DP

• Access points

  Term used for the various people and places that pressure groups target to apply pressure to achieve their desired changes
• Authority

  Someone's widely recognised right to exercise power
• Cause/promotional groups


  Term used for pressure groups that aim to promote issues and policies that do not exclusively benefit the group's members
• Cheque-book members


  Term used to describe people who donate to pressure groups and charities, but do not take any further political action to further the group's aims
• Civil rights


  The rights to be free from unequal treatment or discrimination based on certain protected characteristics (e.g. gender, race, disability)
• Compulsory voting


  An enforceable system where voter turnout is increased by fining those who do not vote
• Democracy


  The modern word deriving from the Ancient Greek 'demos' (people) and 'kratos' (power)
• Democratic deficit


  A weakness or flaw in the democratic system
• Devolution


  The transfer of certain powers from central government (e.g. Parliament) to subnational governments (e.g. Scottish Parliament)
• Direct action


  The use of violent or non-violent protest to immediately achieve political aims, rather than going through traditional, official channels
• Direct democracy


  A political system where the people themselves make key political decisions
• 1. democracy


  Online methods of political participation
• Elitism

  The view that, despite the appearance of open competition, power is concentrated in the hands of a small number of powerful individuals and groups
• Hapathy


  When voters abstain from voting because they are content with the way things are
• Human Rights Act (1998)

  Act of Parliament that incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law, making it enforceable in UK courts
• Hyperpluralism

  Term used when there are so many pressure groups objecting to the government's plans that it struggles to function effectively
• Insider group


  Pressure groups that work closely and regularly with the government across a broad range of issues
• Legitimacy


  The term used to describe the extent to which a state or its government can be considered to have the right to exercise power
• Liberal democracy


  A form of representative democracy characterised by protected individual rights and freedoms, the rule of law, and a government limited by a constitution
• Lobbyist


  Some who, for a free, attempts to influence government policy and legislation on behalf of another individual or group
• Outsider group


  Pressure groups with radical aims that reject the existing political system and refuse to limit themselves by working within its formal procedures
• Participation crisis


  Where political engagement is so poor that it threatens to undermine democracy
• Pluralism


  A view that power is, or should be, fragmented and dispersed. Open competition creates a degree of balances, preventing the emergence of a powerful elite
• Representative democracy


  A political system where key political decision are taken by elected individuals, on behalf of the people
• Sectional group


  The term used for pressure groups that aim to protect the interests of their members
• This knowledge organiser features the 'barebones' or the most important concepts/terms/arguments that will pave the way for future learning/revision.
• Direct democracy


  1. The people themselves make political decisions

  2. Decisions are made at irregular intervals

  3. The people decide on single issues
• Representative democracy


  1. Decisions are made by elected members

  2. Decisions are made at regular intervals

  3. People choose between full political programmes (manifestos) at elections
• Direct democracy


  • It gives legitimacy to political decisions if the people themselves make them
  • All citizens' voice are equal
  • People directly make choices in their interests
• Representative democracy


  • Representatives may have expert knowledge and experience which the general public do no possess
  • Representatives are democratically accountable
  • Minority views are considered and upheld
• Direct democracy


  • Issues may be too complex and people may be swayed in their judgement by emotional appeals and false information
  • Representatives are democratically accountable for their decisions, the people cannot be held accountable to themselves
• Representative democracy


  • Minority views may not be considered, resulting in the 'tyranny of the majority'
  • Elected representatives may be more interested in party politics than in the national interest
  • There is no guarantee that representatives will accurately reflect the views of their constituents
  • The UK FPTP electoral system produces a highly disproportionate result
• The case for reform: democratic deficit
• The case for reform: participation crisis
• Evidence of a participation crisis
• Evidence against a participation crisis
• In the UK wide vote on whether to change the electoral system to the Alternative Vote, turnout was 42%
• The 2014 Scottish independence referendum had turnout of 85%
• The EU referendum experienced 72% turnout, a record high for a UK-wide referendum
• Between 2018 and 2019, hundreds of thousands of protestors marched to call for a 'People's Vote' on the final Brexit Deal