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Evaluate The Argument That Direct Democracy Is Superior To Representative Democracy KeyDefinitions : In this essay, the analysis of ‘direct democracyʼ will largely focus on referendums, as this is
the most important use of direct democracy in the UK.
Paragraph One Involving The People In Decision Making
For: Direct Democracy Directly Involves The People In Decision Making
- Direct democracy involves people in decision-making, giving them real power and preventing their
wishes from being ignored by representatives.
- It better fulfills the central purpose of democracy (rule by the people) and encourages political
participation, as voters feel their vote matters in influencing referendum outcomes.
- Recent UK referendums, like the Scottish Independence referendum in 2014 and Brexit, saw high
turnouts, reflecting public engagement and the opportunity to address key constitutional issues. very high
turnout at 84.6%, including many 16 and 17 years olds who were able to vote. Brexit also had a relatively
high turnout of 72.2%
- These referendums educated citizens on important political matters, such as EU impact on sovereignty
and trade.
- General election turnouts in the UK have declined since the mid-20th century, with the 2019 election
having a turnout of around 68% which is higher than the 2001 general election turnout of 58% but is still
a great deal less than the average between 1945 and 1997, which was 76%.
- Citizen's assemblies, like the Climate Assembly UK commissioned by Parliament in 2019, provide an
important check on Parliament's decision-making power.
- The Climate Assembly UK, composed of 108 members reflecting diverse demographics and concerns,
produced recommendations that influenced government policy, such as advancing the ban on petrol and
diesel cars and promoting renewable energy.
Against: The Public Are Open To Manipulation And Representative Democracy Is Practical.
- Direct democracy exposes the public to manipulation by charismatic speakers, known historically as
demagogues, who can sway public opinion with falsehoods.
- The 2016 EU referendum, where the Leave campaign made misleading claims like the infamous £350
million per week for the NHS, illustrates how direct democracy can be influenced by dishonest tactics.
- Representative democracy, with professional politicians making decisions, offers the advantage of
knowledgeable and dedicated representatives less susceptible to manipulation.
- In large modern states, quick decision-making is often necessary, making direct democracy impractical
for handling emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Direct democracy, while encouraging participation and fulfilling the core purpose of democracy, should
be balanced with the practicality of representative democracy.
- It is not feasible for direct democracy to entirely replace representative democracy but can be employed
for significant constitutional decisions.
Paragraph Two Representing The Whole Of The Population
For: Direct Democracy Gives Equal Weight To All Votes
- Direct democracy ensures equal weight for all votes, promoting fairness and forcing campaigns to
appeal to all voters.
- Recent referendums have seen relatively high turnouts, reflecting voter confidence in the significance of
their vote.
- In contrast, the FPTP system in representative democracy leads to unequal value of votes.
- Votes in smaller constituencies count for more than in larger ones, and safe seats see depressed
turnout due to low hope of preferred candidate winning.
,- Marginal seats, like Thanet South in Kent, receive significant campaign focus and have higher turnout
due to the importance of votes and which has been won by the winning party at every General Election
since its creation.
Against: Tyranny Of The Majority
- Direct democracy can lead to a "tyranny of the majority," disregarding the views of minority groups.
- In majoritarian systems, decisions are made if over 50% of the population vote for something, potentially
threatening minority viewpoints.
- For example, in the EU referendum, if turnout is taken into account, less than half of the population
voted to leave, yet the government pursued a hard Brexit, disregarding the views of Remain voters who
supported a softer Brexit once it was voted for.
- Representative democracy mitigates this by providing minority groups with representation in Parliament,
where professional politicians can advocate on their behalf.
- Representative democracy fosters pluralism, where decisions result from the interplay of various ideas
and arguments from competing groups, rather than just implementing the will of the majority.
Overall, though direct democracy certainly is more effective in equally representing each vote,
representative democracy is superior in terms of representing the whole of the population as is prevents
the tyranny of the majority and promotes a pluralist democracy.
Paragraph Three How Effective Is Representative Democracy
Against: Representative Democracy Allows For Accountability And Effective Representation
- Representative democracy allows for accountability and effective representation.
- Regular elections enable the public to hold representatives accountable and vote them out if they
perform poorly.
-therefore, MPs in representative democracies prioritize effective constituency representation by handling
constituent correspondence, addressing problems, and holding constituency surgeries.
- MPs also advocate for their constituents' interests in Parliament, as demonstrated by instances like
December 5, 2023, the 22 Conservative MPs supporting a Labour amendment for compensation in the
infected blood scandal rebelling against a 3 line conservative whip to do so. The amendment, which was
successfully passed by a narrow majority, called for the establishment of a body to administer
compensation within three months of passing the Victims and Prisoners Bill.
-This is a good example of the strong MP-constituency link and local representation under FPTP, as the
rebels were influenced by strong local movements and victims of the scandal in their constituency. For
example, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes rebelled to represent the local movement for greater
compensation and the number of victims affected in her Romsey and Southampton North Constituency.
- Representative democracy fosters effective governance and representation, with MPs acting as trustees
rather than mere delegates.
- . Edmund Burke introduced the idea that MPs shouldn ʼt simply follow exactly what their constituents
want them to do, but exercise their own professional judgement when making decisions in the public
interest, as exemplified by 3 defections from the Conservative Party to Labour since the 2019 UK general
election, each citing significant concerns with the Conservative Party's direction and policies as their
reasons for the switch.
- These defections, such as Dan Poulter's in April 2024,Poulter, who also works part-time as a mental
health doctor, cited his firsthand experiences with the overstretched NHS and his inability to reconcile
these experiences with the Conservative Party's policies as key reasons for his switc. illustrate MPs'
ability to respond to events and exercise judgement in representing their constituents' interests.
For: In Representative Democracy Politicians Follow Their Own Interests
- Direct democracy is argued to be superior to representative democracy due to the latter's failure to
provide effective representation.
,- Politicians often prioritize their own interests over those of their constituents, relying heavily on party
affiliation and rarely voting against party lines.MPs rely on their parties to gain power and are whipped
heavily by them to vote with the party in Parliament. If they fail to do so, they have little chance of climbing
the party ladder and gaining more power by entering the cabinet. As a consequence, the rarely vote
against the party line.
- The Guardian reported in August 2023 that MPs were paid £10 million from second jobs and freelance
work in 2022/23. Boris Johnson, who made £4.8M from speaking opportunities and consulting among
other things.
- Polling conducted by YouGov for Sky in 2024 shows that distrust of politicians has declined since the
2019 election. 49% of respondents say they "almost never" trust the British government to place the
needs of the nation above the interests of their own party, up from 26% in 2019. This increase is likely
driven by the manifold scandals that have occurred since the 2019 election.
- Since the 2019 election, there have been 23 by-elections, the majority of which were triggered due to
MPs (most of whom Conservative MPs) being forced to resign for breaking the law/severe misconduct
issues. In most of these cases, MPs resigned instead of facing a recall petition. The Blackpool South By-
Election on May 2, 2024 followed the resignation of the Conservative MP Scott Benton, who had been
suspended from the Commons for breaching lobbying rules, after being exposed by the Times for offering
to leak documents and ask questions for a fake gambling company.
- Direct democracy ensures public views are not ignored or manipulated for the benefit of politicians, The
EU referendum, for example, was voted for by a majority of voters despite over 75% of Parliament
supporting Remain.
Overall, though in theory representative democracy offers effective representation through the Burkean
model of representation, in practice this is often limited as MPs make decisions in their own interests.
Direct democracy is therefore superior.
In conclusion, representative democracy is certainly the more practical system in the modern day and
shouldnʼt be entirely replaced with direct democracy. It is flawed, however, and fails to deliver effective
representation. Direct democracy is superior as it directly involves the people in decision making and
gives equal weight to all votes. As a consequence, there should be a greater use of referendums on key
political issues in order to supplement and improve representative democracy.
Evaluate The View That Reforms To Democracy In The UK Havenʼt Gone Far Enough. (30)
Paragraph One Replacing First Past The Post
For: Reforms To Democracy In The UK Havenʼt Gone Far Enough
- First Past The Post (FPTP) undermines UK democracy due to its lack of proportionality and limited voter
choice.
- FPTP results in elected MPs often lacking majority support in their constituency, leading to a lack of
representation both locally and nationally. This lack of representation in constituencies translates to a lack
of proportionality at the national level, with votes not translated into seats with any real accuracy.
- The system favors parties with geographically concentrated support, disadvantaged minor parties with
widespread but less concentrated support.
- In 2019, the Liberal Democrats won 11.5% of the vote but only 1.7% of the seats, highlighting the
disproportionality of FPTP.
- FPTP also grants a "winner's bonus" to the party with the most votes, even without a majority, as seen in
the 2019 election where the Conservative Party won 56% of the seats, a commanding majority with just
43.6% of the vote.
- Voter choice is limited under FPTP, as voters can only cast one vote, preventing them from fully
expressing their political preferences.
- This contrasts with systems like the Additional Member System, where voters have two votes, allowing
for a more nuanced expression of preferences.
, - FPTP leads to "wasted votes" for parties that don't win in a constituency and encourages tactical voting,
where voters choose a different party to prevent their least favourite from winning.
Against: Reforms To Democracy In The UK Have Gone Far Enough
- FPTP has advantages such as ease of use for voters and quick formation of government. In 1997, for
example, Tony Blair arrived at Downing Street as the new Prime Minister at 1pm on the day after the
election.
- The 2011 AV referendum saw 68% of voters rejecting a change to AV, indicating support for FPTP.
- FPTP ensures a strong MP-constituency link, facilitating effective local representation.
- MPs handle constituent issues and hold regular surgeries, as seen in the case of 22 Conservative MPs
supporting a Labour amendment in 2023 aimed at speeding up compensation for victims of the infected
blood scandal, rebelling against a 3 line conservative whip to do so.The amendment, which was
successfully passed by a narrow majority, called for the establishment of a body to administer
compensation within three months of passing the Victims and Prisoners Bill. - MPs like Caroline Nokes
rebelled to represent local movements and constituents affected by issues in their constituency.
- Despite these benefits, FPTP is criticized for its limited voter choice and lack of proportionality.
- Replacing FPTP with a more proportional system would enhance UK democracy by addressing these
shortcomings.
Paragraph Two Extending /Reforming The Franchise
For: Reforms To Democracy In The UK Havenʼt Gone Far Enough
- Extending the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds could improve political engagement and awareness
among young people, as voting becomes a habitual practice and social media contributes to increased
political consciousness.they have led recent political movements such as the Fridays For Future climate
strikes.
- Granting voting rights to this age group has led to higher political engagement in Scottish elections,
allowing them to have a say on issues that directly affect them, such as university tuition fees.
- Since 16 and 17-year-olds have other legal rights, such as joining the armed forces, it is argued they
should also have the right to vote if deemed mature enough.
- Another potential reform is the introduction of compulsory voting, as seen in Australia, where turnout
rates exceed 90%. Compulsory voting would compel politicians to consider the interests of the entire
electorate and make Parliament more representative.
- Making voting compulsory can be viewed as both a right and a social duty, encouraging greater civic
engagement and participation in politics.
Against: Reforms To Democracy In The UK Have Gone Far Enough
- Despite support for lowering the voting age to 16, there are arguments against its introduction,
particularly for UK general elections.
- Voter turnout among 18-24 year-olds is already low, and there is little evidence that most 16 and 17-
year-olds are interested in voting or adequately informed about politics.
- While 16-year-olds have some legal rights, these are often limited in practice, reflecting their status as
minors. For example, few 16 year olds are in full-time employment and they can't be deployed to the front
line until they're 18.
- Introducing compulsory voting may be viewed as undemocratic and fails to address deeper issues
contributing to low voter turnout.
- Compulsory voting may not significantly change campaign strategies or address disparities in political
attention given to marginal versus safe seats.
- Overall, low turnout remains a significant challenge for UK democracy, and reforms such as lowering the
voting age and compulsory voting could address this issue by increasing engagement and representation.
Paragraph Three Greater Use Of Direct Democracy
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