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Politics Alevel- Democracy - Coggle Diagram
Politics Alevel- Democracy
Representative democracy
Advantages
Professional politicians make complex decisions
Minority views are conisdered and upheld
elected politicians make complex decisions
most practical form of democracy
Disadvantages
citizens are disengaged from politics
tightly controlled parties result in politicians lacking independence
Politicians are skilled in serving accountibility
Politicians are open to corruption and self interest
Features of representative democracy
the election of representatives should be regular, competitive and secret ballet and carried out without force- in the UK elections every 5 years using FPTP. Elections are secret and the results are legally binding
civil liberties must be protected- 1998 Human rights act
Pressure groups- good for democracy- hold executive to account/demand change
Direct democracy
Advantages
Everyone in society would participate- increase consent and legitimacy
People directly make decisions in their own interests and all votes are equal
purest form of democracy
Disadvantages
Impractical to achieve securely as it requires everyone to be involved in voting
no minority voices can be heard
people will vote for their own interests not societies interests
Examples- athenian system: every citizen is equal- meet as a group and most votes win
Refurendums- representing ourselves by saying yes or no answer
Initiative- public votte get togther a petition to be able to vote on issue e.g Switzerland use this
Key principles/language of democracy
Representation, consent, legitimacy, accountability, pluralism
Political equality
- all voices count equally- all votes are of equal worth
Political participation- democracy requires us to participate, voting in general elections/ refuredums, joining a political party, participating in a pressure group- putting prssure on government however not joining government themselves, joining a union
UK democracy
Is the UK a democracy?
YES
Chance to vote general elections (5 years), devolved assemblies, local elections- police and crime commisioner, mayors
Elections are free and fair- equal votes, secret ballet (no one has to know who you voted for) , have choices on ballet, freedom of the media- to be able to gather information on parties and candisates you are giving consent too
Accountability- elections are regular and we can re elect, accountability of the executive to the house of commons, votes of no confidence- giving accountability to the opposition
Human rights-human rights act, free speech, privacy, right to protest
NO
FPTP- plurality- not very proportional as there is an exaggerated first place nationally. Bigger parties normally have more seats than the percentage of votes
Marignal seats matter but if in a safe seat then your vote doesnt really matter
House of lords- appointed by the prime minister because you have experience not elected, still small amounts of hereditary peers , life peers appointed
Human rights act is not entrenched- changng human rights can be done- commons, lords, royal assent , supreme court cannot challenge this
Participation crisis?
Election turnouts- 67.3% in 2019 wheras 75% in 1987
Refurendum turnout = dependant on issue some are very low- 2011 welsh devolution referendum 36% turnout, AV referendum= 42% \Scotish independance vote= 85% turnout
FOR
Since 1979 voting turnout has gone down
Small party membership- its gone down since the second world war- those who join parties tend to be more extreme versus the party voters
part membership tent to be older- not many youth members
Not great consent and legitimacy for referendums- e,g welsh devolution 36% and AV refurendum
AGAINST
Turnout in general elections have gone up in recent years - 2019 it is 67% turnout which is higher than previous years
Labour had a big boost of membership increase under Jeremy corbyn
lots of people joining pressure groups- there has not been a crisis of legitimacy but there has been a change in where the participation lies within this young people are getting involved in pressure groups
Brexit referendum had a high turnout at 65% and Scottish referendum had 85% turnout
Democratic A02 language
participation, consent, legitimacy, mandate, pluralism, representation, accountability
Solutions to participation crisis
votes at 16-
scotland has done this for refurendum in 2014.
FOR
with the spread of education 16 year olds are able to make informed judgements on who/ what to vote for
As voting turnout is lowest between 18-24 by having votes at 16 it may convince some more people of this age range to vote
the internet and social media allow for young people to have more knowledge about politics
-if they are old enough to serve in army, get married then surely they can vote in elections
Against
people of 26 and 17 the majority will not look at information before voting and therefore will not make infomred judgement on who they want to vote for
many issues are to difficult for 16 year olds to understand
-some may argue that there are too many radical young people in order to vote as they do not have sufficient information to vote and form real judgements
Compulsory voting
For
It can force voters into voting which will increase participation of those in younger catagories
increase turnout so the result will more political consent and legitimacy
Makes sure that more sections of society are included, decision makers will have to address concerns across all of society
Voting is a civil duty for people to follow
Against
It is a civil liberties vialation- goes against democracy
Many voters will not be educated enough in politics so even though it will increase turnout it will be ill-informed participation
It will involve in large amounts of public expenditure to enforce this system
It will favour large parties over smaller parties- these ill-informed voters will only really vote for the parties they have heard of e.g conservative and labour
Other influences in democracy
pluralism- think tanks, pressure groups and lobbyists
Pressue group-Dont want to be in government but influence government, focus is a narrow range of policy
Tend to be a sectional pressure group- promoting own interest- e,g unions- ASLEF, RMT,RCN- nursing , cause group- not directly influencing you e.g extinction rebellion, just stop oil, RSPCA and animals in distress- moderate side , amnesty international
insider pressure group- has close relationahsips with the government of the day- it will be listend to- depends on who is in government AGE UK, unions under labour
outsider pressure group
Presure gorups effect on democracy
For
pressure groups help spread power out- pluralism.
pressure groups educate the public about important issues
let people participate without taking up a lot of their time
promote interest of minorities, help call government to account
Against
give a few pressure groups power in a few hands
influential presure groups may distort themselves for some of their memebers
pressure groups that are wealthy are more likely to have more influcence
What makes pressure groups effecitve
For
Size
Money
Form of campaining
insider or outsider
how important is their cause
Against
Think tank
Charity- been set up by money gifted to them- they will almost always have a bias towards the person who set it up ans gave money to them e.g a conservative, labour think tank
academic people- put forward policies
general or specific policy
ormote thier politices and want them taken on board by politicians e.g in opposition they dont have acess to civil servants
e.g amsith insitution- associated wth conservatives
Like the idea of putting forward ideas- putting forward ideas,competition- more choice however they can be bias, power to those with money in the institution, jnot accountable
Lobbyists
- professional lobbyist groups, could be charity or business
can lobby anything- strand of bill, Palestinian,influencing policies
they have connections- who matters, how decisions are made- therefore they are more effective in influencing in lobby organisation
lobyists- who are they lobbying for? are they lobbying for what is going to be good for everyone or just yourself. Political inequality- people with more money are buying more
Rights
HRA and eqaulity acts- can take sections further take it to the supreme court- strike it as incompatibe, sets a precedent and compensation to the person
HOWEVER
it can't hold the government to account as it cannot strike down laws only declare it imcompatible
cant do anything if it is not brought to the court
pressre groups- highlights human rights and their abuses and try to engineer them to change e.g workers rights in strikes LGBTQ+ groups
HOWEVER they only get listend to if the issue is popular e.g Rishi sunak "man is a man and a women is a women"
Parliament