Component 1

• Legitimacy


  Rightful use of power in accordance with pre-set criteria/widely-held agreements

  • E.g. govt's right to rule following an election
• Direct democracy


  All individuals express their opinions themselves, not through representatives acting on their behalf

  • E.g. referendums
• Representative democracy


  Individuals select a person and/or political party to act on their behalf & exercise political choice
• Pluralist democracy


  Government makes decisions resulting from the discussion of various ideas/arguments made by competing groups/organisations
• Democratic deficit


  Flaw in the democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy: not appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability
• Participation crisis

  Situation where a large proportion of the population doesn't engage with the political process by choosing not to vote/become members of political parties/stand for public office
• Franchise/suffrage


  Ability/right to vote in public elections
• Think tank


  Body of experts brought together to collectively focus on a certain topic: investigate & offer solutions to political/economic/social issues

  • E.g. Adam Smith Institute, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Lobbyist


  Paid by a client to try to influence the govt/MPs/peers to act in their client's interests
• Features of direct democracy:

  • Peaceful transition of power
  • Free/fair elections
  • Widespread participation
  • Freedom of expression/association
  • Protection of rights/liberties
  • Rule of law
  • A constitution
• Features of representative democracy:

  • Frequent/free/fair elections
  • Rules determining which citizens can vote
  • Method of communication between citizens & representatives
  • Communication through the press
  • Citizens can impact the political process
  • Social/constituency/party representation
• Advantages of direct democracy:

  • Decisions are more legitimate if the public is consulted
  • The people must take responsibility for the result of decisions
  • People will be more open to following laws they voted on
  • People will be knowledgable about the political system/issues they are voting on
  • Encourages participation
• Disadvantages of direct democracy:

  • Impractical for large populations/modern societies
  • Low turnout severely impacts legitimacy
  • Some issues are too complex to reduce to a 'yes'/'no' question
  • If a question combines 2 separate ideas voters can't choose one without the other so undermines the will of the people
  • Wealthier groups can spend more so have greater influence
• Advantages of representative democracy:

  • More practical
  • Decisions are made by individuals who are educated on the issue
  • Representatives are more likely to vote for unpopular but necessary legislation
  • Avoids tyranny of the majority as representatives should consider minority groups
• Disadvantages of representative democracy:

  • Representatives may not always represent the public's views
  • Party loyalty greatly influences representatives' votes
  • The public may become apathetic so decisions are left to a wealthy elite
  • FPTP disadvantages minority parties so views go unrepresented
• Similarities between direct & representative democracy:

  • People are asked for their views
  • The legislature represents the view of the people
  • Use of public consultations, referendums, petitions etc.
  • Existence of pressure groups
• Differences between direct & representative democracy:

  • People make decisions (direct), decisions are made for them (representative)
  • Greater risk of tyranny of the majority (direct)
  • More likely to result in a rational decisions (representative), based on heightened emotions (direct)
  • Able to handle complex & technical political issues (representative), unable e.g. AV vote, Scottish referendum (direct)
• Delegate theory of representation


  MPs should act on the wishes of their constituents
• Trustee/Burkean theory of representation


  MPs should consider their constituents' views but exercise their own judgement & act in the national (not local) interest
• Party/mandate theory of representation:


  MPs owe their position to their party & its manifesto so should vote in line with that manifesto
• Evidence that the UK is not democratic:

  • England's vote often outweighs that of the devolved nations
  • Public Order Act means protests are more strictly controlled
  • Conservative leadership contests: 1% of the country chose Truss, 202 MPs chose Sunak
  • MPs don't have to follow wishes of constituents e.g. Brexit
  • FPTP means minority vote is lost e.g. UKIP in 2015
  • Polarisation: few high-profile centrist politicians
  • Not everyone can vote e.g. prisoners
• Ways UK democracy could be improved:

  • More referendums
  • Involving the public in focus groups
  • E-democracy: online voting, petitions
  • Lowering the voting age to 16
  • Recall elections
  • Primary elections
  • Compulsory voting
• Evidence that the UK is experiencing a participation crisis:

  • Decline in turnout since WWII (59% in 2001)
  • Increased apathy -> rise in populism/anti-establishment figures
  • Decrease in party membership since the '50s (except under Corbyn)
  • 2019 Audit of Political Engagement: 18% felt political involvement didn't change the way the UK is run at all (record high)
  • 53% hadn't done any online political activity in the past year
  • 'Digital divide': those without computer/internet access can't participate in digital democracy
• Evidence that the UK is not experiencing a participation crisis:

  • Recent increase in turnout: 67% in 2019, 68% in 2017
  • Differential turnout: average doesn't give a good indication overall
  • 'Aggregate Turnout is Mismeasured' (2018 academic paper): turnout might be up to 9% higher because of errors in calculation
  • People are increasingly turning to e-democracy e.g. 38 Degrees, social media campaigns
• Voter apathy


  People do not vote because they are uninterested in politics
• Voter 'hapathy'


  People are not motivated to vote because they are largely content with the state of politics
• Partisan dealignment


  Voters no longer strongly identify with a party & their support changes from election to election
• Arguments for compulsory voting:

  • Low turnout undermines legitimacy
  • Those not voting are often minorities so decisions favour the wealthy
  • People don't have to make a choice (can spoil their ballot)
  • People will be more likely to read up on their choice of candidates
• Arguments against compulsory voting:

  • Removes the incentive for politicians to engage with the public
  • If people vote randomly this still undermines legitimacy
  • Voting is a civic right not a civic duty
  • Not voting is a way of registering dissatisfaction e.g. low turnout for police & crime commissioners
• Arguments for lowering the voting age to 16:

  • Young people are more informed due to curriculum reforms
  • Most LEAs already hold Youth Parliament elections
  • Turnout for 16/17-year-olds was 75% in IndyRef
  • 16/17-year-olds can vote in Scotland & Wales for devolved assemblies: undemocratic that this doesn't apply to England/NI
• Arguments against lowering the voting age to 16:

  • Most 16/17-year-olds don't pay tax: don't have the same 'stake'
  • Turnout for 18-24 -year-olds is the lowest
  • People this age have very limited life experience: might be more easily swayed by social media
  • Voting age of 18 is the political norm: not necessarily a popular change
• Key moments in extending the franchise:

  • Great Reform Act (1832): voting rights expanded to property owners
  • Representation of the People Act (1918): abolished property requirements for men & gave women >30 who met property requirements the vote
  • Representation of the People Act (1928): men/women could vote at 21
  • Representation of the People Act (1969): lowered voting age to 18
• Key moments of the suffrage movement:

  • 1897: National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies formed
  • 1903: Women's Social and Political Union (AKA Suffragettes) meets for the first time
  • 1910: 'Black Friday' - Suffragette demonstration outside Parliament met with violence
  • 1912-14: Suffragette bombing/arson campaign
  • 1913: Cat & Mouse Act (those on hunger strike in prison could be released to recover then recalled)
  • 1914-18: WWI - Suffragettes halt militant activities for the war effort
  • 1918: Representation of the People Act
  • 1928: Representation of the People Act
• Fawcett Society aims:

  • Equal pay
  • More equal representation in Parliament/on councils
  • Tackling gender stereotypes
  • Ensuring women aren't disproportionately impacted by COVID e.g. unpaid care work
• Fawcett Society methods:

  • Encouraging businesses/organisations to make pledges
  • Petitions
  • Reports on aspects of gender inequality
  • Fundraisers
• Fawcett Society successes:

  • Lobbied for Equal Pay Act (1970)
  • Lobbied for Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
  • Encouraged the Conservatives to extend gender pay gap reporting to different ethnicities (2017) through a report on the issue
• Functions of pressure groups:

  • Representation
  • Participation
  • Education
  • Scrutiny/accountability
• Insider pressure groups


  Regularly consult with the govt
• Core insiders


  Work closely with the govt on a range of issues
• Peripheral insiders


  Participate as insiders but have very little influence