Democracy of the people in which they make decisions not the government
Votes on specific issues
Not every single issue is voted on
Elements of this are used in the UK specifically through referendums and petitions
Advantages of direct democracy
People can directly participate
Wishes of the people cannot be ignored by their elected representatives
People can be motivated to be informed about politics
People have direct authority
Disadvantages of direct democracy
Public may not understand the full question. Better for elected representatives to decide
Majority of people may vote for something that undermines the right of the minority - tyranny of the majority
People can vote for emotional or populist short term reasons
Representative democracy
People vote for elected representatives that make decisions for them on their behalf
Representatives are part of the legislative assembly
Representatives can decide in methods of delegate, mandate or burkean theory
Advantages of Representative democracy
Representatives have experience in parliament and have a better understanding of issues
Representatives are more likely to make rational decisions than the public due to emotion
Representatives are accountable to the public
Disadvantages of representative democracy
Representatives don't present the opinions of the wider population
Representative democracy can turn into rule by elites rather than disperse the power
Representative democracy is only fair if the elections are fair, which they're not with FPTP
Theories
Mandate theory = MPs are elected due to their party and represent it by supporting the manifesto
Delegate theory = constituencies elect representatives as delegates for their constituency on their behalf
Burkean model = MPs should use their own experience and judgement rather than listening to the party
Liberal democracy
The freedom of the citizens is protected by the government
Plural democracy
There's no elite groups, and all groups have access to the political system
Parliamentary democracy
Political parties with the largest representation in parliament forms government
Presidential democracy
The executive is chosen separately from the legislative making body by the people
Evolution of suffrage
What is a suffrage?
Suffrage is the right to vote which is known as a franchise
Before 1832 great reform
Rich, male landowners could vote
Less than 4% could vote
Great reform Act 1832
1 in 5 males could vote. Ended rotten borough's which is where MPs would represent but no one lived there
Small landowners, tenants, farmers and shopkeepers gain the vote 8%
Second Reform Act 1867
Allowed working men with property qualifications to vote
Doubles the electorate - 16%
2 million could vote
Third Reform Act 1884
Redistributed constituencies across the UK
Agricultural labourers could vote
40% of men still excluded
Representation of the people act 1918
Women could vote over 30 and had property qualifications
21 million voters by the end of 1918
Women were 40% of voters
Representation of the people Act 1928
All men and women over 21 could vote
96% could vote
Representation of the people act 1969
All men and women over 18 could vote
97% percent could vote
Age
Younger people were seen as having insufficient political knowledge
Younger people can feel more connected to parties that propose policies that support them because they're not as represented
Most parties support the 16 age vote
Class
People from different classes will support different policies : conservatives will support things that benefit businesses rather than labourers who support tax cuts
Working class support socialism, which threatens the welfare of other classes
Ethnicity
Ethnic backgrounds have improved with voting especially through labour as they appeal for fair legislation and support for immigration
Most ethnic minorities are lower class which makes labour more appealing
Gender
Men more typically vote for conservatives and women vote for labour
Due to the welfare protection labour offer which may benefit them more directly
More men support the lower taxation
Geography
Labour tends to do better in large cities whereas conservatives succeed in rural areas
People in larger cities tend to support a higher taxation and large public spending
People who live in the south tend to be better off so they vote for the conservatives and vice versa for labour
Chartists (1838-1848)
Set up after the great reform act 1832
Campaigned for votes for all men over 21, secret ballots, no property qualifications for MPs, pay for MPs, equal sized constituencies and yearly elections
Movement had 3 petitions
Significance of the chartists
All 3 petitions were rejected by parliament
Some chartists called for violence, made the middle class less supportive of the movement
Movement died out but the 1867 and 1884 reform acts were passed
Suffragists (1860s-1918
Campaigned for votes since the 1860s
1897 - NUWSS National Union of Women's suffrage societies
Used peaceful methods, speeches, petitions, marches
Significance of the Suffragists
No closer to getting the vote by 1903 led to the formation of the suffragettes
100,000 members by 1914
Millicent fawcet saw the movement as unstoppable but slow
Suffragettes (1903-1914)
Frustrated with the lack of progress the Suffragists had made - Emmeline Pankhurst formed this
Suffragettes used militant methods, window breaking, molotovs,
Received harsh prison sentences
Emily Davidson died by a horse collision in 1913 and the movement stopped in 1914
Significance of the Suffragettes
Were force fed by prison officers
Attracted national attention
Some argue they won the women the vote in 1918, but some argue it through war service
Government didn't want to return to violence after WW1 so they have them the vote
Suffrage as a human right
ECHR ruled that denying any citizen the right to vote is a breach of their human rights
Hirst Vs UK (2005). Prisoner in for manslaughter argued the UK was in breach of the 1998 human rights act
Some believe voting is a privilege and not a right
Participation
People's involvement in political activity. It includes:
Writing MPs, joining a political party or pressure group, protesting
Turnout Arguements For participation crisis
Turnout from the 1950s to 2000s has dropped by 20%
Some elections have even worse turnouts
2012 police and crime commissions election had a 15% turnout
Turnout Arguements against participation crisis
Turnout in general elections since 2001 has been rising to 69% in 2017
Referendums also have a high turnout with the Scottish independence referendum having a turnout of 85%
If people care about an issue, Police and crime commissions Vs Scottish independence. People will vote for the issue they care about
Partisan dealignment
Partisan dealignment
Electorate becoming less affiliated to parties
It's reflected in the party membership drop and the increase of floating voters - people who change parties frequently
Pluralism
Emphasises the benefits of different groups influencing the decision making process - Opposition for example
Increasing Participation
Votes at 16
online voting
compulsory voting
Changing the electorate system so that it's fairer for everyone
Increase in direct democracy
Trade Unions
Organisations made up of workers, which campaign for better working conditions