Democracy and Participation (1) Key Words

• Direct: individuals express opinions themselves.
• Representative: people elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf.
• Accountability: those who have been elected must be made responsible for their policies, actions, decisions and general conduct.
• Civil society: a collection name for all the various associations, including parties, pressure groups, religions, voluntary organisations, charities ect.
• Constituents: ordinary voters who elect a particular representative, usually based on residence in a particular area.
• Democratic deficit: a flaw in the democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy.
• E-democracy: a name used to describe the growing tendency for democracy to be carried out online.
• Elective dictatorship: a government that dominates parliament, usually due to large majority, therefore has few limits on its power.
• Legitimacy: rightful use of power in accordance with preset criteria or widely held agreements.
• Participation crisis: a lack of engagement with the political process by a significat number of citizens.
• Pluralist democracy: a type of democracy in which a government makes decisions as a result of interplay of various ideas.
• Pluralist democracy: multiple groups have input in shaping government policy.
• Participation crisis: a lack of engagement with the political system.
• Elective dictatorship: a government that dominates parliament, usually due to large majority, and has few limits on its power.
• Redaction: covered up/censorship, usually in secret by civil servants.
• Think tanks: develop policy ideas, research key areas and promote a sectional agenda
• Lobbyists: groups with personal connections to those in power, are hired by other groups to gain access to decision makers and seek to persuade these decision makers on behalf of their hirers
• Corporations: big businesses and financial organisations, control an important sector of the economy, seek favourable legislation and gov actions and can threaten to relocate to pressure the gov