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UK POLITICS ESSAY PLANS - Electoral systems
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3 A* grade plans UK POLITICS ESSAY PLANS - Electoral systems
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ELECTORAL SYSTEMS:- Voting systems are of the utmost importance as elections are the one way in which the
public can effectively participate in politics.
- Key to representative democracy.
- Enable politicians to be held accountable.
- Provides representatives with a mandate to implement their manifesto.
Evaluate the view that the various electoral systems in use in the UK make significant
differences to party representation:
In many ways it can be said that electoral systems are highly influential when looking at party
representation which can be shown through different party systems which wield influence within
different areas of the UK due to the use of different electoral systems. However, at the same time
it can be compellingly argued this is merely a result of the nature of the area.
STV
- Can be described as a proportional system in which seats effectively match votes due to
the work of the quota which seeks to reallocate votes. Voters rank the candidates and then
those who reach the droop quota are elected and the excess votes are reallocated to a
voter’s second choice - if no candidate reaches the quota then the bottom candidate is
removed and their vote is reallocated.
- Results in the formulation of multi-member constituencies (some would argue this
improves representation but at the same time it can be said to create an unclear MP-
constituency link and confuse the electorate)
- Creates coalitions and encourages compromise between parties.
- Unstable? - is this a result of the electoral system
- Comparisons between representation in UK General elections to representation in NI
assembly elections shows a great similarity in who wins seats.
-
AMS
- Incorporates FPTP and party list (voters get two votes), party list uses the ‘d'Hondt
formula’ to reallocate votes and create a more proportional result.
- Coalitions (did produce one majority - SNP in 2011, although this is rare)
- Supposed to encourage compromise but there is a dominant party system and the SNP are
essentially able to control the entire legislative agenda.
- Rather than delivering a multi-party system, AMS has led to Scottish politics being
dominated by one party, the SNP, giving them a majority in 2011. In the Welsh
Parliament, it is the Labour Party who have dominated.
FPTP:
- Plurality system designed to create single-party, strong, and stable governments.
- Arguably, this is the system which should be used within Westminsiter due to the size of
the UK and the need for a system of this nature in order to create effective govts.
, - Reinforces a 2-party system with respect to seats - Labour and Conservatives will only
ever win.
- FPTP has recently resulted in larger roles for smaller parties - coalition, minority and
small majority governments as support for the two main parties has dropped.
- FPTP has enabled the influence of some parties to grow whilst retaining effective govt -
minor parties can exert some influence but this is not overpowering.
ANY ESSAY ON FPTP OR PROPORTIONAL VOTING SYSTEMS:
Evaluate the view that a change to the Westminster electoral system would improve the state of
UK democracy - Representation, participation, type of government.
Evaluate the view that the case to replace the first past the post electoral system with a
proportional one is now compelling - Representation, participation, type of government.
Evaluate the view that proportional representation should be introduced to parliamentary
elections to improve the state of democracy - Representation, participation, type of government.
Evaluate the view that the disadvantages of proportional electoral systems far outweigh any
of its advantages: STV and AMS
- There has also been a push by some for electoral reform due to the rise of minor parties -
led to the argument that it is entirely undemocratic to not allow these parties to
subsequently flourish and wield influence within the political system.
- FPTP works when there is a binary choice – it fails miserably when more than two parties
contest elections. It denies a voice to many voters - this is underpinned by the effects of
wasted votes which means that minor parties often receive significant votes in
constituencies but don’t win seats, e.g. UKIP won 13% of the votes in 2015 but only won
one seat.
Type of government:
- If AMS or STV were introduced it can be said that a coalition government would be
produced which would improve the state of democracy within the UK.
- AMS incorporates both FPTP and Party List to elect two types of representatives - party
list serves to create a more proportional result.
- Having been implemented within Scotland it can be said to be effective and has
encouraged power sharing as the SNP have created coalitions with the Greens.
- Coalitions encourage compromise and force parties to work together to create policies
(more centrist).
- STV involves multi-member constituencies and voters rank their candidates - in order to
be elected the representative must meet the quota, once the quota has been met all extra
votes move to each voter’s second candidate, if no one reaches the quota the least popular
is removed and their votes are reallocated. Creates a system of power sharing, e.g. in NI
the Minister and Deputy Minister are from two different parties.
- System of more power sharing will prevent the somewhat elective dictatorship within
Westminster as currently the PM is able to dominate due to the large majority they
possess.
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