Democracy and Political Participation

What is legitimacy?

• 'Right to govern' or to 'make laws'
• Excercising power- force someone to do something

What is democracy?

• Any system where the people have access to independent information and able to influence the government
• Modern democracy:
• free and fair regular elections
• free press and media
• all equal under the law
• Gov. operates in interests of the people

Direct Democracy:

• People make decisions themselves
• take initiative in making change
• A: educate public about political issues
• A: people participate more/increased legitimacy
• A: referendums solve conflict in gov
• D: too complex
• D: people may vote emotionally/irrationally
• D: voter fatigue
• D: tyranny of the majority
• D: turnout low, lack legitimacy

Rep Democracy:

• people elect representatives
• delegate voting power to reps
• parties that represent different views
• pressure groups that represent different sections of society, minorities etc
• A: no time to vote so reps do it
• A: more knowledge and experience
• A: accountable for decisions
• A: Reps more rational
• A: educate public
• D: May ignore constitution
• D: too much political colnflict
• D: may follow party line

Participation:

• Voting
• Referendums
• Political parties
• pressure groups

Decline in participation:

• turnouts low (1992 77.7% 2010 65.1%)
• party membership falling
• Activism in parties fallen

methods of increasing participation:

• COMPULSORY VOTING:
• A: increases turnout
• A: people think about politics
• A: people more used to voting
• A: legitimacy
• D: abuses freedom
• D: artificial results
• D: costly
• D: apathy not solved
• VOTES AT 16
• A: young politically aware
• A: improves identification wih…