UK POL essay plans
Direct democracy - ✔✔✔Advantages
Gives equal weight to all votes
Encourages popular participation
Purest form of democracy which gives decisions legitimacy
Disadvantages
Impractical in a large, modern state
Open to manipulation by cleverest speakers
No mediation by parliamentary institutions meaning minority viewpoints disregarded
Representative Democracy - ✔✔✔Advantages
Practical in a large, modern state
Parties and pressure groups provide pluralism and choice
Representatives protect minority rights and reduce tyranny of the majority
Disadvantages
Reduced participation
Representatives may not adequately represent the viewpoints of the electorate
Politicians are skillful at avoiding accountability
Assessment of UK democracy - ✔✔✔Free and fair elections
Widespread participation
Independent judiciary
Free media
Devolved governments
, Democratic institutions
Compulsory voting - ✔✔✔Yes
Voting is a social duty
Would produce a more representative parliament
Politicians frame policies with whole of the electorate in mind
Can still spoil ballot if conscientiously cannot vote
Legitimises government
No
Undemocratic
Politicians still focus campaigns on marginal seats
Abstention is also a form of political expression
Does not address deeper reasons why people do not vote
Votes at 16 - ✔✔✔Yes
Already take part in political debate
Have other legal rights
High turnout in Scottish referendum
Should have a say in important issues that affect their futures
No
Young people lack the necessary life experience to vote
Legal rights limited in practice
Scottish referendum had unusually high turnout
Voting at 16 rare
Direct democracy - ✔✔✔Advantages
Gives equal weight to all votes
Encourages popular participation
Purest form of democracy which gives decisions legitimacy
Disadvantages
Impractical in a large, modern state
Open to manipulation by cleverest speakers
No mediation by parliamentary institutions meaning minority viewpoints disregarded
Representative Democracy - ✔✔✔Advantages
Practical in a large, modern state
Parties and pressure groups provide pluralism and choice
Representatives protect minority rights and reduce tyranny of the majority
Disadvantages
Reduced participation
Representatives may not adequately represent the viewpoints of the electorate
Politicians are skillful at avoiding accountability
Assessment of UK democracy - ✔✔✔Free and fair elections
Widespread participation
Independent judiciary
Free media
Devolved governments
, Democratic institutions
Compulsory voting - ✔✔✔Yes
Voting is a social duty
Would produce a more representative parliament
Politicians frame policies with whole of the electorate in mind
Can still spoil ballot if conscientiously cannot vote
Legitimises government
No
Undemocratic
Politicians still focus campaigns on marginal seats
Abstention is also a form of political expression
Does not address deeper reasons why people do not vote
Votes at 16 - ✔✔✔Yes
Already take part in political debate
Have other legal rights
High turnout in Scottish referendum
Should have a say in important issues that affect their futures
No
Young people lack the necessary life experience to vote
Legal rights limited in practice
Scottish referendum had unusually high turnout
Voting at 16 rare
