...than electoral reform, that have been suggested to improve democracy in the UK. The other measures to improve democracy in the UK are: having more referendums, lowering the voting age, making voting compulsory and finally the use of digital democracy. And this essay will assess all the measures and also it will determine which measure is the best to improve democracy in the UK. The first measure, which has been suggested to improve democracy in the UK, is the use of more referendums. A referendum is a popular vote where the people are asked to determine an important political or constitutional issue directly. A referendum has pros and cons. Firstly referendums are a device of direct democracy, which gives the general public direct and unmediated control over the governments decision making, this ensures that the public’s views and interests are always taken account of and are not distorted by politicians who claim to “represent them”. Another advantage is that referendums actually help to create a better informed, more educated and more politically engaged electorate, which gives the members of the public a strong incentive to cast there vote. Also another advantage is that referendums reduce the power of the government, because the government has less control over their outcome than it does over parliament, and therefore citizens are protected against the danger of over mighty government. And a final advantage to referendums is that there is always a clear-cut answer either...
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...Do the advantages of referendums outweigh the disadvantages? (25 marks) Referendums are a device of direct democracy and are a popular vote on an issue of public policy or constitutional reform. They are the most commonly used form of direct democracy in the UK and are used to widen political participation. In my opinion, I think the disadvantage of referendums outweigh the advantages for the following reasons. As referendums are a device of direct democracy, they give the public direct and unmediated control over government decision-making. This means that the public views and interests are properly and accurately given. It also means they cannot be changed or moulded to suit the politicians who represent the public. However, the point of having politicians to represent us is that they have political experience and knowledge to make correct and justified decisions. We have the democratic choice to elect the people that represent our views in parliament. Referendums therefore undermine parts of representative democracy as the general public is mainly badly informed, uneducated in politics and lack political experience. This means that although referendums give the public what they would like in the form of a democratic yes/no vote, the general public opinion could be very bad for the country in the long term. The public's interests are therefore best safeguarded by a government system of politicians rather than any form of popular self-government. On the other hand, referendums...
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...Democracy and participation: Democracy = a political system based on the idea that government should serve the interests of the people. Legitimacy = the extent to which a government has the right to rule and exercise power. Power vs. Authority: * Power= the ability to make someone do something that they would not do of their own free will * E.g - Coercion – the use of force to achieve ends – the military * Authority = the right to exercise power (based on the consent of those being ruled) * E.g - Legal/rational – HOC * E.g – Traditional – HOL Modern democracies have: Political tolerance Peaceful transition of power Free, fair and regular elections The government is accountable to the people The rule of law Freedom of the media Modern democracies have: Political tolerance Peaceful transition of power Free, fair and regular elections The government is accountable to the people The rule of law Freedom of the media What makes a government legitimate? * Referendums (‘Yes’ answers) * High turnout * Free, fair and regular elections * Lack of dissent * Displays of public support How legitimate is the UK? Legitimate | Not legitimate | * House of Commons is elected | * Electoral system unfair and distorts political representation (FPTP) | * Government elected with mandate to govern | * Every government elected has only achieved the minority of the popular vote | * House of Lords has traditional authority...
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...1.Define democracy? a system of government that is entirely in peoples hands, it's ruled by people. a. direct democracy- It's a political decision where the people decide what they want the public business to be. They do this by meeting in assemblies. b. representative democracy- A system where people choose their representatives. 2. Explain the contrasting theories of direct democracy and representative democracy, and determine the types of circumstances in which they could operate. Direct democracy requires people to meet up daily to talk about the good and bad things that are going on. Representative democracy isn't quite different except that it is mostly for places with a bigger population. Since they can't have meetings daily with everyone to discuss problems, they rely on representatives that they elect. Direct democracy I think can really only work in small places, since that allows people to...
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...Assess the arguments in favor of the greater use of direct democracy in the UK Direct democracy, or also know as pure democracy allows people to decide and vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to representative democracy where people vote for representatives who then decide the policy’s, where they peoples interest’s are meant to be at heart. Direct democracy derived from ancient Greece when people had a vote in what decisions were made, however women, foreigners and slaves were excluded from voting. Now days many countries with representative democracies allow forms of direct democracy through referendums, initiative and recall. There are many benefits to direct democracy, including promoting a democratic and well-cooperated society. People have power and a say, and this opinion needs to be listened to by the government in order to please the citizens. It also provides a responsibility of the government to the people, all people have this power of a vote, and the government needs to listen to peoples concerns, as the politicians and the government will be held responsible for the well being of the people. Referendums are a form of direct democracy, and have been used in the UK many times, with the most recent being the Scottish referendum, allowing the people of Scotland to decide if they wanted to remain a part of the UK. One argument against the use of more referendums would be that the general public are not always as educated in the decision as a representative...
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...Connor Darnell 10/8/2014 History Exam 1 Question 2 It is believed that the Greeks migrated toward Greece beginning in the late third millennium BCE. They migrated because of the climate and because it had good soil for agriculture, as well as having live stock and generally warm weather. They also started an early form of direct democracy. This new form of democracy was known as a direct democracy which basically meant that the people have a direct say in their government unlike the democracy we have today in america, which sends our votes to the electoral college to be counted and then based on those votes the decision is finally decided by the electoral college. Greece however created a system where everyone was heard, there was no middle...
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...Government and Politics Megan Barry ‘Should direct democracy be more widely used in the UK?’ Direct democracy is a form of government in which all laws are created by a general vote of society. This means that political decisions are put forward to the people as they are the ones who are going to be directly affected by the outcome of the decision. An example of direct democracy used occasionally in society is referendums. A referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision. Within this essay I am going to be arguing whether direct democracy should be used more widely by weighing up the benefits and the disadvantages of direct democracy and the result on the general public. One argument for direct democracy being used more extensively in the UK is that it gives a more advanced and more accurate representation of the public’s attitude on an issue raised in parliament. Many local citizens do not often communicate with their MP; occasionally it can be difficult for Parliament to come to a decision that accurately reflects public opinion. MPs have to make choices bases what they personally feel is right and is not always entirely what the public want. Referendums give a distinct result that reflects the public’s demands. This is better as the public are satisfied and there is little need for ‘guess-work’ by the government. An example...
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...WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? Andrew Heywood The origins of the term 'democracy' can be traced back to Ancient Greece. Like other words ending in 'cracy' - autocracy, aristocracy, bureaucracy and so on -democracy is derived from the Greek word kratos, meaning 'power' or 'rule'. Democracy thus stands for 'rule by the demos', demos meaning 'the people', though it was originally taken to imply 'the poor' or 'the many'. However, the simple notion of 'rule by the people' does not get us very far. The problem with democracy has been its very popularity, a popularity that has threatened the term's undoing as a meaningful political concept. In being almost universally regarded as a 'good thing', democracy has come to used as little more than a 'hurrah! word', implying approval of a particular set of ideas or system of rule. Perhaps a more helpful starting point from which to consider the nature of democracy is provided by Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered in 1864 at the height of the American Civil War. Lincoln extolled the virtues of what he called 'government of the people, by the people, and for the people'. What this makes clear is that democracy serves to link government to the people, but that this link can be forged in a number of ways - government of, by and for the people. Nevertheless, the precise nature of democratic rule has been the subject of fierce ideological and political debate. The next section will look at alternative models of democracy. For the...
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...Introduction In discussing the assignment question the paper will endeavor to first provide definitions and explanations for the terms; democracy, representative democracy, electoral systems, plurality system and proportional representation. The presentation will proceed to identify and analyze the merits and demerits of the plurality and proportional representation electoral systems with reference to the practice in South Africa and Zambia. However, the analysis on the merits and demerits of the two electoral systems will be preceded with a discussion on the relevance of elections in a democracy. In conclusion, the presentation will strive to augment the viewpoint(s) developed from the analysis and offer an opinion as to whether it would be beneficial for South Africa to adopt the plurality electoral system. 2 Definitions and Explanation The word democracy is one that has a variety of versions in practice and theory, however, according to Johari (2013, p. 491) almost all governments proclaim to be democratic.1 Hague and Harrop (2010, p.84) write that the core principle of democracy is self-rule.2 For the purpose of this discussion the presentation will adopt the version provided by Abraham Lincoln which defines democracy as government of the people, by the people and for the people. ( Johari (2013, p. 491) 3 It can therefore be deduced that democracy may be understood as a form of government which accords all its citizens a role in the governance system....
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...term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best".[2] In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy. In later times, aristocracy was usually seen as rule by a privileged group (the aristocratic class), and contrasted withdemocracy.[1] ------------------------------------------------- Concept The concept evolved in Ancient Greece, whereby a council of famous citizens was commonly used and contrasted with direct democracy in which a council of male citizens was appointed as their "senate". The Greeks did not like the concept of monarchy, and as their democratic system fell, aristocracy was upheld.[1] In Rome, the Republic consisted of an aristocracy as well as consuls, a senate, and a tribal assembly. Later, aristocracies primarily consisted of an elitearistocratic class, privileged by birth and often by wealth. Since the French Revolution, aristocracy has generally been contrasted with democracy, in which all citizens hold some form of political power. However this distinction is often oversimplified. In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes describes an aristocracy as a commonwealth in which the representative of the citizens is an assembly by part. Simply put, a government when only a certain part of the general public can represent the public. Modern depictions of aristocracy regard it not as a legitimate aristocracy (rule by the best) but rather as a plutocracy (rule by the wealthy). ------------------------------------------------- ...
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...The Powers of Democracy Darius Jones-Craven October 27, 2014 Savannah State University Soft power is the persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence. This concept was developed by Joseph Nye of Harvard University and is used the term has also been used in changing and influencing social and public opinion through relatively less transparent channels and lobbying through powerful political and non-political organizations. Soft power lies in the ability to attract and persuade. Over the past decade, China’s economic and military might has grown impressively, and this has frightened its neighbors into looking for allies to balance rising Chinese hard power. But if a country can also increase its soft power, its neighbors feel less need to seek balancing alliances. China has always had an attractive traditional culture, and now it has created several hundred Confucius Institutes around the world to teach its language and culture. There is one being implemented here at Savannah state University on October 28th 2014. China is not known for their soft powers but for their hard powers which consist of their money and military strength. Hard power is the use of military and economic means to influence the behavior or interests of other political bodies. This form of power is much more aggressive approach than the soft power where the soft power is more of a cultural influence rather than a forceful power. India which...
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...Role of Media in Various Sectors Advantages and Disadvantages on Youth Pragati Maheshwari* Abstract In this paper it is observed that media includes sources like print media and electronic media. Newspapers, magazines and any other form, which is written or printed, is included in print media and in electronic, media radio, television and Internet etc. are included. When there are so many channels and newspapers we cannot ignore its importance in the society.Mediacan change opinions because they have access to people and this gives it a lot of strength. This strength can either be used constructively by educating the people or it can be used destructively by misleading the innocent people. Power of the media can transform the whole society. Keywords: Print Media, Electronic Media, Democratic Media, Educative Media, Media in Entertainment. Introduction Media is everywhere; it has become a part of our daily life. The media play a dominant role in the learning process. Media has potential to shape personalities, change the way we perceive and understand the world and our immediate reality. The term media is derived from Medium, which means a carrier or mode. Media denotes an item specifically designed to reach a large audience or viewers. The term was first used with the advent of newspapers and magazines. However, with the passage of time, the term broadened by the inventions of radio, TV, cinemas and Internet. Connecting with media means being connected with the world around...
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...In this essay I will discuss the different kinds of democracy and its advantages and disadvantages regarding to a quotation of Englands prime minister (1940) Winston Churchill: ‘Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.’ (from a House of Commons speech on Nov. 11, 1947). The essay argues that Churchill is right in saying that democracy has a lot of weak aspects but is still the best solution to rule a community- compared to its alternatives. Starting with the definition of democracy itself I will explain its different kinds followed by the main existing alternatives. In addition to that, democracy’s pro and con’s will be discussed ending with a conclusion. ‘It is not the State that orders us; but it is we who order the State!’ (Hitler, 1935). This statement, taken out of a speech of the German dictator from the 1930’s Adolf Hitler, ironically explains the term democracy very well. Demos means translated the people and kratos rule; the people rule the state (Hague and Harrop, 2010). Talking about this form of government we distinct between the direct, Classical version and the indirect, representative democracy (Hague and Harrop, 2010). Classical democracy, based in Ancient Greece, is the ‘only pure or ideal system of popular participation’ as most decisions were made directly by the people (Heywood, 2007:76). Nevertheless, the high level of political participation also brought major disadvantages as...
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...Democracy in the United States: A comprehensive look at the Pros and Cons of a Federalist Society and Individual Freedoms. What is democracy, do we really understand the concept and the implications of the freedoms that our society enjoys. Democracy by definition is a “government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”.(1) The United States democracy in current times can be a difficult situation to grasp, due to the fact that we are operating off of the Constitution written over 200 years ago, and individuals modern interpretations of what the founding fathers of this country would have considered appropriate doctrine and methodology. Through the aforementioned definition and the perspective of current lawmakers are the tools with which we will define whether the United States has become more or less democratic throughout its history. So what then are the advantages of a democracy? The first point would be that it is better for the population, everyone having an equal part or say in the laws which govern them is advantageous for any group of people. Democracy is often seen as a fairer and less arbitrary form of government as it allows the "will of the people" to become the law. To some degree, this prevents scenarios like a small, powerful minority exploiting...
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...Jordan Gabson Writing and Rhetoric Tuesday April 30, 2015 Democracy vs. Communism Communism has always been used as secret weapon to make the poor believe that being rich is inappropriate, and that the poor have less because the rich people took the money away from them. In reality, the communist government wants to take the money from the wealthy to make the governing body itself rich. Democracy, on the other hand, promotes capitalism, which allows economic freedom, which helps political freedom; efficiency, economic growth, and everybody having the opportunity to start the business that he or she desires. Communism and democracy are two different ideologies that have each had a great impact in the world. Communism can be defined as a socioeconomic structure that stands for the establishment of classless, egalitarian and stateless society. Democracy, on the other hand, is a political system of governance either carried out by the people directly or by elected representatives. “Democracy may not be the perfect form of government, but sure it is way better than communism” said Jones in his journal, Power and Democracy Education Every single human being in the world knows that this is not true. Everybody knows that communism is a secret weapon that the rulers in the countries where communism is practiced use it to enrich themselves, their families and their friends. Communism is...
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