Suffrage and Democracy in the UK

Suffrage and Democracy: Key Concepts

• Suffrage and democracy are core topics in A-level politics.
• Understanding both knowledge and specific examples is crucial for essay writing.
• The lesson covers representative and direct democracy, and debates over suffrage.

Potential Essay Questions

• Is the UK democracy in a participation crisis?
• Evaluate the view that reforms to democracy in the UK haven't gone far enough.
• Evaluate whether there should be greater use of direct democracy in the UK.
• To what extent does the UK remain a genuine pluralist democracy?
• Evaluate how reforms have improved the UK's representative democracy.
• Essay plans are valuable for exam preparation
• Knowledge from other topics, like referendums and UK government, can improve essays.

Types of Democracy

• Democracy means rule by the people.
• Representative and direct democracy are the two main types

Representative Democracy

• People elect individuals, often in political parties, to act on their behalf.
• Representatives exercise their own judgment, not simply following voter instructions.
• Representatives are held accountable through regular elections.
• This is the usual form of democracy in the modern world

Direct Democracy

• Individuals express opinions and vote on laws themselves, without representatives.
• Associated with ancient Athens, where adult male citizens participated in public meetings.
• Demagogues could still influence votes in these meetings.

Direct Democracy Today

• No country has an entirely direct democratic system.
• Many countries use referendums.
• The UK uses infrequent referendums, such as the Brexit and Scottish independence referendums.
• The 2015 Recall of MPs Act allows a petition for a by-election if an MP is imprisoned or suspended for more than 21 days.
• Switzerland frequently uses direct democracy with around 10 referendum-style votes each year.

Problems with Direct Democracy in the UK

• The UK is a representative democratic system based on parliamentary sovereignty.
• The direct democracy of recent referendums, especially Brexit, has conflicted with parliamentary sovereignty.
• In the Brexit referendum, the public disagreed with their representatives, with no major party officially supporting leave.
• Referendums in the UK are not legally binding, leading to a second referendum campaign.

Pluralist Democracy

• Government makes decisions based on the interplay of ideas from competing groups.
• Encourages diverse voices and prevents neglect of minority groups.
• Key points include the role of pressure groups and responsiveness of representatives.

Legitimacy

• Legitimacy is the legal right to exercise power.
• It is important for governments as it validates the policies of those in power.
• Legitimacy is derived from the support of the people - e.g. - an election.

Perspectives on Democracy

• Two ways to look at democracy are the protective and developmental perspectives.
• The protective perspective views democracy as protecting individual freedom and doesn't expect large-scale participation.
• The developmental perspective believes citizens need to actively engage for democracy to be successful.
• The developmental perspective considers mass citizen participation essential for a healthy democracy that addresses gender and class inequalities.

Similarities Between Direct and Representative Democracy

• Both are designed to implement the will of the people.
• Both are based on the concept of majority rule.
• Citizens vote and play an important role.
• Both can be implemented at different levels of government, local, regional and nationa.
• People can be swayed by powerful individuals, including politicians and the media.
• Direct democracy plays a role in representative democracy through petitions and pressure groups.

Differences Between Direct and Representative Democracy

• In direct democracy individuals express opinions directly, while in representative democracy they elect representatives.
• Representative democracy has political parties, unlike direct democracy.
• Representative democracy has a government that can be held accountable.
• Representative democracy offers more protections and representation for minorities.
• Representative democracy can handle complex political decisions, while direct democracy cannot.

Advantages of Direct Democracy

• Gives equal weight to all votes.
• Encourages participation in politics.
• Removes the need for trusted representatives.
• Minimizes corruption and ensures the will of the people is followed.
• Develops a sense of community and encourages genuine debate.

Disadvantages of Direct Democracy

• Impractical in large, heavily populated modern states.
• Many people may not feel qualified to take part in decision making.
• People can be open to manipulation by clever speakers.
• Minority viewpoints may be disregarded as it is a majoritarian system.
• Criticized for encouraging tyranny of the majority.

Advantages of Representative Democracy

• Practical system in a large country with complex problems.
• Parties represent the public and give people a choice of representatives.
• Reduces tyranny of the majority by giving minorities a voice in Parliament.
• Elections allow representatives to be held to account.
• Politicians are better informed than the average citizen.

Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

• May lead to reduced participation as responsibility is handed to politicians.
• Parties and politicians may not represent the best interests of the people.
• Minorities are still underrepresented as they don't hold much electoral weight.
• Politicians are skillful in avoiding accountability.
• Politicians may put their interests before those of the people.
• In the UK's first past the post system, representatives are often elected with less than 50% of the vote

Assessing UK Democracy

• Does the UK have a participation crisis?
• Does the UK have a democratic deficit?

Does the UK Have a Participation Crisis? Arguments For

• Voter turnout has been relatively low.
• Turnout was lower in so-called second-order elections and referendums.
• Low turnout can be attributed to political apathy.
• Party membership is low - 1.6% now belongs to a political party compared to 3.8% in 1983.
• Alternatives to politics are less impactful than e.g. voting.
• Lack of participation suggests less general confidence in the political system.

Does the UK Have a Participation Crisis? Arguments Against

• The 2014 Scottish independence and 2016 Brexit referendums had high turnouts (84.6% & 72.7%).
• An alternative to political apathy is people are generally content and so don't need to push for Change.
• Labor party saw a surge in numbers when it was made possible to join for £3 per month.
• Some data shows significant party membership for smaller parties.
• Increased pressure group membership and well-attended demonstrations show that some methods influence politics.
• Social media has allowed people to participate in politics online.
• E-petitions on specific political issues have been popular and successful.

Improving Participation in UK Elections

• Increase turnout by making it easier to vote.
• Change the day of elections from Thursday to the weekend
• Allow people to vote anywhere in the constituency
• Allow virtually to take place over several days
• Wider use of postal voting and introduction of online voting is also plausible.
• Above measures criticised for the increased chance of cyber attack, voter faud, and intimidation.

Democratic Deficit

• A democratic deficit is a perceived deficiency in the way a Democratic Body Works.
• This deficiency can especially relate to accountability and control over policy-making.

Positive Democratic Features in the UK

• Devolved governments in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, and elected Mayors, mean decisions are located close to the people.
• There is direct democracy, especially referendums.
• An independent Judiciary exists.
• The media is generally considered free.
• Free fair and relatively regular elections are in place.
• Wide range of parties and pressure groups are in place.

Arguments for UK Democratic Deficit

• The first past the post voting system.
• The House of Lords is unelected.
• A lack of protection for Citizens Right exists.
• Control of the media by wealthy, unaccountable, business interests exists.
• Many members of the House of Commons can be seen as looking out for themselves and their financial careers.

Suffrage

• Suffrage is part 1.2 of the democracy and participation Topic in UK politics.

Who Can Vote in the UK Today

• All adults over 18 who are registered
• British and Irish citizens have reciprocal voting rights
• Commonwealth and UK (living abroad < 15 years) citizens are allowed.

Who Can't Vote in UK Elections

• People under the age of 18
• EU citizens (except for those from the Republic of Ireland)
• Members of the House of Lords
• Prisoners
• Those who are convicted of corrupt, or illegal, electoral practice
• People who are compulsively detained in a psychiatric hospital

Widening the Franchise - Pre-1832

• Before 1832, the UK wasn't that Democratic at all even after 1832 for a long while.
• There were two types of constituency; boroughs and counties
• In counties, only those with Freehold property worth at least £40 were allowed to vote.
• Voting rights in boroughs varied by local rules and traditions which often skewed to the wealthy.
• Plural voting allowed wealthy men who own property in more than one constituency to vote more than once.
• Women, of course, were excluded and overall meant that just c.400k (all men) could vote compared to a population of c.10 million.

Reform Act Changes

• Abolished representation of underpopulated boroughs
• Created seats for urban boroughs such as Manchester
• Extended the vote to more people in the counties e.g. tenant farmers
• Created a standard franchise for voters with an income of £10Pa.
• The overall number of voters increased to c.650k which was c.5% of the UK adult population - still very undemocratic.

The Chartists Movement

• The failure of the 1832 Great Reform Act led to movement for greater social change.
• The chartists were driven by working classes and campaigned for the the following:
  • All men over 21 enabled to vote
  • A secret ballot
  • Payment of MPs
  • Annual parliamentary elections

Suffragists and Suffragettes

• Until the late 19th century, society assumed married women were represented by votes cast by their husbands
• Despite the above, women we re allowed to vote in local elections and people believed that only men should have a say in issues of national and Imperial and importance.
• The suffragists were started in 1897 with the establishment of the national Union of women's suffered societies
• The organisation was led by Millicent Fawcett and was made up of mainly middle-class women
• They believed in non-violent methods of persuasion e.g. peaceful Democrat demonstrations, petitions and lobbying MPs

The Suffragettes

• They were dubbed the suffragettes by 'the press' and were setup by Emily Pankhurst sorry in 1903.
• They attracted both working class and middle class support
• They used much more active/militant tactics e.g. violent attacks on well-known institutions
• E.g. In 1913, suffragette Emily Davidson threw herself under 'kings horse' and died at the Epson Derby

Key Historical Context for the Suffragettes

• As suffragettes who were imprisoned often resorted to hunger strikes, authorities resorted to force feeding.
• The violence and radicalism of the suffragettes gave them publicity
• The suffragettes suspended their campaign following the outbreak of World War One

The Effectiveness of the Suffragette Movement

• Some people believe that the violence and radicalism led to political alienation.
• Some believe they kept key issues on the agenda during 1910s
• Some believe that the actions and role (jobs) of women during world war 1 proved crucial change.
• Some have touted the 1918 representation of the People act

The 1918 Representation Act

• Act granted all men over 21 and all women over 30 (who were householders/householder wives) to vote
• 75% of the adult population could not vote.
• There were growing pressure to give working class men the vote considering the fact that they had no stake in the political system

Potential Further Reforms to Suffrage

Most important one is to reduce the voting age to age 16.

Voter 16 Developments in Scotland

• In 2003, the Votes at 16 Coalition formed, achieving early success by securing an Electoral Commission study on the issue.
• The Electoral Commission report ultimately advised against lowering the voting age to 16.
• Despite the report, individual Labour, Lib Dem, and SNP MPs continued to advocate for the issue in the House of Commons.
• By current times, Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, and the Electoral Reform Society all support votes for 16.
• The campaign gained momentum in 2014 when 16 and 17-year-olds were allowed to vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum and had significant turnout.
• A year later, the Scottish Parliament allowed 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in Scottish Parliament elections.

Arguments For Votes at 16

• 16 and 17-year-olds have other legal rights, such as leaving school, starting work, and joining the Armed Forces.
• Voting at 16 would encourage more participation in politics, making it a habit.
• Social media has increased young people's political awareness, shown in movements like Fridays for Future.
• Granting the vote in Scottish elections has increased political engagement among young people.
• Having a vote would give 16 and 17-year-olds a say on issues important to them, such as university tuition fees.
• Making democracy more responsive

Arguments Against Votes at 16

• 16-year-olds may lack the necessary life experience and maturity to vote responsibly.
• Many 16-year-olds know little about politics and could misuse the right to vote.
• There needs to be an emphasis on better political education.
• Younger people are arguably more likely to be influenced by fake news and extreme politics.
• Some legal rights of 16 and 17-year-olds are limited such as full-time employment and deployment on the front line until 18.
• Relatively few countries give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote making the UK abnormal should they follow suit
• Voter turnout is low among 16-24 year olds, with little evidence most 16 and 17-year-olds want the vote.

E-Democracy and Digital Democracy

• E-democracy and digital democracy relate to how social media and the internet impact democracy in the UK and how they could improve it.
• Digital democracy also refers to the use of social media by groups seeking to spread influence and inform the public about political issues.
• These allow organizations with modest resources to mount political campaigns and spread their views.
• E-democracy allows people to participate more readily in political action, become informed, express views, and take part in polls.
• Twitter is now a key channel of communication between government and the governed.

E-Petitions in UK Democracy

• An e-petition receiving 10,000 signatures gets a government response.
• An e-petition receiving 100,000 signatures and backed by an MP is considered for debate in Parliament.
• Examples include the revoke Article 50 petition (over 6 million signatures).
• There was also a petition to ban all ISIS members from returning to the UK petition (around 600,000 signatures) debated in Parliament.
• In 2011, a petition calling for the release of all documents relating to Hillsborough resulted in debate, release of papers, and a new inquest.
• Websites other than the government, such as 38 degrees, also have e-petitions.
• While they can't force Parliament to debate anything, these websites can pressure the government and opposition and demonstrate public support for issues.

Arguments For and Against E-Democracy

• E-democracy increases political participation by involving those unable/unwilling to participate in conventional ways.
• E-democracy makes for a better-informed electorate.
• Communication is improved directly between government and the governed.
• E-democracy enhances pluralism, preventing powerful elitist groups from having exclusive access to government.
• E-democracy gives the public access to extremist groups, like those who are racist or promote violence.
• Disinformation is a massive problem, with lies significantly affecting election results.
• Government may be influenced by short-term populist campaigns not reflecting wider national public opinions.

Compulsory Voting

• Voting is presented as both a social duty and a right.
• Compulsory voting would encourage people to engage in politics and make polls more representative.
• Politicians would have to run campaigns with the whole electorate in mind, not just specific sections.
• It would still be legal to spoil one's ballot paper instead of voting for a candidate as it is in Australia.
• In a preferential voting system, it may just lead to many listing candidates in the order they're presented in.
• It is undemocratic to force people to vote; it should be a matter of choice.
• Compulsory voting could not stop politicians from focusing campaigns on marginal seats and neglecting safe seats.
• It does not address the deeper reasons why people decide not to vote.

Voting Rights for Prisoners

• Voting is a fundamental right that shouldn't be removed.
• The European Court of Human Rights ruled against a blanket ban on British prisoners voting in 2005.
• Losing the vote is unlikely to deter crime.
• Losing the vote removes civic responsibility from prisoners, further alienating them from society and damages rehabilitation.
• Prisoners are criminals and forfeit the right to have a say in how society is run.
• Prisoners shouldn't have a say in politics, especially in the criminal justice system.
• Giving prisoners the vote could significantly impact some constituencies under first past the post as well as potentially election results.

Potential Essay Questions and Key Debates

• Evaluate the argument that the UK is in a participation crisis by looking at elections/referendums, party membership and other methods of political participation.
• Evaluate the view that reforms to democracy in the UK haven't gone far enough, referencing past and potential reforms.
• Evaluate the argument that there should be greater use of direct democracy in the UK, making arguments for and against the issue and referendums.
• Evaluate the extent to which the UK remains a genuine pluralist democracy, looking at elections, pressure groups, and representative/direct democracy.
• Evaluate the extent to which reforms to the political system have improved the UK system of representative democracy, discussing past and potential future reforms.

Explore suffrage and democracy in A-level politics. The lesson contrasts representative and direct democracy, debates suffrage, and offers essay examples. Understand the core concepts, supported by precise examples, for effective essay composition.