Democracy & Participation
Democracy & Participation
What is Democracy?
Democracy literally means rule by the people (from the Greek demos = people, kratos = power). In A-Level Politics, you must understand the distinction between different forms and evaluate how democratic the UK truly is.
Types of Democracy
| Type | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct democracy | Citizens make decisions themselves without intermediaries | Ancient Athens; UK 2016 EU referendum |
| Representative democracy | Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf | UK general elections; parliamentary sovereignty |
| Liberal democracy | Representative democracy combined with protection of individual rights and liberties | The UK system with its Human Rights Act 1998 |
| Pluralist democracy | Power is dispersed among competing groups, none dominant | Multiple parties, pressure groups, and media outlets |
The Democratic Deficit in the UK
- The House of Lords is unelected (around 800 peers), undermining democratic legitimacy
- First Past the Post distorts representation: in 2019, the Conservatives won 56% of seats with only 43.6% of the vote
- Low turnout at elections (e.g. 67.3% in 2019, down from 77.7% in 1992) suggests democratic disengagement
- The Royal Prerogative allows executive action without parliamentary approval
- Safe seats mean millions of votes are effectively wasted
Enhancing Democracy
Key reforms debated include:
- Electoral reform to a proportional system (as recommended by the Jenkins Commission 1998)
- Lowering the voting age to 16 (as Scotland did for the 2014 independence referendum)
- Digital democracy through e-petitions (100,000 signatures triggers a Commons debate)
- Recall of MPs Act 2015 allowing constituents to trigger a by-election
- Elected House of Lords (proposed in the House of Lords Reform Bill 2012, ultimately dropped)
Pressure Groups
Pressure groups are organisations that seek to influence government policy without seeking elected office.
| Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Sectional/interest groups | Represent a specific section of society | BMA (doctors), NUT/NEU (teachers), CBI (business) |
| Cause/promotional groups | Promote a particular cause or set of values | Greenpeace, Amnesty International, ASH |
| Insider groups | Have regular access to government and are consulted | NFU, BMA, CBI |
| Outsider groups | Lack regular access and use direct action | Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain |
Key thinker: Robert Dahl (1961) argued that power in democracies is dispersed among competing groups (pluralism), meaning no single elite dominates. His study Who Governs? examined New Haven, Connecticut.
Counter-view: C. Wright Mills (1956) argued in The Power Elite that a small group of military, corporate, and political leaders hold disproportionate power (elitism).
Methods of Pressure Groups
- Lobbying Parliament and ministers directly
- Media campaigns to shape public opinion
- Direct action such as protests, strikes, and civil disobedience
- Legal challenges through judicial review
- Financial donations to political parties
Rights in Context
The Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Key rights include:
- Article 2: Right to life
- Article 5: Right to liberty
- Article 8: Right to privacy
- Article 10: Freedom of expression
- Article 11: Freedom of assembly
Debates around rights include tension between collective security and individual liberty (e.g. Investigatory Powers Act 2016, dubbed the "Snoopers' Charter") and whether the UK should replace the HRA with a British Bill of Rights.
Evaluation: How Democratic is the UK?
Democratic strengths:
- Regular free elections with universal suffrage
- Independent judiciary and rule of law
- Free press and media plurality
- Devolution giving power to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Democratic weaknesses:
- Unelected House of Lords and monarchy
- FPTP distorts voter intention
- Executive dominance through the whip system
- Declining party membership and voter engagement
Key Exam Tips
- Always use specific examples and dates when discussing democratic participation
- Be prepared to argue both sides of the democratic deficit debate
- Link pressure group activity to broader questions about pluralist vs elitist models of democracy
- Reference recent events such as the 2016 EU referendum as examples of direct democracy in practice