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Description
Flashcards by Emily Bevis, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Emily Bevis
almost 7 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Define Direct Democracy | - Form of democracy in which the people/electorate make policy decisions directly (and vote). - BUT due to size/complexity of society = unworkable. - Instead = 'representative democracy' where law making in hands of the elected representatives. - Referendums remain as form of direct democracy = major decisions affecting country . |
| Define Quota | - The minimum number of votes needed to elect a candidate. - Used in STV system - in which seats are allocated on a quota system once electorate voted for their preferences. - If voter reaches quota on first preferences = elected |
| Define Mandate | - the authority of a party to carry out policy decisions. - Given by the electorate to party/candidate with election victory. - Parliamentary majority. - 2017 Theresa May lost her conservative mandate with the loss of her Parliamentary majority = need the DUP support/to subside their loss. - 'Doctrine of the Mandate' = voters judge parties effectiveness in implementing manifesto. - Result of strong, single party Gov. - problems occur when parties = no mandate to solve drastic problems. - Forces politicians to follow the values of their party/voters. - Mandate model = leaves politicians accountable. - The result of referendums = provide government with clear mandate for the future (2016 = LEAVE the EU) |
| Define Wasted votes | - Any vote which is not for the elected candidate/party = little impact on make up of Parliament. - Voting for a Labour MP in a Conservative safe seat - E.g. Wiltshire, Billericay, Shropshire North (since 1835) - Some safe seats so high a majority = will always win = any votes over 30-50% = wasted - E.g. 2017, West Ham = 76% majority Lab - Minority parties = considered wasted votes as will never have a big impact due to 'winner takes all' system. - Geographical spread of votes but wasted as not enough concentrated support. - E.g. UKIP = 12.6% of vote BUT only 1 seat |
| Define Proportionality systems | - Proportionally representative of the electorate. - Reflect the complex make up of population. - number of seats won by parties matches their share of the result. - List/STV system = proportional - STV actually seen 7 different parties represented in N. Ireland Assembly. - Favour smaller parties (Greens, LD) - Multi-member constituencies. - BUT no system = perf. reflection. |
| What electoral system is used in the UK? | - First Past the Post (FPTP) - Plurality/majority system - designed to produce clear winner - 'winner takes all' system - To have HOC majority = must win 326 constituencies out of 650 - If majority not reached = hung parliament - By-elections held if MP changes between GE |
| Advantages of FPTP | - Strong Gov. = stable, single party - Creation of 'doctrine of the mandate' = allow public to make rational voting choice + judge Gov effectiveness - Avoids coalition gov. = considered weak + ineffective - Strong MP and Constituency link = local electorate know their local MP and more likely to visit with issues - Public support of simple/stable nature of electoral system |
| Disadvantages of FPTP | - Unfair to small parties = 2017 Lib Dem only 8 seats despite 7.8% national vote - Lack of proportionality = unfair results - 2015 SNP won 50% of Scottish vote but won 94% of Scot seats - Wasted votes - 2017 = 66.4% not towards SNP - only won 30% - 'Electoral deserts' - Essex = 500,000+ Labour voters but no MPs (2017) - Too strong Gov = an elected 'dictatorship' - Geographical distribution = no reward for national consistent support - 2015 UKIP win 12.8% nationally BUT 1 seat |
| Examples of FPTP results unfair on smaller parties | - Lib Dem = constantly suffered - 2005 = 22.1% of vote but only 62 MPs - SNP won less than 1 million votes and won 35 seats BUT Lib Dem = 2.3 million and 12 seats (2017) - 2015 = UKIP 3.8 mil/12.8% BUT 1 seat - In 2005 = 65% + of all MPs failed to win more than 50% of the vote, highlighting smaller party support |
| Is FPTP becoming less effective? | - 2010 = 'hung' parliament as Conservative not win majority - LD/Tory coalition - No longer a single-party government? - Labour and Tory only win 65% votes combined - Growth of third party ?? - 2005 = LD growth to 62 seats - No. of marginal seats declined as fewer constituencies change between election |
| Define Coalition Government | - A government cabinet which contains more than one/multiple political parties - No dominating party or doctrine of mandate - 2010 = LB/Con coalition - Result of a hung parliament when there is no party majority - Often turbulent Gov. as difficult to make agreements - Some argue = beneficial as allows for a moderate/balanced gov. |
| Arguments for/against Coalition gov | FOR = more stable gov as MODERATE, less policy swings, against 'elected dictatorships', create feeling of compromise/partnership AGAINST = formation can be difficult/slow, no one votes for a coalition, easy policy disagreements, lack of specific policy direction as controversial issues shelved, need for strong leader/mandate |
| What is AMS? | - ADDITIONAL MEMBER SYSTEM - Voters given 2 votes - 1 for constituency candidate and 1 for party - Each constituency = most votes wins - Remaining seats = regional list - Proportional result - Scottish Parliament + Welsh/London assembly |
| Advantages of AMS | - Proportional results - Fairer to smaller parties - Link between MP + constituents remain - Coalitions more likely = :) ? - Greater proportion of women/minorities elected |
| Disadvantages of AMS | - not as proportional as STV/List system - Coalitions likely = :( - 2016 = No overal winner in Scotland/Wales - minority Scottish SNP gov and minority Welsh Lab gov = likely outcome - Questionable 'second class' citizen status of top off/regional list candidates - increase likelihood of split-ticket voting |
| 2016 Scottish Parliament elcetion | - AMS - SNP receive first majority in 2011 but lost in 2016 - Tory and Labour = benefit from regional lists - Pose problem for Labour as Conservative win more seats = despite traditional Lab stronghold. - Green party benefitted for regional list more than SNP did = beneficial to smaller parties |
| What is STV? | - SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTE - Vote for candidates rather than parties - Creation of multi-member constituencies - Candidates ranked in preference and allocated on quota system - Local, devolved and EU elections in N. Ireland - Campaigned for by Lib Dems |
| Advantages of STV | - Highly proportional = 2016 DUP - 35% of seat vote and then 38 seats - Fair to minority parties = Alliance party win 8 seats/ 7% of vote - Allows voter choose between party/candidate - Coalition gov = :) ? |
| Disadvantages of STV | - Complicated system = lower participation (2016 NI assembly = 54.9%) - Coalition = :( ? - No close link between MPs and constit. - Difficult to hold by-elections |
| What is the List System? | - CLOSED = vote for party - OPEN = vote for candidate + party - Proportional system as seats allocated reflect prop. of votes - UK EU elections (closed) - Fairer to smaller parties = 2014 UKIP 32.9% of seats - BUT gives power to parties rather than voters = :((( |
| Jenkins Report | - created by Labour Party to investigate most effective voting system - Evaluate systems on proportionality, stability, extent of voter choice, and MP/Constituency link - 1998 = suggest AV system but never put in place as why replace a system that makes you win ??? |
| The most proportional electoral systems? (from most to least) | Closed List, STV, AMS, FPTP, AV |
| Electoral systems with best MP/Constituency link (best to worst) | FPTP, AMS, AV, STV, Closed List |
| Electoral system proved to created strong/stable Gov | FPTP = as low proportionality = fewer parties/coalitions |
| Electoral Systems which give voters the most choice (from most to least) | AV, SV, AMS, STV, FPTP |
| Define the AV system | - Alternative vote system - Voters rank candidates and candidate with majority = elected - Single member constituencies - Broad support needed for victory - BUT largely un-proportional - Allows for growth of extremists - Used in Labour/LD leader elections - Lib Dems put it to referendum in 2011 BUT rejected - dislike Clegg |
| Advantages/disadvantages of single party governments | :) = strong/stable leadership, elected mandate, keep election promises, clear to public parliament alliances/decisions, disadvantages of coalitions, political responsibility :( = very few voters read manifesto, promises = vague, no gov have won 50% of vote since WW2 |
| Define 'split ticket voting' | - Result of new electoral systems - Voting behavior = complex - Electorate votes = not wasted - Therefore growth of independent/minor party candidates - 1999 Scottish Parliament = 20% voters split their ticket - Between 1997 and 2003 elections - 17-28% of voters split their tickets in London, Scot, Wales. |
| Evidence for success of new electoral systems | - Election results = more proportional - Votes translate into seats more effectively - Rise of multi-party politics = becoming more common with LD, Greens, UKIP - Different forms of gov. in devolved assemblies = stable (coalition, minority etc) - New electoral systems = greater representative and consensual politics - Split-ticket voting = indicate education/interest |
| Evidence for failure of new electoral systems | - Not always proportional results - Rise in extremist parties - BNP won 2 seats in 2009 - UKIP = 24 seats in 2014 (EU) - Regional Lists/AMS = restricts voter choice - A weakened relationship between representatives and constituencies - Low turnout and high number of spoiled ballot papers due to complexity |
| Models of representation | 1) Trustee Model - formal responsibility to vote on behalf of electorate interests 2) Delegate Model - chosen to follow guidance with little own judgement 3) Mandate Model - support based on support for policies/qualities etc. 4) Resemblance Model - microcosm of society |
| Define Referendum | - An occasion where all eligible voters are asked to vote yes/no on a question - Result = isn't binding on Parliament - Initiative = US equivalent when come from the demands of the people - Bad reputation as historically used to support dictators BUT grown since 1997 - Atlee = "devices alien to our traditions" - DIRECT DEMOCRACY - 2016, Brexit - 2014, Scottish Independence - 2011, AV system - 1998, Good Friday Peace agreement (N. Ireland) = 71% YES with 81% turnout |
| 2014 Scottish Independence referendum | - record high turnout = 84.5% - YES = 44.7% - much higher than expected (2013 = 39%) = suggests that successful 'yes' campaign - Nicola Sturgeon emerged as effective leader - NO = 55.3% - No campaign = support of G Brown - Undecided voters = decided against unknown change - Banks and business threaten to move HQ out of Scotland if become independent - First time that 16/17 y/o vote = large focus of campaign - reason for no - Clear difference in demography of support for yes = 51% men - 42% women - Working class = more likely to vote yes than middle - C2DE = 47% - 65% living in deprived areas = YES compared to the 20% in wealthy places - As peoples links with Scottish heritage weakened = lower yes vote - Completely Scot = 88% v Completely Brit 10% - Sceptical of economic effects = imp issue |
| 2016 EU referendum | - 72.2% turnout - 51.8% = LEAVE - Age shown to be very decisive - Voters under 44 y/o largely vote to remain - 18-24 y/o = 73% (R) vs 65+ y/o = 60% (L) - Big regional dif. = Scotland - (R) 62%, N Ireland (R) 55.8% - One of main reasons against Scot Indep. was to ensure remained in EU - Problem with Irish border = lead to future break up of the UK |
| POSITIVES of referendums | - Direct form of democracy = electorate make decisions which effect country. - Purest form of democracy - closest to original system of Greece. - If decision made by people = more likely to be accepted/supported - N Ireland, Good Friday Agreement 1998. - Encourages participation and educates voters during 5 years between elections. - Prevents unpopular decisions - e.g. Regional Assemblies intro by Lab Gov but rejected in 2004 in N.East = 70% NO. - Help divided Gov to create effective deal - 1975/2016 EU referendums. - Imp if parties + electorate don't agree - Provide direct and clear answer to specific questions. |
| NEGATIVES of referendums | - Undermine Parliamentary sovereignty - whats point of electing parliament if people make direct decisions? - Electorate don't respect decisions made themselves = lack of stability as believe can overturn own decisions (2nd EU ref?) - Can't hold referendums on everything - complexity of issues = beyond public understanding = uninformed decisions (e.g. 2016 EU = Leave just to remove immigrants) - Low participation - GE = average 60% so referendums often lower? (BUT 2016 = 72%) - Close results = doubt - Can be expensive = unfair if one side have more money for resources etc - Rupert Murdoch = influential - Act of rebellion against unpopular Gov - 2011 AV vote = public dislike of Clegg shown in result/media campaign - Result only favours the majority - particularly difficult if close result (e.g. 2016 EU = almost 50% unhappy) |
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