democracy & participation

• What is direct democracy?

  Direct democracy is a system of government where citizens directly participate in decision-making and policy-making processes.
• what is representative democracy?

  A system of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
• what is an advantage of direct democracy?

  Citizen participation.
• what is a disadvantage of direct democracy?

  impractical in a large, heavily populated modern state
• what is another name for representative democracy?

  indirect democracy
• what is direct democracy sometimes known as?

  Pure democracy
• what is democracy?

  a form of government where people have the power to make decisions that affect them
• what are the principles that democracy is based on?

  Popular sovereignty, political equality, majority rule, individual rights, and rule of law.
• What was the turnout of 2016 referendum on UK’s membership of the EU

  72.2% (52% voted to leave)
• What was the yes vote for the 1979 referendum on Scottish devolution?

  40%
• Liberal democracy?


  the right to vote is widespread and representatives act in the interests of everyone. rights and freedoms are IMPORTANT
• Representative democracy?


  System of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
• direct democracy?

  Any occasion when the citizens are directly involved in the decision-making process (e.g. referendums)
• presidential democracy?


  A system of government where the head of state is an elected president.
• Parliamentary democracy?

  Parliament is the highest form of authority. The executive branch of government is drawn from and accountable to the people’s representatives in Parliament.
• Majoritarian democracy?


  A form of democracy where decisions are made by a majority vote.
• who must an online petition be sponsored by?

  Backbench Business Committe
• how many signatures are needed for parliament to debate an online petition topic?

  100,000
• 1.6 million ppl signed a petition to stop President Trump from making a State Visit to UK. MPs changed it to a ‘working visit’ in 2018 after a debate
• referendums and online petitions are examples of?

  direct democracy
• Focus group?

  A group of people assembled to give their opinions on a political campaign or idea before it has been launched
• Mandate?


  When a party has the authority to carry out its manifesto, usually gained by winning an election
• Pluralism?


  view that power is (should be) fragmented and dispersed. Open competition creates a degree of balance, preventing emergence of a powerful elite
• political apathy?

  lack of interest or apathy towards politics. Includes voter apathy and lack of interest in elections
• trustee model?

  Model of representation proposed by Edmund Burke MP, stating that an MP once elected should freely use their own judgement on issues
• delegate model?

  model of representation that states that MPs should act on the instructions of their constituents
• Initiative?

  a process that allows citizens to trigger a public vote on a political question by collecting enough signatures
• Recall election?

  where votes sign a petition calling for a vote to remove an elected official ahead of their next election
• primary elections?

  Elections held by political parties that allow voters to choose their candidates for an upcoming election