Democracy and participation

Democracy and participation

1. Voter Turnout

   • Falling turnout important as means that governments elected on reduced share of popular vote
     • Questions strength of mandate
   • Average tunrout 1945-97 76%
   • 2001 lowest since end of WWI
   • slight recovery since 2001- still less than most post war elections.
   • VERY low in second order elections- e.g. May 2016 local elections- 33.8%
     • Maybe as people see as less important
     • Feb 2017 stoke byelection- 38.2%
     • Copeland By election- 51.3% down from 69% in GE

2. Democracy

   • Direct democracy
     • All individuals represent their own views instead of representatives doing it for them
     • Impractical in a large population to use often- used in referendums, ancient Greece and Switzerland
     • ADV's: Equal weight to all votes- unlike rep, participation, people take responsibility for their own decisions, develops sense of community and encourages debate
     • Disadv's: open to manipulation by clever persuasive speakers eg Nigel F. in EU, leads to tyranny of majority due to minorities not being listened to
   • Representative Democracy
     • form of democracy where person chooses rep or party to rep their interests
     • Advantages
       • only prac. system in large modern state
       • parties form giving people true choice, pressure groups encourage debate PLURALIST
       • reduces chance of tyranny of majority,
       • elections hold reps to account,
       • reps better informed
     • DISADV's:
       • may lead to reduced participation,
       • parties and p. Groups often lead by elites not representing the views of the people
       • reps likely to follow the view of the majority to be elected, so end with T of Majority like in direct system,
       • Politicians may be corrupt and abuse their power EG expenses scandal 2009
     • Direct can be used in rep. - eg Eu referendum, scot referendum etc
     • 2015 recall of MPS Act: allows people to sign petittion for by election- reps being held to account by the people DIRECT IN REP
   • The UK is democratic
     • Devolved Governments- Scotland, wales, NI, elected mayors in london and others
       • Power closer to the people
     • Independent Jud.- seperate from other branches of Gov, upholds rule of law
       • from 2009
     • Free media- challenges government and choices made
       • EG. Newspaper scrutiny of mays EU withdrawal bill
     • free fair elections
       • 2001, 05 etc
     • wide range of parties and pressure groups
       • Green- BNP, all views represented
   • UK is NOT democratic
     • under representation due to FPTP-
       • UKIP 2015- 12% of vote yet only 1 seat/650
     • HofLords lacks legitimacy- due to fact unelected
     • Lack of protection of human rights- HRA does enshrine ECHR
       • Gov can derogate from the act as they see fit.
     • Control of media by wealthy unaccountable business interests

3. Party membership

   • 1.6% of the electorate belongs to a party- down from 3.8% in 1983
   • Tory Party- 150,000 members in 2016, sig. drop from 400,000 in mid 1990s
   • Labour membership increased in run up to 1997, however fell when in gov to 190000- resurgence seen under corbyn- 515000 members in 2015
   • Lib Dems- 70k early 2000's- fell to 49k during coalition- now claim membership>82k
   • Increase of membership of smaller parties- 2015 election- record 24.8% vote went to parties other than big 3
     • SNP- up 95k members
     • Green- 13800-55000

4. Is there a crisis of participation?

   • Other ways to participate
     • E petitions
     • pressure groups
     • turning to new ways as tired of old conventional politics- let them down
   • 'Hapathy'
     • people happy so no need to vote- 2001 and 2005- economy booming
   • depends on issue
     • 85% T/O for scottish referendum

5. What should be done to reform?

   • changing election day from thursday to weekend
   • allowing people to vote anywhere in constituency not just specific polling station
   • allowing voting over several days
   • Should it be made compulsory?
     • Yes
       • Voting is social duty as well as a right
       • produce more rep parliament
       • candidates will have to run better campaigns
     • No
       • in preferential vote system may lead to donkey voting
       • undemoccratic to force people to do something that should be a choice
       • wouldnt stop politicians focusing campaigns on marginal seats
       • compulsory voting does not address why people decide not to vote