The concept of democracy

• Definition of Democracy:

  • Comes from Ancient Greece, meaning "rule of the people".
  • In the UK, it means electing representatives through:
  • Representative democracy (elections).
  • Direct democracy (referendums).
• Representative Democracy

  • The UK is divided into 650 constituencies, each electing an MP to Parliament.
  • Strengths:
  • ✔ Citizens have a say in choosing representatives.
  • ✔ High turnout = more representative government.
  • ✔ MPs can be lobbied by constituents.
  • ✔ MPs understand local needs.
• Weaknesses(RD):

  ❌ Elections happen every five years = limited citizen input.

  ❌ MPs often follow party policy over local interests.

  ❌ Voters who don’t support the winning party may feel unrepresented.

  ❌ Many MPs are university-educated, not always reflecting the population.
• Direct Democracy

  • In the UK, referendums are a form of direct democracy.
  • Examples:
  • 2016: Brexit (Leave 51.9% / Remain 48.1%).Turnout-72%
  • 2014: Scottish Independence (No 55% / Yes 45%).Turnout-84%
  • 2011: Voting system change (No 68% / Yes 32%).Turnout-41%
  • 1975: UK in European Economic Community (Yes 67% / No 33%).Turnout-65%
• • Strengths:
  • ✔ Citizens have a direct say on key issues.
  • ✔ Government gets a clear mandate.
  • ✔ Considered the most democratic decision-making method.
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  • Weaknesses:
  • ❌ Issues may be too complex for a simple yes/no vote.
  • ❌ Some voters may not understand the issues fully.
  • ❌ Media influence can affect public opinion.
  • ❌ Close results can leave many unhappy.
• Practice Question:

  • Explain two disadvantages of representative democracy in the UK. (4 marks)
  • Elections only take place every 5 years. This means that citizens don't have much say in the work of government between elections.
  • MPs usually vote in support of the party. As a result, they don't always represent the views of their constituency.