direct democracy is superior to representative democracy

• Paragraph 1 For Point: directly involves the people in decision making

  Point: It is superior because it directly involves the people in decision making, which gives them real power and prevent wishes being ignored by represenatives

  • Eliminating parliamentary sovereignty as the power rests in the nad of the electorate and better fulfills the central purposes of democracy more effectively than representative democracy , encourages participation in politics 
• Para 1 For: directly involves the people in decision making

  • Evidence: In 2011 E petition on the Hillsborough disaster, there was a parliamentary debate that led to the renewed momentum for an inquiry. For years the government accepted the official police narrative that the fans were at fault, however this petition portrayed the views of the public and changed the record
  • Signficant - The introduction of e - petitions decisions enjoy greater legitimacy, direct democracy will increase levels of satisfaction and support, which in turn will potentially combat the participation crisis
• Paragraph 1 Against Point: e petitions is weak as it is a lazy form of political participation

  Point: The argument for e petitions is weak as it is a lazy form of political participation, known as slacktivism

  • It is just too easy to submit a petition and can be a problem for meaningful engagement
  • Some petitions arent well thought and in some cases can be extreme 
  • Tyranny of the majority 
• Paragraph 1 Against Evidence: argument for e petitions is weak as it is a lazy form of politcal participation

  • Evidence: In switzerland minarets of mosques were banned via an initiative - reflecting majority attitude against muslim migration. There are no mosques with minarets in the country, and no muslim group had an intention to build one. Yet the right - wing campaign gathered over 10% of petitions, resulting in the referendum that came out in favour of the ban
• • Para 1 Against Significance : argument for e petitions is weak as it is a lazy form of politcal participation
  • Signficance: It shows that initiatives can be a form of mob rule, where vocal groups trample minority rights. Representatives act as informed mediators, due to the public are insufficiently responsibly to protect minorities
• Paragraph 2 For: Enhances political participation 

  Point: Enhances political participation 

  • Giving equal rights to all voters, campaigns are more likely to seek to appeal to everyone rather than targeting specific groups thus participation. 
  • Public is consistently encourages to participate 
• Paragraph 2 For Evidence: Enhances political participation 

  • Example: Citizen juries and town hall meetings, whereby a community meets over a set period of times to discuss an issue and making recommendations based on deliberations. These juries are a tool for engaging citizens on a range of issues, increasing political participation 
  • This was effective in ireland to consider changes to abortion law
• Para 2 For signficance: Enhances political participation 

  • Signficance: It is clear that having to participate in decision making encourages citizens to learn more about political topics and issues such as the workings on the EU, the significance of UK’s membership of the EU.
  • Citizens are less likely to be ignorant / apathetic since they are regularly consulted on issues that affect them
• Paragraph 2 Against: strain on the public and creates voter fatigue

  Point: Creates strain on the public and leads to voters fatigue

  Evidence: 2021 there have been 54 referendums questioning the implementation of a directly elected mayor in the region. Theses have consistently resulted with low turnouts, such as croydon in 2021 with only 21% whereas under representative democracy the 2019 UK General election have a turnout of 67%
• Paragraph 2 Against Explanation:

  • Direct democracy places a heavy burden on ordinary people which could lead to apathy instead of greater participation. With direct democracy , people simple dont have the time to put into their political particpation.
  • Rep democracy has the advantage of creating a balance of everyday working life and putting time into the political culture.
  • Over - participation takes away value from the referneda. Overparticipation and direct democracy in the form of citizen juries  is that they often over involve the middle class who have more time or the elderly.

   
• Para 2 signficance: creates voter fatigue

  Signficance: Less likely to be effected by voter fatigue, and thus an unrepresentative sample is given the power to make decisions for the masses
• Para 3 For: misrepresentation by MPs

  Point: Latter fails to deliver effective representation in practice. MPs will often prioritize their own agendas and MPs rely on their parties to gain power and are whipped heavily by them to vote with the party in parliament. - They aim for self preservation 
• Para 3 For Evidence : Misrepresenation by MPs

  Example:  Direct democracy can combat this through recall elections. The act passed in 2015, allows for constituents to recall their mP and call a by - election. Christopher Davies called for a recall and by - election because of his provision of false / misleading expenses.
• Para 3 For Signficance: Misrepresentation by MPs

  Significance: Shows that direct democracy can be seen as superior as it prevents the views of constituents being ignored or manipulated, allowing them to wield power over their MP.
• Para 3 Against: Point: some issues are too complex for the public to understand

  • This argument is weak as the public may often find some agreements too complex to properly comprehend, They may not realise their MP has had to make a controversial decision with their best interests at heart.
• Para 3 Against: Evidence: some issues are too complex for the public to understand.

  • A clear incidences of MPs putting their constituents interests first whilst successfully utilising representative democracy was in october 2022. 33 con MPs rebelled against Truss and abstained in a vote on banning fracking. 
• Para 3 Against: some issues are too complex for the public to understand

  Explanation: Despite the governments ordering them to oppose it. Specifically, MP mark fletcher reflered this strong local movement against fracking in the area and refused to tow the party line because of this
• Para 3 Against: Signifcance: some issues are too complex for the public to understand

  • Direct democracy is a detraction in a representative system of democracy, and as such they surrendered power of experts to the uninformed masses.
  • Furthermore, recall votes often cause more harm than good, disrupting the already turbulent politcal system and underminind politics.
  • Representative democracy can be argued to lead to effective governance and representation as MPs act as a trustees rather than simple delegates
• Conclusion: Dem involved in decision making is overbearingly flawed. The risk of a tyranny of the majority occurring undermines the innate principle of democracy, alienating sections of the electorate.