Is the UK Democratic?

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Is the UK democratic?What types of democracy does the UK have, and how

effective are they?


Lesson Objectives• To understand the different forms of democracy• To analyse the positive and negative consequences of

democracy• To evaluate how democratic the UK is


What is democracy?• Watch the video: https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn8Fp1jyok• What is democracy?• What does it do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn8Fp1jyok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn8Fp1jyok


What is democracy?Democracy;• Establishes and protects freedom. It was the idea that monarchies only ruled for

themselves and the aristocracy. For people to be free they should have a place in the political system.

• Democracy protects minorities. Democracy ensures that all groups have access to the political process.

• Democracy controls government power. Power can corrupt those who wield it. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Lord Acton. Government must be accountable to the people by submitting themselves to regular re-election and by guaranteeing they are controlled by elected representatives.

• Democracy encourages popular participation. Democracy is critical in preventing tyranny. In a democracy people are informed whereas in a docile and uninformed population is vulnerable to autocratic government.


Different forms of democracy• Direct democracy• Indirect democracy• Representative democracy


Direct Democracy• Involves people power or self-government• Referendums – especially common in decentralised

states, e.g. Switzerland• Town meetings, e.g. New England• Use of internet voting or experimental voting e.g. via TV

or mobile phone


The Democratic Experiment• Read the article: http://

www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtml

Questions• What ruling systems, other than democracies, (e.g.

oligarchies) are mentioned in the article?• What does the article say are the three key differences

between modern democracy and the Greek democracy?• What involvement did the voters have in the courts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtml




Decline of direct democracy• Direct democracy was practised in small city-states in

Ancient Greece, 40,000 citizens• Later centuries afraid of ‘people power’• Thomas Paine, ‘Rights of Man’ (1791), thought Athenian

democracy possible only in small communities• Modern societies combine mix of direct & indirect

democracy


Our Own Democratic Experiment• Could direct democracy be a workable system within your single class?

• What would be the advantages?• What would be the potential problems?

• Could direct democracy be a workable system for the whole school?• What would be the advantages?• What would be the potential problems?

• Could direct democracy be an effective system of government for a nation?• What would be the advantages?• What would be the potential problems?


Our Own Democratic Experiment• Democracy, although an old idea, was not popular or

taken seriously again until the 18th and 19th Century. • Thinking about some of the problems you have

identified with direct democracy, how might some of these problems be solved?• Given the problems that you identified with direct

democracy, what alternative system would you suggest to deal with it?• PROBLEM – SOLUTION/STRATEGY/POSSIBILITY


EXAM QUESTION“What are the arguments for and against Direct

Democracy?”


“What are the arguments for and against Direct Democracy?”Arguments for Arguments against


Arguments for…• It increases participation in politics• It raises awareness and informs the public• Decisions are seen to be more legitimate • Direct democracy is a pure form of democracy


Arguments against…• In a society of tens of millions, sustained involvement in the decision making process is

impossible for the large majority of citizens, hence the growth of representative systems

• Direct involvement in the political process would slow down politics and would potentially damage democracy

• The problems for referendums include the lack of technical knowledge on the part of citizens that limits their ability to take informed decisions

• Democratic legitimacy of referendums may be questioned if public are not presented with a balanced view of the issue

• The influence of the media and of other business interests may be cited in respect of both referendums and more direct involvement in the political process

• The potential conflict that may arise out of direct decisions being reached differing from the views of those democratically elected to govern


Indirect Democracy• Direct democracy impractical in large modern states • UK relies on indirect or representative democracy• 646 MPs in HoC represent the interests of 44 million

registered voters• Representatives are freely elected by constituents• MPs represent views of constituents – NOT delegates• MPs are socially representative


Representative Democracy• A form of indirect democracy, in which professional

politicians act for or on behalf of the people. • Typically expressed through a system of regular &

democratic elections which enable politicians to be removed & made publicly accountable. • Popular participation is thus indirect and irregular,

sometimes linked to the idea of government ‘for’ the people.


Features of representative democracy• Representative democracy involves electing individuals to govern on behalf of

citizens and making them publicly accountable• The electoral system in the UK facilitates representative democracy because it

is regular, competitive, free, fair and based on a universal franchise and political equality

• Representation in the UK operates essentially through the doctrine of the mandate in which the winning party in a general election claims popular authority for carrying out its manifesto promises

• Some reference to rival interpretations of representation [e.g. delegate versus representative theory]


Advantages of representative democracy• It ensures that it is a more realistic or practicable form of democracy• It allows for a division of labour in politics which relieves the public of the

burden of day-today decision-making; • It allows government decisions to be made by professional politicians who

have greater experience and are better informed that the general public• It ensures some level of popular participation and a high level of public

accountability• Recent electoral developments, including the introduction of proportional

systems have also strengthened representative democracy in Scotland and Wales


Disadvantages of representative democracy• It permits only indirect and irregular popular participation, and can lead to

politicians and governments seeming remote from the general public• This has been reflected in declining turnout levels in elections and declining

party membership• Moreover, women and minority groups are clearly under-represented in

representative bodies, and there is no means of forcing governments to keep their election mandates

• The Westminster electoral system also delivers disproportional outcomes


What do people think about democracy?• Find a single quote for each of the following people on their

personal opinion on democracy:• Brooks Atkinson (The Times, 15/06/1957)• John Stuart Mill (Liberal Philosopher)• George Bernard Shaw (Man and Superman, 1903)• Abraham Lincoln• G K Chesterton (New York Times, 01/02/1931)• Winston Churchill (HofC speech, 11/11/1947)• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract, 1963)


Democracy was the most successful political idea of the 20th century. Why has it run into trouble, and what can be

done to revive it?Read the article:

http://www.economist.com/news/essays/21596796-democracy-was-most-successful-political-idea-20th-century-why-has-it-run-trouble-and-what-can-be-do






Is democracy the right choice for the UK?• There are cultures where democracy is undesirable.

Some people thus do not expect personal liberty. The idea of democracy is a western approach to government that has been exported.

• Can democracy hinder the decision making process? • In poorer countries the need for economic development

eroded the notion of democracy. Tanzania and Zambia introduced one party systems to solve their chronic problems.


How democratic is the UK?• There are a number of features which you could include

in an evaluation of the UK’s democracy• POSITIVE DEMOCRATIC FEATURES• NEGATIVE UNDEMOCRATIC FEATURES


Positive Democratic Features• Elections are free. All adults may vote without hindrance in a secret ballot• Parties & pressure groups are free to operate, provided they are legal• There are no serious barriers to standing for office• The government does not control the media - free media in the UK• Government is bound by the rule of law• There is generally political equality for all• Government is responsible to Parliament• Freedom of expression, thought and association (within certain legal restrictions) • The civil service is largely neutral • Political corruption is rare


Negative Undemocratic Features• The electoral system is often seen as unfair, making votes effectively unequal• The monarchy and House of Lords are unelected• Government is not bound by a superior, entrenched constitution• Citizens don’t take a full part in the democratic process (voter apathy)• Referenda is used infrequently in the UK• Representative process is flawed in key respects (‘Elected dictatorship’)• House of Commons doesn’t reflect social composition of the UK• Party system offers voters a limited choice (two-party system)


Negative Undemocratic Features• A great deal of uncontrolled (prerogative) power lies in the hands of prime

minister, who is not directly elected• There are few controls on the Prime Minister’s extensive powers of patronage• Pressure groups can also reflect the interests of privileged groups rather than

the public at large• Considerable power lies in the hands of unelected quangos• Government exercises excessive control over Parliament• Citizens do not enjoy an entrenched Bill of Rights• Government is excessively secretive


ESSAY QUESTION“How democratic is the UK?”


“How democratic is the UK?”The UK has the following democratic features:-

The UK has the following undemocratic features:-

Free and fair elections—all adults over the age of 18 may vote in a secret ballot

A first past the post electoral system for Westminster which is unfair

Representative institutions such as parliament

Many powerful people who hold their positions without having been elected

Free press and media—no government control

Executive domination of parliament

The rule of law No entrenched Bill or RightsFreely operating pressure groups and political parties

Government secrecy

Little political corruption A capitalist system in which power resides with those in a dominant economic position

An impartial, anonymous, permanent civil service

The prime minister’s extensive powers of patronage