Electoral Systems Essay Plans
'Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy in the UK'-
Themes - ✔✔✔direct democracy
participation
representation
'Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy in the UK'-
Judgement - ✔✔✔large extent
Direct Democracy - ✔✔✔referendums purest form of democracy
each vote is equal and none are wasted
produce accurate reflection of wishes of the people
gives gov decisions greater legitimacy and authority
low turnouts do not reduce this legitimacy- suggest uninterest in issue and no pressing need for change
Direct Democracy counter-argument - ✔✔✔only legitimises gov decisions to some extent- some
referendums have incredibly low turnout
Participation - ✔✔✔more opportunity for participation
referendum turnout increased in Scottish Independence and EU referendums
would encourage people to educate themselves on political views which could lead to other forms of
participation e.g. pgs
people increasingly educated due to internet and social media- less reliance on MPs to inform
electorate- would be biased
, Participation counter-argument - ✔✔✔turnout low on AV referendum- people not willing to educate
themselves
lack of motivation to educate could lead to misinformed decisions if referendums were increasingly used
and lack of participation altogether
Representation - ✔✔✔increases representation
impossible for MPs to accurately represent all constituents on certain political issues- e.g. EU- parties
themselves very divided on issue
parliament unrepresentative- hard to understand views and wishes of minorities
unlikely that UK would have left EU if there was not a referendum- majority of electorates wishes would
not have been met
Representation counter-argument - ✔✔✔tyranny of majority- EU referendum close and despite
protests and petitions for a second referendum, the huge constitutional change still went ahead
lack of compromise in referendums, something which can occur in parliament with MPs debating most
views
'Evaluate the criticisms that have been leveled against the use of referendums in UK'- Themes - ✔✔✔
education of electorate
turnout
legitimacy of gov decisions
'Evaluate the criticisms that have been leveled against the use of referendums in UK'- Judgement - ✔✔
✔weak argument
Education - ✔✔✔apply same logic to elections and MPs themselves- results of elections are final and
anyone can become an MP if they win local elections
unreasonable to assume every single person is misinformed
aim of referendums are to capture the current view of electorate
'Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy in the UK'-
Themes - ✔✔✔direct democracy
participation
representation
'Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy in the UK'-
Judgement - ✔✔✔large extent
Direct Democracy - ✔✔✔referendums purest form of democracy
each vote is equal and none are wasted
produce accurate reflection of wishes of the people
gives gov decisions greater legitimacy and authority
low turnouts do not reduce this legitimacy- suggest uninterest in issue and no pressing need for change
Direct Democracy counter-argument - ✔✔✔only legitimises gov decisions to some extent- some
referendums have incredibly low turnout
Participation - ✔✔✔more opportunity for participation
referendum turnout increased in Scottish Independence and EU referendums
would encourage people to educate themselves on political views which could lead to other forms of
participation e.g. pgs
people increasingly educated due to internet and social media- less reliance on MPs to inform
electorate- would be biased
, Participation counter-argument - ✔✔✔turnout low on AV referendum- people not willing to educate
themselves
lack of motivation to educate could lead to misinformed decisions if referendums were increasingly used
and lack of participation altogether
Representation - ✔✔✔increases representation
impossible for MPs to accurately represent all constituents on certain political issues- e.g. EU- parties
themselves very divided on issue
parliament unrepresentative- hard to understand views and wishes of minorities
unlikely that UK would have left EU if there was not a referendum- majority of electorates wishes would
not have been met
Representation counter-argument - ✔✔✔tyranny of majority- EU referendum close and despite
protests and petitions for a second referendum, the huge constitutional change still went ahead
lack of compromise in referendums, something which can occur in parliament with MPs debating most
views
'Evaluate the criticisms that have been leveled against the use of referendums in UK'- Themes - ✔✔✔
education of electorate
turnout
legitimacy of gov decisions
'Evaluate the criticisms that have been leveled against the use of referendums in UK'- Judgement - ✔✔
✔weak argument
Education - ✔✔✔apply same logic to elections and MPs themselves- results of elections are final and
anyone can become an MP if they win local elections
unreasonable to assume every single person is misinformed
aim of referendums are to capture the current view of electorate
