PARAGRAPH 1 - stability and elected dictatorships
Yes
'invariably delivers strong and stable government'
Clear winner and it creates a 'winners bonus' (the party that wins gets even more seats) - this
creates a strong government. It also creates a strong opposition to scrutinise the government and
hold them to account.
Coalitions don't usually occur because of the 'winner's bonus'.
Best system to prevent 'King makers'.
No
'It encourages each of the major parties to seek to defeat their opposition completely, negating the need for
post-election cooperation'
In the UK we have an elected dictatorship, therefore dissenting voices can be effectively meaningless
for years at a time.
Tyranny of the majority
The pendulum effect - It DOES NOT matter about the smaller parties in the popular vote, becasue
the winning party will always have a majority SO IT DOES NOT MATTER.
PARAGRAPH 2 - engagement and wasted votes
Yes
'Votes are not wasted for we have seen turnout increase in recent times' - WHAT?
Lots of wasted votes
Disproportional
Turnout = 2015:66.1%, 2017:69.1%, 2019:67.3%
Participation Crisis: a point at which the public has become disengaged from politics and voting
levels have fallen so low that the legitimacy of elected governments can be questioned.
How do you measure the expected/accepted level of democracy? Just voting?
Democratic Deficit: when a democracy is not operating effectively because there is a lack of
accountability among political bodies and not all citizens can claim equal influence over political
decision making.
Not just voting/politics - it can be courts, freedom of speech, the media etc.
CIRCULAR REASONING BETWEEN PARTICIPATION CRISIS AND DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT
Yes
'invariably delivers strong and stable government'
Clear winner and it creates a 'winners bonus' (the party that wins gets even more seats) - this
creates a strong government. It also creates a strong opposition to scrutinise the government and
hold them to account.
Coalitions don't usually occur because of the 'winner's bonus'.
Best system to prevent 'King makers'.
No
'It encourages each of the major parties to seek to defeat their opposition completely, negating the need for
post-election cooperation'
In the UK we have an elected dictatorship, therefore dissenting voices can be effectively meaningless
for years at a time.
Tyranny of the majority
The pendulum effect - It DOES NOT matter about the smaller parties in the popular vote, becasue
the winning party will always have a majority SO IT DOES NOT MATTER.
PARAGRAPH 2 - engagement and wasted votes
Yes
'Votes are not wasted for we have seen turnout increase in recent times' - WHAT?
Lots of wasted votes
Disproportional
Turnout = 2015:66.1%, 2017:69.1%, 2019:67.3%
Participation Crisis: a point at which the public has become disengaged from politics and voting
levels have fallen so low that the legitimacy of elected governments can be questioned.
How do you measure the expected/accepted level of democracy? Just voting?
Democratic Deficit: when a democracy is not operating effectively because there is a lack of
accountability among political bodies and not all citizens can claim equal influence over political
decision making.
Not just voting/politics - it can be courts, freedom of speech, the media etc.
CIRCULAR REASONING BETWEEN PARTICIPATION CRISIS AND DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT
