...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...
Words: 2392 - Pages: 10
...Assess the arguments in favour of the greater use of direct democracy in the UK. (25 marks) Direct democracy is the purest form of democracy, it is an anarchic system. Direct democracy is commonly associated with the use of referendums. The more use of referendums in order to gain a greater use of direct democracy in the UK arguably leads to unpopular decisions by the government being prevented. The use of referendums can inform government policies meaning that the government are more sensitive to act within what the people vote for, e.g. the regional government vote in 2004, where the people of North-East England had rejected the regional government.This gave the government a mandate for action. However, it could also be argued that this would mean the tyranny of the majority in the UK for particular issues. The minority that loses is not taken into account by the government, leaving them defenceless, where in fact the minority are expected to be protected in a pure democratic society. The government would also not take the people who can not vote into account on the questions being proposed to the electorate, e.g. prisoners and people aged under 18. Although, the government now under David Cameron are discussing the decision to allow 16 and 17 year olds to gain a vote in the referendum (predicted to be held in 2017) concerning the issue of staying in the EU. It could be argued that referendums help confirm the government principles with legitimate...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
...issues for discussion rather than to decide or confirm policy questions. In relation to the extract, Walsi is being accused of not having the knowledge base of understanding of actual independence. Walsi was being accountable for shortfall in any economic growth expected and being able to financially match the living needs of people, the needs of all generations - from health / population growth. 05) Using your own knowledge, as well as the extract, consider the circumstances in which the UK government might choose to call a referendum (10 marks) Only one nationwide referendum had taken place in the UK before the alternative referendum. This occurred in 1975 when Harold Wilson (the British Prime minister at the time) asked ‘Do you think the UK should stay in the EU?’ In answer to his question, 67% of the voters answered ‘yes’ so therefore the UK is still part of the EU today. Not only one referendum has happened, several referendums have also been held in particular regions of the UK such as Scotland and Wales. In 1997, voters in Scotland were asked whether they wanted a Scottish Parliament while voters in Wales were asked whether they wanted a Welsh Assembly. The answer to both of these referendums was yes. Also, just recently: - Scotland has been called into play - the belief that the majority is wanting independence – that as a country it is able to sustain itself economically. A surge in the uprising from public unrest and politicians wanting control of the way they...
Words: 1280 - Pages: 6
...Influence of the EU on industrial Democracy in the UK: Industrial democracy is an arrangement which involves workers making decisions, sharingresponsibility and authority in the workplace.In some European countries the structures of Industrial Democracy have been in place fordecades but the ideas behind Industrial Democracy do not fit in well with the moreaggressive relationship that has existed between managers and unions in British companies.European legislation encourages a much more prominent role for workers in a firm’s decision making process.The new 'partner based relationships' where unions and management works toward thesame goals, exist in British industry because of the present EU influence.Now Unions are perceived as an institution existing to educate management and employeesthe benefit of involving workers in decision making process.As a result, employee involvement in decision making has become functional, by this meansimpacting positively on workers performance and enhancing their contribution to thesuccess of the organization.Now works council is made up of representatives of all departments within a firm.The role of works councils is to discuss long term objectives of the business and to suggeststrategies for improving the future prospects of the business.There is also an option for Worker Shareholders and Worker Partners, who have a stake inthe ownership of the business.Share holdings are often encouraged by the use of share option and saving schemes.These...
Words: 293 - Pages: 2
...below. LO 4.1: Assess the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK Hints: European Union: European Union regulations are directly binding on all Member States without the need for national legislation to put them in place.European Union directives bind Member States to the objectives to be achieved within a certain time-limit, but leave national authorities to decide on how to implement them. Directives have to be implemented in national legislation. Government and EU influences on business activity UK national government as well as the European Union play a big part in influencing business activity today: through taxation and spending through laws, directives and regulations through encouraging business activity through subsidies and support by providing advice and support for business. Government influences on business activity 1. Employment policy: 2. Regional policy 3. Inflation policy 4. Education and training policy 5. Taxation policy 6. International policy 7. Establishing the 'rules of the game 4.1. Influence of the EU on industrial Democracy in the UK: Industrial democracy is an arrangement which involves workers making decisions, sharing responsibility and authority in the workplace. In some European countries the structures of Industrial Democracy have been in place for decades but the ideas behind Industrial Democracy do not fit in well with the more aggressive relationship that...
Words: 1330 - Pages: 6
...Influence of the EU on industrial Democracy in the UK: Industrial democracy is an arrangement which involves workers making decisions, sharing responsibility and authority in the workplace. In some European countries the structures of Industrial Democracy have been in place for decades but the ideas behind Industrial Democracy do not fit in well with the more aggressive relationship that has existed between managers and unions in British companies. European legislation encourages a much more prominent role for workers in a firm’s decision making process.The new 'partner based relationships' where unions and management works toward thesame goals, exist in British industry because of the present EU influence.Now Unions are perceived as an institution existing to educate management and employeesthe benefit of involving workers in decision making process.As a result, employee involvement in decision making has become functional, by this meansimpacting positively on workers performance and enhancing their contribution to thesuccess of the organization.Now works council is made up of representatives of all departments within a firm.The role of works councils is to discuss long term objectives of the business and to suggeststrategies for improving the future prospects of the business.There is also an option for Worker Shareholders and Worker Partners, who have a stake inthe ownership of the business.Share holdings are often encouraged by the use of share option and saving schemes...
Words: 794 - Pages: 4
...Edexcel AS Politics Edexcel AS Politics ExamBuster 2009 Introduction to Unit 1- People and Politics Understanding the Examination and Exam Technique Choosing your questions In this unit you are presented with four questions. They are of equal value and each question covers one of the four sections of the specification. These are: Democracy and political participation Party policies and ideas Elections Pressure groups There is no significance to the order in which questions appear. Each question is divided into three sections (a), (b) and (c). When choosing which questions to do, the following principles are recommended: It is almost certain that you will be better off choosing your strongest question to do first. You should choose questions on the basis of how well you can answer the section (c) part. The (c) part carries 25 of the 40 marks available for the whole answer. Do not choose a question simply because you can do part (a) especially well. The (a) question is only worth 5 marks. It would be illogical to choose your strongest (a) part if you cannot do well on section (c). If you cannot decide between several (c) parts, i.e. you can do more than one equally well, make your choice on the basis of part (b) which carries 10 marks. But remember, it is the (c) parts that will determine most what your overall mark will be. So, when you first look at the exam paper, look at the (c) sections first. Assessment Objectives Each question is divided into three sections,...
Words: 51996 - Pages: 208
...subject specific questions about this specification that require the help of a subject specialist, you may find our Ask The Expert email service helpful. Ask The Expert can be accessed online at the following link: http://www.edexcel.com/Aboutus/contact-us/ Pearson: helping people progress, everywhere Our aim is to help everyone progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in 100 languages, we have built an international reputation for raising achievement through innovation in education. Find out more about how we can help you and your students at: www.pearson.com/uk January 2012 Publications Code US030541 All the material in this publication is copyright © Pearson Education Ltd 2012 No.1a How does a referendum differ from an election? Indicative content (The following does not exhaust relevant points or appropriate knowledge) Referendums and elections can be seen as different political mechanisms, below are some of these differences: • • • • • A referendums does not secure representation of officials whereas elections provide a mechanism to place...
Words: 4968 - Pages: 20
...BTEC PUBLIC SERVICES ASSESSMENT 2 Understanding the Democratic Election process in the UK Introduction: What is UK Election? A formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position in UK is called Election. According to fixed term parliament act on 15th September, 2011 the next election will be held on 7th of May 2015.The act provides for general elections to be held on the first Thursday in May every five years. There are two provisions that trigger an election other than at five year intervals. A motion of no confidence is passed in Her Majesty's Government by a simple majority and 14 days elapses without the House passing a confidence motion in any new Government formed A motion for a general election is agreed by two thirds of the total number of seats in the Commons including vacant seats (currently 434 out of 650) Previous to this act, the duration of a Parliament was set at five years, although many were dissolved before that, at the request of the Prime Minister to the Queen. ●text: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/general/ Importance of Election Education: Instructors, counsellors and others who work with young people play an important role in Educating new and future voters about the electoral process. For this reason it is important that those who work with youth do what they can to educate youth about the democratic process. In the 2005 British Columbia general election, only 35% of eligible...
Words: 2768 - Pages: 12
...contemporary democracies. Assess whether parties have retained their position or are in a decline or ascent? Consider arguments both in favour and against your judgment. A) In the twenty-first century, the term democracy doesn't just bring to mind the idea of people power; instead it prompts the idea of the existence of several political parties. The changing face of democracy has much to owe to the evolution of the political party system in the world today. Political parties seem to have become an engraved concept of democracy nowadays because of the significant role they play in the prevalent democratic systems. On face value a political party is a group of individuals representing certain views and attempting to gain power through the process of elections and translating these views into policies. However, they have several purposes, that upon being fulfilled act like building blocks to form the wall of democracy as we know it today. These include, but are not limited to, the formation of a government, representation of populist ideas, provision of a political platform for individuals, and the setting of goals for society which of course are coherent with what the masses desire. Moreover parties may also represent a certain faction of society which could be ethnic, religious or a certain class, much like interest groups do. These purposes of political parties are parallel to the essential principles of democracy, hence playing an overwhelming role in democracy as a form of...
Words: 1378 - Pages: 6
...Edexcel: Government & Politics, Unit 1, Pressure Groups Pressure Groups Definition: “an organisation which seeks to influence a comparatively small range of public policies and which is not attributed to a recognized political party.” Function of Pressure Groups Governing process: they play a key role in the governing process. They are involved in all stages of the policy making process, ensuring the interests of the public are taken into account. Representative function: they either represent; Sections of the public The interests of the general public. (They claim) Educative function: they help to educate/inform the public and the government about politically important issues. Opportunities: they provide more opportunity for political participation than parties do. Scrutinize: they often scrutinize legislation, giving suggestions on how it may be improved. Tension release: pressure groups provide an outlet for people’s emotions, particularly if they are strong ones about certain issues (for example, the Iraq war, dog hunting etc.) This is a highly important function, as it helps maintain a peaceful society, as people can channel their emotions in a non-violent way. Types of Pressure Group Insider: a pressure group that has strong links with decision makers and are regularly consulted on areas of policy. They are so called because they work inside the political system through MPs, peers and committees. They may have this access because...
Words: 4023 - Pages: 17
...FOUNDATIONS OF LAW 2010 Combined Law Essay Critically analyse the Australian Government’s proposed reforms for protecting and promoting human rights for the more vulnerable groups in Australia. A bill of rights alone will not protect the rights of the people. But nor will a majoritarian democracy. Contemporary democracy stands for more than just the primitive notion of according full power to the popular majorities of Parliament by the vote. It requires the recognition of Parliamentary sovereignty, and furthermore it calls for the preservation of the principles of rule of law, judicial independence and more importantly the rights of all individuals. Although the Government’s recently launched National Human Rights Framework promises a selection of human rights protection mechanisms, in light of its failure to provide a bill of rights that many Australians want, it is an inadequate attempt at promoting and protecting the more vulnerable groups. Even though the Framework claims that it reserves the function of statutory interpretation for the courts, in reality it empowers the Parliament with the capacity to “guide”[1] the courts into enacting legislation. The Government’s downplay of judicial influence cannot be ignored and this points to a discussion of whether Australia needs a bill of rights. The role of the courts also need to be evaluated with respect to the other branches of government, the legislature and the Executive, in an effort to attain a healthy balance between...
Words: 3956 - Pages: 16
...Affected Employee Relations 6 1.3 Role of Main Players in Employee Relations 8 2.0 Understanding the Nature of industrial Conflict and Its Resolution 10 2.1 The Procedures an Organization should follow in dealing with Conflicts 10 2.2 The key features of employee Relation in a Selected Conflict Situation: 12 2.3 Effectiveness of procedures used in a selected conflict situation 14 LO3 Understanding collective bargaining and negotiation processes 15 3.1 The role of negotiation in collective bargaining 15 3.2 The impact of negotiation strategy for a given situation 17 Win-Win Strategy 17 Win-Lose Strategy 17 LO 4 : Understanding the concept of employee participation and involvement 20 4.1 The influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK 20 4.2 Comparing of the methods used to gain employee participation and involvement in the decision making process 23 4.3 The impact of human resource management on employee relations 24 Conclusion 26 References & Bibliography 27 Introduction The Purpose of this assignment to acquire knowledge and development of skills about employee Relations (Relations between an employer and a collective workforce, typically through a recognized union), its nature, historical background, types, and European Union roles in its development. It also encompasses the industrial conflicts such as strike, lock out etc. and the procedure for solving those dispute to ensure smooth business operation. Further purpose of this assignment is to know...
Words: 4606 - Pages: 19
...The London School of Economics and Political Science THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE DEMOCRATISATION OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS: From ‘Soft Power’ to Collective Decision-Making? Saif Al-Islam Alqadhafi A thesis submitted to the Department of Philosophy of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, September 2007 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. 2 Abstract This dissertation analyses the problem of how to create more just and democratic global governing institutions, exploring the approach of a more formal system of collective decision-making by the three main actors in global society: governments, civil society and the business sector. The thesis seeks to make a contribution by presenting for discussion an addition to the system of international governance that is morally...
Words: 127847 - Pages: 512
...The referendum has its origins in direct democracy, and can therefore be dated back to the 5th Century BC in the Greek city state of Athens. The concept of a referendum has changed and developed in line with democracy and can now be found in a number of differing forms throughout the developed world. A referendum is broadly defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a general vote by the electorate on a single political question”; however this definition fails to make distinctions between the many types of referendum which exist, or the modern day importance of referendums. In an initial classification there are three types of referendum as defined by the Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia. Obligatory referendums; which are required by law, optional referendums; which are put on the ballot when a sufficient number of voters sign a petition demanding that a law passed by the legislature be ratified by the people, and voluntary referendums; when legislatures submit to voters to decide an issue or to test public opinion. In the majority of political systems across the world we are witnessing a worrying downward trend in voter turnout. This can be attributed to a number of causes including; partisan dealignment, disenchantment with the political system and indifference to politics. Referendums can be used to help promote political participation by enabling the electorate to become better educated and informed and therefore reduce the feeling of alienation. By providing people with...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
