UK Democracy and Participation:
Direct VS Representative Democracy
Similarities:
Campaigns and Media Influence: Both referendums and general elections involve
campaigns, TV debates, opinion polls, and media analysis.
Example = In the Brexit referendum, figures like Boris Johnson significantly
influenced voter intentions, similar to how high-profile politicians shape election
outcomes.
Public Participation: Mechanisms like petitions, public consultations, and
referendums are used in representative democracies for public input. Public
consultations are common, especially in local government planning, and the Localism
Act 2011 allows citizens to trigger local referendums. Similarly, petitions with
100,000 signatures in the UK can prompt debates in Parliament.
Pressure Groups: Pressure groups use direct action, mass protests, and lobbying,
which can influence government decisions. Think tanks also participate in policy
formulation, blurring the line between direct and representative democracy.
Differences:
Decision-Making: In direct democracy, people decide on issues directly (e.g.
referendums), whereas in representative democracy, elected officials make decisions
on behalf of the people.
Accountability: Representative democracy allows for accountability through
elections, but referendums make it harder to hold the government accountable, as
decisions like Brexit can’t be easily reversed.
Majoritarian vs. Representative: Direct democracy follows the will of the majority,
which can sometimes lead to the tyranny of the majority (e.g. California’s 2008
initiative to ban civil partnerships). Representative democracy protects minority
interests by mediating between different groups.
Sovereignty: In the UK, parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament holds legal
authority, whereas direct democracy is based on popular sovereignty, which has no
legal recognition in the UK.
Complexity: Representative democracy handles complex decisions (e.g. foreign
policy) better than direct democracy, which often offers simple yes/no choices (e.g.
AV referendum). Complex issues like Scottish independence require detailed public
education.
Democratic Deficit: A democratic deficit occurs when the system fails to represent
the people adequately, as seen in the FPTP system, low voter turnout, and exclusion of
certain groups from voting (e.g., 16- and 17-year-olds, prisoners).
,Problems with UK Democracy suggested by George Monbiot:
1. Unelected Advisers: Unelected figures like Dominic Cummings influence decisions
without democratic oversight.
2. Excessive PM Power: The Prime Minister holds too much power, limiting
parliamentary scrutiny.
3. Party Funding: Large donations from wealthy individuals (e.g., hedge fund
managers) give undue influence to certain political parties.
4. Weak Electoral Commission: The Electoral Commission lacks power to enforce
spending limits and regulate online ads effectively.
5. Flaws in FPTP: The FPTP system results in unrepresentative outcomes, where a
small percentage of votes can lead to a majority. The exclusion of 16-17 year olds in
voting
6. Unrepresentative Parliament: Parliament does not adequately reflect the social and
demographic diversity of the public.
7. Monarchy's Influence: The monarchy still holds significant influence, despite its
reduced formal powers.
8. Suppression of Investigations: The PM can suppress investigations, such as the
delayed report on Russian interference.
9. Suspension of Parliament: The PM's attempted suspension of Parliament was
blocked by the Supreme Court, highlighting executive overreach.
10. Unelected House of Lords: The House of Lords, with unelected bishops and 92
hereditary peers, lacks democratic legitimacy. This was exemplified in 2020 when
Boris Johnson granted 36 new peerages, predominantly to former Conservative MPs
and Brexit supporters.
11. Lack of Challenge: Once in power, the winning party faces limited opposition,
making it difficult to hold them accountable.
Voter Turnout and Participation in the UK
2024 Turnout: 60%, the second lowest since 1885, only 2001 was lower at 59%.
Falling Turnout Concerns: Undermines legitimacy of governments
UK elections often do not reflect majority choices due to the electoral system, with
many governments elected by under 30% of the electorate (e.g. 2019 Conservative
win with 43% of the vote).
Post-WWII Turnout Trends: Average turnout from 1945–1997 was 76%, with a
significant drop after 1997. Recovery was seen in recent elections but still below post-
war levels (2019 turnout was 67.3%).
, Devolved Powers Low Turnout: In spite of publicity encouraging people to vote, the
Police and Crime Commissioner elections in 2012 had the lowest average turnout at any UK
contest, at 15 per cent.
‘Hapathy’ Explanation: Low turnout may indicate general contentment with the
status quo, where people see little difference between parties (e.g. booming economy
in 2001 and 2005).
Turnout Varies Depending on Issues: Turnout for the Scottish independence
referendum in September 2014 was 84.6 per cent, while 72.2 per cent of people took
part in the June 2016 EU referendum across the UK. These figures suggest that on
critical issues affecting the way that the country is governed, people will still express
a view.
Party Membership Trends
Declining Membership: Only 1.6% of the electorate belongs to major parties
(Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats) in 2022, down from 3.8% in 1983.
Party Membership Trends:
o Conservative Party: Dropped from 400,000 in the 1990s to 150,000 in 2016.
o Labour Party: Membership increased to 515,000 in 2016 under Jeremy
Corbyn, then fell to 190,000.
o Liberal Democrats: From 70,000 to 49,000 during 2010-15 coalition,
recovering to 76,000 in 2016.
Impact of Low Membership: Parties rely on big donors, may select more extreme
candidates, and risk becoming out of touch with the electorate.
Alternative Political Participation
Pressure Groups: Growing membership, especially for single-issue groups (e.g.
environment). Demonstrations on issues like fuel prices, the Iraq War, etc.
E-Democracy: Social media and online platforms enable engagement without
traditional political structures. E-petitions like the 6.1 million signatures on "Revoke
Article 50" show high online participation. They are becoming much more popular
e.g. in 2021, Parliament debated a variety of e-petitions ranging from the protection of
hedgehogs to revoking the television licence.
Digital Democracy: Increasing popularity, especially among younger people, through
online platforms, petitions, and campaigns. This can be seen as in 2022, the UK prime
minister Twitter account had 5.8 million followers
Direct VS Representative Democracy
Similarities:
Campaigns and Media Influence: Both referendums and general elections involve
campaigns, TV debates, opinion polls, and media analysis.
Example = In the Brexit referendum, figures like Boris Johnson significantly
influenced voter intentions, similar to how high-profile politicians shape election
outcomes.
Public Participation: Mechanisms like petitions, public consultations, and
referendums are used in representative democracies for public input. Public
consultations are common, especially in local government planning, and the Localism
Act 2011 allows citizens to trigger local referendums. Similarly, petitions with
100,000 signatures in the UK can prompt debates in Parliament.
Pressure Groups: Pressure groups use direct action, mass protests, and lobbying,
which can influence government decisions. Think tanks also participate in policy
formulation, blurring the line between direct and representative democracy.
Differences:
Decision-Making: In direct democracy, people decide on issues directly (e.g.
referendums), whereas in representative democracy, elected officials make decisions
on behalf of the people.
Accountability: Representative democracy allows for accountability through
elections, but referendums make it harder to hold the government accountable, as
decisions like Brexit can’t be easily reversed.
Majoritarian vs. Representative: Direct democracy follows the will of the majority,
which can sometimes lead to the tyranny of the majority (e.g. California’s 2008
initiative to ban civil partnerships). Representative democracy protects minority
interests by mediating between different groups.
Sovereignty: In the UK, parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament holds legal
authority, whereas direct democracy is based on popular sovereignty, which has no
legal recognition in the UK.
Complexity: Representative democracy handles complex decisions (e.g. foreign
policy) better than direct democracy, which often offers simple yes/no choices (e.g.
AV referendum). Complex issues like Scottish independence require detailed public
education.
Democratic Deficit: A democratic deficit occurs when the system fails to represent
the people adequately, as seen in the FPTP system, low voter turnout, and exclusion of
certain groups from voting (e.g., 16- and 17-year-olds, prisoners).
,Problems with UK Democracy suggested by George Monbiot:
1. Unelected Advisers: Unelected figures like Dominic Cummings influence decisions
without democratic oversight.
2. Excessive PM Power: The Prime Minister holds too much power, limiting
parliamentary scrutiny.
3. Party Funding: Large donations from wealthy individuals (e.g., hedge fund
managers) give undue influence to certain political parties.
4. Weak Electoral Commission: The Electoral Commission lacks power to enforce
spending limits and regulate online ads effectively.
5. Flaws in FPTP: The FPTP system results in unrepresentative outcomes, where a
small percentage of votes can lead to a majority. The exclusion of 16-17 year olds in
voting
6. Unrepresentative Parliament: Parliament does not adequately reflect the social and
demographic diversity of the public.
7. Monarchy's Influence: The monarchy still holds significant influence, despite its
reduced formal powers.
8. Suppression of Investigations: The PM can suppress investigations, such as the
delayed report on Russian interference.
9. Suspension of Parliament: The PM's attempted suspension of Parliament was
blocked by the Supreme Court, highlighting executive overreach.
10. Unelected House of Lords: The House of Lords, with unelected bishops and 92
hereditary peers, lacks democratic legitimacy. This was exemplified in 2020 when
Boris Johnson granted 36 new peerages, predominantly to former Conservative MPs
and Brexit supporters.
11. Lack of Challenge: Once in power, the winning party faces limited opposition,
making it difficult to hold them accountable.
Voter Turnout and Participation in the UK
2024 Turnout: 60%, the second lowest since 1885, only 2001 was lower at 59%.
Falling Turnout Concerns: Undermines legitimacy of governments
UK elections often do not reflect majority choices due to the electoral system, with
many governments elected by under 30% of the electorate (e.g. 2019 Conservative
win with 43% of the vote).
Post-WWII Turnout Trends: Average turnout from 1945–1997 was 76%, with a
significant drop after 1997. Recovery was seen in recent elections but still below post-
war levels (2019 turnout was 67.3%).
, Devolved Powers Low Turnout: In spite of publicity encouraging people to vote, the
Police and Crime Commissioner elections in 2012 had the lowest average turnout at any UK
contest, at 15 per cent.
‘Hapathy’ Explanation: Low turnout may indicate general contentment with the
status quo, where people see little difference between parties (e.g. booming economy
in 2001 and 2005).
Turnout Varies Depending on Issues: Turnout for the Scottish independence
referendum in September 2014 was 84.6 per cent, while 72.2 per cent of people took
part in the June 2016 EU referendum across the UK. These figures suggest that on
critical issues affecting the way that the country is governed, people will still express
a view.
Party Membership Trends
Declining Membership: Only 1.6% of the electorate belongs to major parties
(Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats) in 2022, down from 3.8% in 1983.
Party Membership Trends:
o Conservative Party: Dropped from 400,000 in the 1990s to 150,000 in 2016.
o Labour Party: Membership increased to 515,000 in 2016 under Jeremy
Corbyn, then fell to 190,000.
o Liberal Democrats: From 70,000 to 49,000 during 2010-15 coalition,
recovering to 76,000 in 2016.
Impact of Low Membership: Parties rely on big donors, may select more extreme
candidates, and risk becoming out of touch with the electorate.
Alternative Political Participation
Pressure Groups: Growing membership, especially for single-issue groups (e.g.
environment). Demonstrations on issues like fuel prices, the Iraq War, etc.
E-Democracy: Social media and online platforms enable engagement without
traditional political structures. E-petitions like the 6.1 million signatures on "Revoke
Article 50" show high online participation. They are becoming much more popular
e.g. in 2021, Parliament debated a variety of e-petitions ranging from the protection of
hedgehogs to revoking the television licence.
Digital Democracy: Increasing popularity, especially among younger people, through
online platforms, petitions, and campaigns. This can be seen as in 2022, the UK prime
minister Twitter account had 5.8 million followers
