UK Politics
Component 1
1.1 Evaluate the view that direct democracy creates more problems than
solutions
P Direct democracy encourages informed citizenry, voter education
E BBC broadcasts around referendums pressure groups. Better together campaign 2014
Scotland
A more informed electorate more likely to hold the government to account, healthy for
democracy, pluralism. Avoids disillusion.
C Miseducation, lack of voter education can cause problems direct democracy. AV ref 42%
turnout. Especially complex decisions. BBC unbiased reporting, impartiality can sometimes
misrepresent the truth, balanced argument but it wasn’t balanced. Unclear soft Brexit, hard
Brexit.
E Overwhelming good of direct democracy not overshadowed by misrepresentation.
Ensuring pressure groups, gov and media ensure voter education is good its ok.
P Direct democracy encourages participation, purest form of democracy
E Scot ref 85% 72% Brexit, Robert Putnam community spirit, Brexit many people felt glad
they’d had their say.
A encourages pluralism and allows for everyone to have their say, removes the remoteness
of rep dem.
C Tyranny of the majority, giving the decision to everyone removes protections that can be
secured through rep dem. 2009 Minaret ban Switzerland. No compromise.
E Referendums are used in cases where decisions must be made, not everything can be
compromised. Scot referendum. Even with representative democracy tyranny of the
majority still prevalent not always compromise, May’s hostile environment.
P Direct democracy can handle issues too major for one singular party
E Brexit Cameron tory split. Blair devolution 1997, Good Friday agreement 1998
A Legitimises decisions, ensures next party wont overturn. Handles issues too big for one
party, one that effects constitutional matters. Prevents deadlock, Tories agreed with
devolution once ref held.
C Can cause demagogues. Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson. May Brexit means Brexit. Populism.
Turkey join EU. “We send the EU 350mil a week lets fund our NHS instead”.
E Whilst populism bad, we need direct democracy to solve constitutional matters, maybe we
just need more limits on misrepresenting facts and accountability when narratives are not
true.
Conc- Direct democracy good, necessary for a healthy democracy. Otherwise, politics feels
distant
, 1.1 Evaluate the view that referendums are a healthy addition to UK
democracy
P Referendums are the purest form of democracy
E Athens, 85% Scot ref
A pluralism, encourages participation
C Ref’s undermine rep dem. Burkean representation. Brexit.
E They still encourage pluralism and help strengthen dem legitimacy.
P Settle issues when party is divided
E Coalition disagreement AV 2011. 2016 EU ref 1975 EU ref
A Deadlock, party splits, one nation Thatcherite, new labour old labour
C Many issues too complex for y/n question. Soft hard Brexit. AV (which voting system)
‘preferendum’
E Can be solved through specificity and does not undermine the decisions’ ability to unify
parties.
P Give dem legitimacy to major decisions
E 1997 ref devolution, tories anti, Good Friday agreement 1998.
A In practice entrenches decision, mandate, cross party acceptance
C Tyranny of majority, entrenched decisions not considering minority op. Rep dem allows
for compromise, Blair terror bill. 2009 Swiss minaret.
E Rep dem also can cause tyranny of majority and populism, May hostile environment. Does
not particularly help.
P Voter ed can be poor during refs
E AV 2011, EU 350mil a week NHS, Turkey leaflet, project fer
A demagogue, no guarantee of honest campaign, too much power given to pub
C can increase voter education, Scot ref, yes + no camp gov funded
E risk of poor voter ed too common in recent years, focus needs to be fact checking
1.2 Evaluate the view that the UK is in a participation crisis
P Low turnout in elections points to this
E 2001 under 50% 5’s 85%, differential turnout, under 50% 18-24 2019 74% 70+
A Weakens democratic legitimacy, not all groups represented in policy. Triple lock pension.
FPTP safe seats, wasted votes. Class dealignment.
C 2001 Hapathy, numbers have risen in recent years. 69% 2017
E However, not returned to where they were previously, overall democracy is less healthy
than it was years before.
P falling deference has led to political apathy
E 9% of Brit’s thinks politics isn’t broken
A scandal, politics seems more remote, elitism.
