Definitions

• Direct Democracy

  In which individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives acting on their behalf.
• Representative Democracy

  In which people elect representatives (or political party) who make decisions on their behalf.
•  Pluralist Democracy

  A type of democracy in which a government makes decisions as a result of the interplay of various ideas and contrasting arguments from competing groups and organisations.
• Legitimacy

  The legal right to exercise power (for example, a government's right to rule following an election)
• Democratic Deficit

  A perceived deficiency in the way a particular democratic body works, especially in terms of especially in terms of accountability and control over policy-making.
• Participation Crisis

  A lack of engagement with the political system, for example where a large number of people choose not to vote, join a political party or stand for office.
• Party Membership and Participation Crisis

  Only 1.6% of the electorate now belongs to one of the three main UK-wide parties, whereas in 1983 the figure was 3.8%.
• Accountability

  Willingness to take credit and blame for actions.
• Manifesto

  a public statement explaining the intentions, motives, or views of an party produced during an election to inform the public about the political platform upon which its candidates are standing.
• Mandate

  The principle, operating in the UK whereby a party that has been elected to government has the authority of the electorate to carry out its manifesto commitments.
• Pluralism

  the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation
• Elitism

  description of a society or political system where power and influence are concentrated in the hands of a few people and organisations.
• The clickocracy

  The increasing practice of taking part in surveys, petitions and political campaigns by registering one's opinion online. 
• Hyper-pluralism

  a modern phenomenon describing the rapid growth in the number of interests and campaign groups operating in modern democracies. It is feared that the growth in numbers and influence of such growth groups makes government extremely difficult demands and interests have to be satisfied.
• Civil liberties

  Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens
• Formal (absolute) equality

  The idea that all individuals have the same legal and political rights in society.
• Collective Rights

  Rights held by a group as a whole rather than individually by its members (gender groups, trade unions...)
• Individual (Human)Rights

  held by all people as individuals regardless of their group identity.