Unit 1: Democracy and Political participation

Representative Democracy
'Most modern democracies practice a representative form of democracy' (Lynch&Fairclough, UK, G+P)
-Elected governments whereby an electorate are able to participate in free and fair elections after evaluating in a political party's manifesto over alternatives.

-Accountability. MP's and governments can be removed every 5 years.
-A key function is scrutinize gov decision making in the 2 houses.
-RD tend to permit all manner of pressure groups.
-They vary degrees of opportunity to advocate on behalf of their members' interests ensuring minority views are heard and considered.
-E.G. The Peoples Climate March had 600,000 campaigners protesting in many locations to apply pressure on world leaders including David Cameron.

Cons
-FPTP is unrepresentative.
-2010 GE, two thirds of sets went to candidates who failed to secure a majority mandate from their constituents..
-Lib Dem Simon Wright won Norwich Seat with just 29.3% of the vote!
-Safe seats. This where one candidate secures the seat by comfortable margins.

-MP's don't represent all their constituents' interests.
-They vote in commons debates with their parties direction instead of the majority will of their constituents.
-Teresa Pearce MP for Erith and Thamesmead has only twice voted against the instruction of the labour party!
-Sometimes deliberately ignore the will. Teresa Pearce ignored views in her constituency in voting for gay marriage,

-MP's don't represent all their constituents' interests.
-They vote in commons debates with their parties direction instead of the majority will of their constituents.
-Teresa Pearce MP for Erith and Thamesmead has only twice voted against the instruction of the labour party!
-Sometimes deliberately ignore the will. Teresa Pearce ignored views in her constituency in voting for gay marriage,

Liberal Democracy
-'LD seeks to combine the authority of democratic governments with limits on the scope of their action' (Rod Hague)
-Rule of Law. Everyone is equal under the eye of the law and no one is superior.
-Princess Anne committed a crime under the dangerous dog act causing her to be fined £500.

Is Britain a liberal democracy?
-Formalised written constitution(UK doesn't have one)
-Codified is key. Role of enshrining the rights, liberties and freedom of citizens to invalidate undue state interference.
-Britain are not sufficient to have laws guaranteeing rights because these could be revoked at any time.

-Rule of Law. Dictates all are equal under the eye of the law.
-E.G. Princess Anne and Cherie Booth

-Britain celebrate a variety of beliefs, opinions, cultures and lifestyles.
-Birmingham, Soho Road.
-London 2011 census have shown only 45% of Londoners class themselves as white British.

Direct Democracy
-DD is a model of governance which affords citizens direct input into policy making.
-The people themselves take the key political decisions.
-E.G. US New Eng. State Town Hall meetings in Maine and Massachusetts as small scale UK local parish council meetings determining issues such as street lighting or wind farms.
-DD comes from classical Athens 500 BC, where the city-states 40,000 free men had the right to attend assembly meetings at which certain polices were accepted or rejected.
-Other forms include E-Petitions. (Rosie Canning, Frien Barnett Library)

-Provides direct responsibility of the government to the people.
Since every people has their right to speak out their worries and needs, politicians and other government officials are taking much concern and care to the people.
-They are now held accountable for every decision of the people.
-Whatever issues and concerns that the public wanted to be recognized by the government must be always given an attention.
-E.G. E-petition. LDN rioters should lose all benefits, 1/2 day in W.Min Hall in 2011.

-Decision making difficulties
Since direct democracy is providing greater involvement of the people, decision difficulties might be always observed.
-This is evident when instances occurs that the government have used decisions of the public which came from those least equipped citizens and doesn't even know what the issue is about.

-Direct democracy makes way for the people to speak for their own opinion in public in order to be immediately be given an effective answer by the government.
-But, government and the people need to be careful before putting into action their decisions in order to make sure that everything they are doing would be for the progress of their society and not to be an additional burden that will let their place decline.

-Final outcomes are more likely to be accepted as all eligible citizens are able to have their say/
-Described as, 'government by consent'
-The people expressing explicit majority consent was particularly important in ensuring the successful approval of the Good Friday peace agreement(1998-71.15% yes on an 81% TO) paving the way for a subsequent final 2007 peace settlement.
-They serve to halt unpopular government policies or act as 'people's veto'
-2004 North East Assembly was rejected with 78% no voters.

-Supranational and national ref do in effect entrench constitutional changes preventing reversals of decisions by future governments.
-Unthinkable e.g. if the coalition were to abolish the Scot Parliament which was approved in 1997.
-Only they would be able to abolish after a national referendum.

-Expensive and waste of time.
-E.G. It cost 9mill to develop Edinburgh congestion charges proposals which was later rejected.
-Also, the govs argument is not able to draw upon significant greater financial resources.
-E.G. the Gov 'yes' campaign in 1975 EEC Ref spent increasingly more money on getting their message.
-Similar, in 2011 con 'no' campaign spent £1,262,465 more than Lib Dems.

Why are referendums held in the UK?
-Gain electoral expediency or to fulfill party manifestios.
-E.G. Tony Blair who's government would go on to win the 1997 GE by a landslide, pledged in 1996 that if elected Labour would hold more referendums regarding devolution.
-E.G. the establishment of a scottish parliament and welsh assembly.
-The promise was used to portray Labor as a 'party of the people' and gain the trust of the electorate.

-Gain electoral expediency or to fulfill party manifestios.
-E.G. Tony Blair who's government would go on to win the 1997 GE by a landslide, pledged in 1996 that if elected Labour would hold more referendums regarding devolution.
-E.G. the establishment of a scottish parliament and welsh assembly.
-The promise was used to portray Labor as a 'party of the people' and gain the trust of the electorate.