UK Politics: Democracy and Participation
1.1 Current systems of representative democracy and direct
democracy.
• The features of direct democracy and representative
democracy.
• The similarities and di9erences between direct democracy
and representative democracy.
Advantages and disadvantages of direct democracy and
representative democracy and consideration of the case for
reform.
Representative Democracy
Representative democracy is a system where citizens elect people or political parties
to make decisions and govern on their belief, rather than participating directly in law
making.
• E.g. In the 2024 General Election, 29 million voters elected 650 MPs, giving the
Labour party a majority with 411 seats.
Democracy comes from the Greek words, ‘demos’ and ‘kratos’ can be loterally
translated as ‘rule of the people’.
Features of Representative Democracy
1. ACCOUNTABILITY
Representatives must justify their decisions and actions to voters at election time.
Þ If voters are unhappy with performance, they can remove the representative or
the governing party
This creates a continuous incentive for MPs and governments to act in the public
interest
Þ E.g. In the 2010 General Election, Labour lost power after voter dissatisfaction
with issues such as the financial crisis and leadership
, 2. FREQUENCY
Elections occur on a predictable timetable, giving stability and regular opportunities
for democratic input
Fixed terms help ensure fairness by preventing governments from calling elections
purely for political advantage
Þ In the UK, General Elections are typically held every 5 years under the Fixed-term
Parliaments Act
3. PRACTICALITY
Representative democracy allows complex decisions to be made by people with the
time and resources to analyse issues in depth
It works eVectively in large, modern states where direct participation by millions
would be unrealistic
Representatives can consult experts, committees and evidence before making
decisions
4. EXPERTISE
Those elected are expected to bring a range of skills to their role, such as:
•
An understanding of the law
•
Awareness of social issues and cultural backgrounds
•
Strong spoken communication abilities
•
The ability to assess information and draw logical conclusions
•
Being able to listen carefully and respond appropriately
•
Clear, logical reasoning when solving problems
•
A careful approach with strong attention to detail
1.1 Current systems of representative democracy and direct
democracy.
• The features of direct democracy and representative
democracy.
• The similarities and di9erences between direct democracy
and representative democracy.
Advantages and disadvantages of direct democracy and
representative democracy and consideration of the case for
reform.
Representative Democracy
Representative democracy is a system where citizens elect people or political parties
to make decisions and govern on their belief, rather than participating directly in law
making.
• E.g. In the 2024 General Election, 29 million voters elected 650 MPs, giving the
Labour party a majority with 411 seats.
Democracy comes from the Greek words, ‘demos’ and ‘kratos’ can be loterally
translated as ‘rule of the people’.
Features of Representative Democracy
1. ACCOUNTABILITY
Representatives must justify their decisions and actions to voters at election time.
Þ If voters are unhappy with performance, they can remove the representative or
the governing party
This creates a continuous incentive for MPs and governments to act in the public
interest
Þ E.g. In the 2010 General Election, Labour lost power after voter dissatisfaction
with issues such as the financial crisis and leadership
, 2. FREQUENCY
Elections occur on a predictable timetable, giving stability and regular opportunities
for democratic input
Fixed terms help ensure fairness by preventing governments from calling elections
purely for political advantage
Þ In the UK, General Elections are typically held every 5 years under the Fixed-term
Parliaments Act
3. PRACTICALITY
Representative democracy allows complex decisions to be made by people with the
time and resources to analyse issues in depth
It works eVectively in large, modern states where direct participation by millions
would be unrealistic
Representatives can consult experts, committees and evidence before making
decisions
4. EXPERTISE
Those elected are expected to bring a range of skills to their role, such as:
•
An understanding of the law
•
Awareness of social issues and cultural backgrounds
•
Strong spoken communication abilities
•
The ability to assess information and draw logical conclusions
•
Being able to listen carefully and respond appropriately
•
Clear, logical reasoning when solving problems
•
A careful approach with strong attention to detail
