Chapter 1: Democracy and Participation
Evaluate The View That UK Democracy Is In A Participation Crisis. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- Turnout in general elections - Whilst turnout being lower
have decreased drastically than the highs of the 70s, it is
- For example, voter turnout in steadily increasing
UK general elections has been - For example, the 2014 Scottish
less than the average between independence referendum had
1945 and 1997, which was turnouts of 84.6% and 72.2%
76%. In the 2024 election - Population is still engaged on
turnout was only 59.8%. important political issues on
- Governments are elected on a which they feel they have
reduced share of the vote, control
calling strength of political - Vote less in elections related
mandate into question. to politicians in scandal due to
- May be explained by voter distrust (Partygate)
apathy (particularly in young
voters), or low trust in
politicians
- People are not participating in - Membership of minor parties
party politics has increased
- Only 1.6% of electorate - After first Scottish
belongs to political party, independence referendum,
compared to 3.8% in 1983 membership of SNP surged to
- May be due to negative 125,000 with the population
perception of MPs, due to being 5 million
scandals and broken promises - Public used these parties as a
- Major problem for democracy vehicle for political action if
they are proposing some sort
of radical change
- 2024 election, labour and
conservatives only received
57.4% of vote
- Other forms of participation - Other methods of political
are important, but less participation have increased,
impactful than voting and such as social media, pressure
party membership groups and demonstrations
- November 2024, a petition to - Throughout first half of 2024,
call an immediate general there were consistent protests
election received 2.9 million in London for an immediate
signatures and will be ceasefire in Gaza and to put
debated, but will unlikely pressure on the Israeli
happen making no real change government to end the war
- Voting is crucial to UKs - Important in pressuring the
democratic system of labour and conservative party
legitimacy to weaken their support for
- If voices aren't heard, this Israels war, labour suspending
could be seen as undermining some arms exports to Israel in
legitimacy early 2024
- Not a participation crisis, just
disengagement with party
politics
Evaluate The View That Reforms To Democracy In The UK Haven’t Gone Far
Enough. (30)
,FOR AGAINST
- Fptp must be replaced with a - Fptp is extremely easy to use
more proportional system - AV voting referendum, 68%
- Fptp favours parties with voted against changing voting
geographically concentrated system to AV on a 42% turnout
support, so underrepresents - Strong MP and constituency
minor parties. In 2019, lib link, offering local
dems won 11.5% of popular representation
vote but 11/650 seats, of - Effective local representation
system was proportional they
would've won 75
- Only get one vote, limiting
voter choice
- Prevents people from showing
true political preference,
contrasting with AMS where
voter gets 2 choices – party
and constituency member
- Extending/reforming the - Voter turnout is low between
franchise would improve 18–24-year-olds, little evidence
democracy 16/17-year-olds would want to
- Turnout was 67.3% in 2019 vote
general election - Many know little about politics
- Extending franchise to 16/17- and would misuse the vote
year-olds would improve - Compulsory voting is
democracy by getting into undemocratic as voting should
political habits early, social be a choice, forcing votes
media led to increased political hinders our right and free will
engagement -
- Could also introduce
compulsory voting, forces
politicians to run their
campaign with the whole
electorate in mind, improving
responsiveness of parties
- Referendums have been called - Greater use of direct
due to public pressure and had democracy won't improve
relatively high turnout democracy, but challenge
- 2014 Scottish independence parliamentary sovereignty
referendum had an 84% - Referendums sometimes held
turnout for political reasons,
- Directly involve people in undermining their benefit to
important political decision democracy
making, holds the government - Brexit referendum used to
accountable and engages benefit conservative party as
people politically pledging to hold EU
- Presents a wide range of referendum in 2015 election
issues after losing votes to UKIP
- Many referendums fail to
engage voters and act
undemocratically
Evaluate The View That Pressure Groups Are Successful Due To Their
Ability To Generate Mass Support. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- Generating and proving mass - Mass attention isn't always
support around a particular helpful in gaining support
, issue is highly important to the - Just stop oil protestors gained
success of pressure groups, support with their disruptive
especially for outsider groups. tactics, including blocking
The government is much more roads to Premier League
likely to change policy if it is football matches in 2022
clear there is support from - Changing policy is difficult as it
large sections of the requires the government to
population, as not doing so admit they were wrong, which
may alienate voters at the next they are likely reluctant to do
election. - Mass membership is only
- Success of 2020 campaign to successful if there is strong
extend free school meals to leadership, including having a
children during the school thought-out goal
holidays led by Marcus
Rashford, generated public
support and government
accepted demand
- Generating mass support and
media attention is a success as
it makes policy change more
likely in the future
- Size of pressure group is
highly influential in achieving
goals and changing policy
- Government attitudes are - Government attitudes
important, being an insider shouldn't be overstated,
group aligns more with outside groups have had
government goals significant action
- The National Farmers' Union - key trade unions wielded a lot
(NFU) is another good example of influence under the Labour
of this. The sectional, insider governments of the 1970s but
group has close contacts with had little-to-no influence once
the Department of Thatcher was elected in 1979
Environment, Food and Rural and was set on curtailing trade
Affairs (DEFRA) and recent union power.
Conservative governments - Government has final say over
- Provide government with policy decisions
expertise - Insider pressure groups may
- More likely to make change not have enough influence
- Must have effective strategy - Less important than
and leadership government attitude and
- The British Medical public support
Association's success in - Legal challenges are also often
campaigning for a ban on unsuccessful. For example, the
smoking in cars with children countryside alliance failed to
is a perfect example of this. reverse government policy
The BMA originally campaigned when they challenged the ban
for an outright ban of smoking on fox hunting in the high
in cars, regardless of whether court.
passengers were present, - Government prioritises
however, realising there was membership size and what
insufficient support for this, aligns with their values
they switched to campaigning - Effective strategy still
for a ban when children were important
being carried, allowing them to
gain support from Asthma UK.
- Gained support of more
powerful groups
Evaluate The View That UK Democracy Is In A Participation Crisis. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- Turnout in general elections - Whilst turnout being lower
have decreased drastically than the highs of the 70s, it is
- For example, voter turnout in steadily increasing
UK general elections has been - For example, the 2014 Scottish
less than the average between independence referendum had
1945 and 1997, which was turnouts of 84.6% and 72.2%
76%. In the 2024 election - Population is still engaged on
turnout was only 59.8%. important political issues on
- Governments are elected on a which they feel they have
reduced share of the vote, control
calling strength of political - Vote less in elections related
mandate into question. to politicians in scandal due to
- May be explained by voter distrust (Partygate)
apathy (particularly in young
voters), or low trust in
politicians
- People are not participating in - Membership of minor parties
party politics has increased
- Only 1.6% of electorate - After first Scottish
belongs to political party, independence referendum,
compared to 3.8% in 1983 membership of SNP surged to
- May be due to negative 125,000 with the population
perception of MPs, due to being 5 million
scandals and broken promises - Public used these parties as a
- Major problem for democracy vehicle for political action if
they are proposing some sort
of radical change
- 2024 election, labour and
conservatives only received
57.4% of vote
- Other forms of participation - Other methods of political
are important, but less participation have increased,
impactful than voting and such as social media, pressure
party membership groups and demonstrations
- November 2024, a petition to - Throughout first half of 2024,
call an immediate general there were consistent protests
election received 2.9 million in London for an immediate
signatures and will be ceasefire in Gaza and to put
debated, but will unlikely pressure on the Israeli
happen making no real change government to end the war
- Voting is crucial to UKs - Important in pressuring the
democratic system of labour and conservative party
legitimacy to weaken their support for
- If voices aren't heard, this Israels war, labour suspending
could be seen as undermining some arms exports to Israel in
legitimacy early 2024
- Not a participation crisis, just
disengagement with party
politics
Evaluate The View That Reforms To Democracy In The UK Haven’t Gone Far
Enough. (30)
,FOR AGAINST
- Fptp must be replaced with a - Fptp is extremely easy to use
more proportional system - AV voting referendum, 68%
- Fptp favours parties with voted against changing voting
geographically concentrated system to AV on a 42% turnout
support, so underrepresents - Strong MP and constituency
minor parties. In 2019, lib link, offering local
dems won 11.5% of popular representation
vote but 11/650 seats, of - Effective local representation
system was proportional they
would've won 75
- Only get one vote, limiting
voter choice
- Prevents people from showing
true political preference,
contrasting with AMS where
voter gets 2 choices – party
and constituency member
- Extending/reforming the - Voter turnout is low between
franchise would improve 18–24-year-olds, little evidence
democracy 16/17-year-olds would want to
- Turnout was 67.3% in 2019 vote
general election - Many know little about politics
- Extending franchise to 16/17- and would misuse the vote
year-olds would improve - Compulsory voting is
democracy by getting into undemocratic as voting should
political habits early, social be a choice, forcing votes
media led to increased political hinders our right and free will
engagement -
- Could also introduce
compulsory voting, forces
politicians to run their
campaign with the whole
electorate in mind, improving
responsiveness of parties
- Referendums have been called - Greater use of direct
due to public pressure and had democracy won't improve
relatively high turnout democracy, but challenge
- 2014 Scottish independence parliamentary sovereignty
referendum had an 84% - Referendums sometimes held
turnout for political reasons,
- Directly involve people in undermining their benefit to
important political decision democracy
making, holds the government - Brexit referendum used to
accountable and engages benefit conservative party as
people politically pledging to hold EU
- Presents a wide range of referendum in 2015 election
issues after losing votes to UKIP
- Many referendums fail to
engage voters and act
undemocratically
Evaluate The View That Pressure Groups Are Successful Due To Their
Ability To Generate Mass Support. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- Generating and proving mass - Mass attention isn't always
support around a particular helpful in gaining support
, issue is highly important to the - Just stop oil protestors gained
success of pressure groups, support with their disruptive
especially for outsider groups. tactics, including blocking
The government is much more roads to Premier League
likely to change policy if it is football matches in 2022
clear there is support from - Changing policy is difficult as it
large sections of the requires the government to
population, as not doing so admit they were wrong, which
may alienate voters at the next they are likely reluctant to do
election. - Mass membership is only
- Success of 2020 campaign to successful if there is strong
extend free school meals to leadership, including having a
children during the school thought-out goal
holidays led by Marcus
Rashford, generated public
support and government
accepted demand
- Generating mass support and
media attention is a success as
it makes policy change more
likely in the future
- Size of pressure group is
highly influential in achieving
goals and changing policy
- Government attitudes are - Government attitudes
important, being an insider shouldn't be overstated,
group aligns more with outside groups have had
government goals significant action
- The National Farmers' Union - key trade unions wielded a lot
(NFU) is another good example of influence under the Labour
of this. The sectional, insider governments of the 1970s but
group has close contacts with had little-to-no influence once
the Department of Thatcher was elected in 1979
Environment, Food and Rural and was set on curtailing trade
Affairs (DEFRA) and recent union power.
Conservative governments - Government has final say over
- Provide government with policy decisions
expertise - Insider pressure groups may
- More likely to make change not have enough influence
- Must have effective strategy - Less important than
and leadership government attitude and
- The British Medical public support
Association's success in - Legal challenges are also often
campaigning for a ban on unsuccessful. For example, the
smoking in cars with children countryside alliance failed to
is a perfect example of this. reverse government policy
The BMA originally campaigned when they challenged the ban
for an outright ban of smoking on fox hunting in the high
in cars, regardless of whether court.
passengers were present, - Government prioritises
however, realising there was membership size and what
insufficient support for this, aligns with their values
they switched to campaigning - Effective strategy still
for a ban when children were important
being carried, allowing them to
gain support from Asthma UK.
- Gained support of more
powerful groups
