Politics

• Direct democracy


  all individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf
• Representative democracy


  an individual selects a person to act on their behalf
• Similarities of representative and direct democracy

  based on a majority
• Differences of direct and representative democracy

  direct is not elective,

  direct is for individuals,

  direct has more citizen involvement
• Legitimacy


  the right to exercise power
• Democratic deficit


  a deficiency in the way a democratic body works
• Positives of UK's democracy

  fair and free elections,

  free from intimidation,

  wide choice of parties,

  press freedom,

  independant judiciary
• Negatives of UK's democracy

  under representation of minorities,

  can't vote for lords,

  doesn't protect rights

  press is owned by millionaires
• Examples of declining participation

  2001 turnout was lowest since WWII (59.4%),

  conservative party has lost members (124,000 members in 2018)
• Examples of rising participation

  labour biggest party in europe (552,000 members),

  turnout rising (68.6% 2017),

  e-democracy
• Franchise / suffrage


  the ability to vote in public elections
• Pluralism


  lots of people have a say
• Elitism


  only a select few have a say
• To be able to vote you must:

  be 18+,

  be a registered british/irish citizen
• To be able to vote you cannot:

  be under 18,

  be a member of the house of lords,

  be convicted of illegal electoral practise,

  detained in a psychiatric hospital
• Great reform act 1832


  created 67 new constituencies, included small land owners, tenant farmers and shopkeepers in the property qualification and gave the vote to all householders who paid a yearly rent of £10+
• Representation of the people act 1918

  allowed men 21+ (with/without property) and women 30+ who live in the constituency or owned land worth £5+ to vote
• Representation of the people act 1928


  gave women electoral equality (21+ with/without property)
• Representation of the people act 1948

  abolished plural voting (2 separate uni votes) and increased MP's to 613
• Representation of the people act 1969


  voting age reduced to 18 to reflect change in view on adulthood
• For lowering voting age to 16:

  already trusted with legal rights (leave school, work, army),

  have to learn about politics in school,

  voting earlier increases chance of involvement,

  affects their future
• Against lowering voting age to 16:

  some lack maturity,

  may be influenced by parents,

  scottish referendum isn't fair because it had an unusually high turnout,

  only a few countries allow 16 year olds to vote
• Electoral Reform Society


  longest standing pro democracy organization (1884), formed to provide better democracy where everyone votes and is treated equally, works with activists and politicians
• Electoral reform society campaigns

  elected house of lords,

  votes at 16,

  local democracy,

  replace FPTP with STV
• Votes at 16


  formed in january 2003, want the voting age lowered to 16 as it affects young people's future
• Pressure group


  an organised group that seeks to influence government policy or legislation
• Pluralism


  the recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political body which permits the peaceful coexistence of different interests, convictions and lifestyles
• Pressure group features:


  want to influence policy,

  usually single issue,

  more of them,

  represent an issue that isn't supported by the wider public
• Political parties features:


  want to make policy and run the country,

  aim to win power,

  few parties,

  have a wide range of policies to accommodate a wide range of views,

  create laws
• Sectional pressure groups


  a specific group that promotes the interest of an occupation or group in society
• Sectional pressure group examples

  trade unions, national union of teachers, british medical association
• Cause pressure groups


  aims to change opinions and attitudes, open to everyone
• Cause pressure groups examples

  greenpeace, PDSA, RSPCA
• Sectional cause pressure groups

  the membership are different to the group it represents
• Sectional cause pressure groups examples

  NSPCC, WWF
• Attitude cause pressure groups

  aims to change the public's attitude towards an issue
• Attitude cause pressure groups examples

  greenpeace, campaign for nuclear disarmament
• Political cause pressure groups


  aim to get legislation created or changed
• Political cause pressure groups examples

  electoral reform society, 38 degrees
• Insider pressure group


  relies on contact with ministers and civil servants to achieve their aims and can have close links to the government