Direct and representative democracy
- Created by: xmeganbakerx
- Created on: 16-04-19 11:13
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- Direct and representative democracy
- Democracy
- People have influence over political decision making.
- Government are accountable to the people.
- Free and fair elections so the government is legitimate
- Different beliefs, political parties and associations are tolerated.
- Free and independent media.
- Citizens' rights are legally protected.
- Legal limits to powers of government, established by a constitution and independent judiciary.
- Direct democracy
- A system where the people themselves make important political decisions. The modern form involves using referenda, which is controversial.
- Advantages
- Purest form of democracy, the people's voice is clearly heard.
- Can avoid delay and deadlock within the political system.
- Has great legitimacy.
- Gives the government clear directive to act.
- Each vote counts equally.
- People more likely to vote if it will make a difference.
- Referenda can teach people about political issues.
- Disadvantages
- Tyranny of the majority, where the winning majority ignores minority interests.
- Elected representatives can mediate between majority and minority interests.
- People may be easily swayed by short-term, emotional appeals by charismatic individuals.
- Some issues may be too complex for the ordinary citizen to understand.
- Not practical in a modern society.
- Referenda can be manipulated by changing question phrasing.
- Expensive to run.
- Cabinet Office estimated by the 2016 EU referendum cost £141m to run.
- Tyranny of the majority, where the winning majority ignores minority interests.
- representative democracy
- A system where the people are represented by others. representatives are usually elected by can also include pressure groups and social movements.
- Advantages
- Representatives may have expert knowledge and experience.
- Representatives are probably more rational and less likely to be swayed by emotional appeals.
- Representatives are democratically accountable and should therefore behave responsibly.
- Representatives should mediate between majority and minority interests.
- Disadvantages
- Elected representatives may be more interested in party politics than in the national interest.
- In general, parties may exercise too much control over their elected members.
- No guarantee that representatives accurately reflect the views of those they claim to represent.
- FPTP produces a highly unrepresentative result.
- Often more people will have voted against the winning party than for it.
- Not all votes are counted equally in larger constituencies
- Elected representatives may be more interested in party politics than in the national interest.
- Distinctions between the two types
- With DD, people themselves make political decisions. With RD, decisions are made by elected representatives.
- With DD, decisions are made by referenda whereas with RD decisions are made by government and elected assemblies.
- With DD, the people vote on single issues. In RD, people choose between full political programmes at electiosn rather than on single issues.
- Democracy
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