
celebrity influence
Connections to famous names help pressure groups achieve popular recognition.
Example: Emma Watson closely associated with the HEFORSHE campaign.
Public Engagement:
Pressure groups use social media and public campaigns to engage with the public.
Spread their message on a large scale.
Example: BLM had a vast social media presence with several hashtags trending, promoting discussions and awareness.