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Use of referenda
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The Extent to Which the U.K. Political System Becomes More Democratic in Recent Years
In recent times the in the UK we have seen the more frequent use of
referendums. These are votes where the electorate votes on a specific
issue such as devolution. It is thought of as a good way of including
elements of direct democracy in our representative system. Although
this method does seem to infringe on the principal of parliamentary
sovereign if in the UK our representatives our supposed to put forward
the views of the electorate it cannot be seen as bad idea.
However some critics of referendums argue that its frequent use in
recent years has actually detracted from the democratic process. They
argue that the questions used can be worded to influence voters, no
matter how carefully they are phrased they will always have an element
of bias to them. Also they argue referendums are expensive and disrupt
the government. Others argue that because referendums are held at a
time of the ruling party’s choice, they have the biggest influence on
the outcome of the vote. If these criticisms are true then obviously
the use of referendums are actually degrading from the democratic
process, however others disagree.
Supporters of referendums argue that there use in our political system
will re-connect voters, after having participated in this process they
will take more notice of real issues, rather than say a party leader’s
personality therefore allowing them to become more involved. Also some
argue that certain decisions such as whether to join the EU
constitution are too important to be settled in parliament and that
the electorate have a right to decide.
Despite criticisms of its use, undoubtedly the use of referendums has
become for frequent in the last 10 years. We have had four in all
since 1997, but are the use of referendums really an asset to our
liberal democracy?
Well in theory most people would agree that they are definitely
representative of the electorate, however after the people have
‘spoken’ it is possible for parliament to re-visit the decision and
This essay will address whether New Labour contained policies with which it wished to pursue, or was solely developed in order to win elections. It is important to realise whether a political party that held office for approximately 13 years only possessed the goal of winning elections, or promoted policies which it wished to pursue. If a party that held no substance was governing for 13 years, it would be unfair to the people. New Labour was designed to win elections, but still contained policies which it wished to pursue. To adequately defend this thesis, one must look at the re-branding steps taken by New Labour and the new policies the party was going to pursue. Through analysis, it will be shown that New Labour promoted policies in regards
Evaluate the extent to which there is a democratic deficit in the UK (30) The UK political system is one that has lasted for many hundreds of years. Though it has remained reasonably stable throughout this time, there have been many problems with UK politics. A democratic deficit is defined as any situation in which there is believed to be a lack of democratic accountability and control over the decision-making process. Many would argue that the UK suffers from a democratic deficit.
occasions, but this was the first time it had been used in the UK. By
on what the electorate in each country votes for. In the US the have a
The Constitution, which was written in 1787, is a democratic plan of government. A democracy is a government in which the people either directly or through elected representatives are in control. . One reason the Constitution is democratic is that it gives the people the rights of expression in the Bill of Rights. Another reason the Constitution is democratic is because overtime while it was being amended, there were more democratic ideas added to it, such as the abolition of slavery, voting rights, and the changes of the election of Senators. The last reason is that all elected terms have intervals in which the person is either reelected or a new person is elected for the position. Since there are so many democratic elements in the Constitution, it makes it a democratic plan of government.
The Two Party System of UK It has often been said that the United Kingdom possesses a two party political system. However, any balanced argument on this issue must take into account both the differing perspectives from which this subject can be viewed and the time period which is being evaluated. The two party theory is not universally accepted and many people argue that the UK can best be described as a multi party, dominant party or even a two and a half or three party system, depending on how the subject is approached. The most commonly held view is that Britain is a two party system.
today’s world. People have pointed out that their ability to spell out words has become difficult
Adding this all up, I have concluded that the United States democracy is unhealthy, yet I still believe there is hope. If I had to give the current condition of democracy a letter grade, I would give it a C. I got this grade because even though the United States maintains many civil right and liberties, a strong number of interest groups, and diverse political parties, it just isn’t enough to carry the poor conditions of ideologies, voter turnout, education, economics, and media. Democracy is surly not thriving in America, but at this point, there is still hope.
"United States can be seen as the first liberal democracy. The United States Constitution, adopted in 1788, provided for an elected government and protected civil rights and liberties. On the American frontier, democracy became a way of life, with widespread social, economic and political equality. The system gradually evolved, from Jeffersonian Democracy or the First Party System to Jacksonian Democracy or the Second Party System and later to the Third Party System. In Reconstruction after the Civil War (late 1860s) the newly freed slaves became citizens, and they were given the vote as well." (Web, 1)
in their accounts of power in the US and the UK, but that mainly they
The European Union (EU) is fundamentally democratic and is evident through its institutions, however, the current democratic electoral structure is of great concern. The EU is a new type of political system, often referred to as a sui generis, implying its uniqueness as there exists and a non comparable political body. The EU can neither regarded as a ‘state’ nor as an ‘international institution’ as it combines supranational as well as intergovernmental characteristics (Hix, 1999, p7). In this regard it has developed its own understandings of what democracy is. It is evident that the development of and spread of democracy is a central concept and foundation to all politics within the EU, and remains focuses on makings its governing institutions “more transparent and democracy”. The recent Eurozone crisis, it’s associated anti-crisis measures and the recent enlargement of EU have however re-invigorated debate about the EUs democratic legitimacy. At the heart of the debate are discussions not about whether the EU is an all-encompassing democratic institution but rather what are ‘democratic deficits’ or the democratic shortcomings that exist within this powerful economic and political union. Underpinning these divisions as Schmitter argues, are different understandings of what democracy is in the modern context and more specifically in the unique context of the EU. This essay will argue that the EU presents a unique type of political system that is fundamentally democratic, however, there are democratic shortcomings within its procedural and institutional structure.
Referendums are a form of direct democracy, which is the purest and simplest form of democracy. Referendums are a legitimate form of democracy because they are decided entirely by the people. Referendums can be said to improve democracy in the UK because they encourage political participation, they provide a clear answer to a specific question and some decisions are so important, such as constitutional change, that not consulting the people would in itself compromise political legitimacy. Conversely, referendums can be argued to be detrimental to democracy because the result can lack legitimacy if the there is a very low turnout, referendums can lead to the tyranny of the majority and the issues may be too complex for the average voter to
how the English language has changed in the many years from then until now. The
The British Electoral System In democratic states, electoral systems are of great importance. Elections give people the right to choose their government; ensure that governments represent the majority (or largest minority) of the people; ensure peaceful changes of government (stability); allow people with fresh ideas an opportunity to enter the political arena; confer legitimacy of government and allow the government to expect people to obey their rules. Unfortunately the British system, Simple Plurality, (also known as 'First Past The Post') has come under fire for its alleged discrimination against smaller parties and its tendency to allow the losing party the ability to rule. Therefore, this creates a question - is the British system fair and democratic, or is it in need of drastic change? There is no denying that the British system has its advantages.
It is well known that the British political system is one of the oldest political systems in the world. Obviously, it was formed within the time. The United Kingdom of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the constitutional monarchy, providing stability, continuity and national focus. The monarch is the head of state, but only Parliament has the right to create and undertake the legislation. The basis of the United Kingdom’s political system is a parliamentary democracy. Therefore, people think the role of the Queen as worthless and mainly unnecessarily demanding for funding, but is it like that?