...To what extent do pressure groups undermine democracy? Pressure groups can play an important part in the way policies and proposals are brought into action in the UK government. As well as providing a vehicle for the peoples’ views they also have the potential to undermine the democracy of a government. Firstly, to clarify the definition of a pressure group, it is a formal or informal association whose purpose is to put forward the views and interests of a specific part of society, typically operating on a small range of issues. They aim to influence the decisions made by government. Secondly, democracy (from dēmos kratos - Greek for rule by the people) can take many different forms and is harder to define. Full democracy is understood as the fair representation in government of all citizens. In a democratic government the people vote in order to represent their views on an issue. Pressure groups have been seen to undermine this system of government in many ways but the also can enhance democracy in many ways. Some aspects of pressure groups are considered to undermine the nature of democracy. Disproportionate influence is an issue that many argue subverts democracy. This is where some pressure groups have more political influence than their issue may warrant. Some sectional groups appear to have a larger influence in government than others with a larger demographic. This is considered to be undemocratic, as it is not fair in the way it represents the people disproportionately...
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...“The wealthier and closer the pressure group is to the government the more successful they are” A. How far do you agree? Pressure groups are organizations, which attempt to influence the government from outside, this means that they do not put candidates up for election and instead act as a bridge between the people and government. The are many different types of pressure groups ranging from wealthy insider groups like the B.M.A. to less wealthy outsider groups like Amnesty International. The wealthier and closer the pressure group is to the government the more successful they are. The success of the British Medical Association (B.M.A.) suggests that the wealthier and closer the pressure group is to the government the more successful they are. The B.M.A. is a voluntary association that speaks up for the interests of doctors at home and abroad, provides a range of services for its members and engages in scientific research. These activities involve lobbying not only the British government but also the European Union as well. The B.M.A. is undoubtedly one of the most influential and effective pressure groups as they have great influence over the policies of the British government regarding the health care system in matters such as the pay and training of doctors, the work of GP’s and hospitals, and the quality and quantity of medical facilities. This supports the view that the wealthier and closer the pressure group is to the government the more successful they are...
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...To what extent do Pressure Groups promote pluralist democracy? A Pressure Group is an organised group that does not put up candidates for election, but seeks to influence government policy or legislation. The aim of all PGs is to influence the people who actually have the power to make decisions. There are many different types of PGs such as, Sectional which usually represent limited, specific interests. They usually aim to improve conditions for their members. Another type of PG is an Outsider group, these groups tend to be outside of policy making and government tends to regard these groups as less important. Pluralist democracy is a particular type of democracy, which operates with numerous organised groups who all have some political leverage in the decision making forum. Pressure groups improve the quality of government. Discussion with affected groups is the sensible way to make decisions in a free society. It makes government more efficient by enhancing the quality of the decision making process. The information and advice provided by groups helps to improve the quality of government policy and legislation. Pressure groups assist the scrutiny of the government by exposing information it would rather keep secret, thereby strengthening and complementing work of opposition through political parties. Pressure groups thereby improve the accountability of decision makers to voters. Although few people would deny that pressure groups play an important role in British...
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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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...Essay : To what extent does democracy in the UK suffer from a ‘participation crisis’? Political participation is defined as opportunities for and tendencies of the people to become involved in the political process. At a minimum level this will involve voting, but may also involve active work in political parties and pressure groups. At the higher/highest level it implies standing for public office. However with regards to the United Kingdom suffering from a participation crisis, I would like to agree. Simply because, there has been a low turnout at general elections, which undermines the mandate of the government and threatens the idea that the UK is a representative democracy. Between 1922 and 1997 turnout remained above 71%. At the 2001 general election the turnout was59.4%; in 2005 it was 61.4%; in 2010 it was 65.1%; and in 2015 it was66.1%. Various people may consider the minor increase in percentage but overall there has not been a significant increase. Key forms of participation, such as voting and party membership have declined significantly over time, but other newer, faster forms have arisen and are slowly becoming more popular to the newer generations such as Referendums, particularly in Scotland. Popular engagement with the formal processes and institutions of democracy has been in long – term decline since the 1960’s. The turnout in 2001 was the lowest; this is compared to how between 1945 and 1992 it was always about 75 percent. Through this, it can be seen that...
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...LIBERALISM QUESTIONS – A2 (UNIT 4) Short Answers 1. Why do liberals support constitutionalism and consent? (Jan 02) Constitutionalism is a belief in limited government brought about through external (usually legal) and internal (institutional) checks on the exercise of power. Consent is the idea that govt power should be based on the agreement of the governed, usually expressed through regular and competitive elections. Liberals support constitutionalism and consent because they fear that govt may become a tyranny against the individual, based on the assumption that power is inherently corrupting and concentrations of power will lead to absolute corruption. This assumption is rooted in the liberal view of human nature: as individualism implies self- interest, those with power over others are apt to abuse it for their benefit and at the expense of others. Liberal constitutionalism is expressed through support for various external and internal devices, such as codified constitutions, bills of rights, the separation of powers, federalism or devolution, and so on. Liberal support for consent is evident in support for electoral democracy in general and, more specifically, sympathy for referendums and proportional representation. 2. Distinguish between negative freedom and positive freedom, and explain the implications of each for the state. (Jun 02) Negative freedom is the absence of external constraints upon the individual, usually understood as non-interference...
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...Democracy and Development in India: A Comparative Perspective By Pranab Bardhan University of California at Berkeley To most theorists of democracy in the West, India is an embarrassing anomaly and hence largely avoided. By most theoretical stipulations India should not have survived as a democracy: it’s too poor its citizens largely rural and uneducated its civic institutions rather weak. It is a paradox even for those who believe in a positive relationship between economic equality or social homogeneity and democracy. India’s wealth inequality (say, in land distribution, and even more in education or human capital) is one of the highest in the world. Indian society is also one of the most heterogeneous in the world (in terms of ethnicity, language, caste and religion), and social inequality, a legacy of the caste system, is considerable. Yet this country, with the world’s largest electorate (it is now larger than the electorate in North America, Western Europe, and Japan combined), keeps lumbering on decade after decade as a ramshackle, yet remarkably resilient, democratic polity. Of course, depending on the defining features of democracy the depth of Indian democracy may be rather limited. It is useful to keep a distinction between three general aspects of democracy: (a) some basic minimum civil and political rights enjoyed by citizens, (b) some procedures of accountability in day-to-day administration under some overarching constitutional rules of the game, (c) periodic...
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...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, as follows: carries 5 marks carries 10 marks carries 25 marks The way you answer questions...
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...Democracy index 2010 Democracy in retreat A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit www.eiu.com Democracy index 2010 Democracy in retreat The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy 2010 Democracy in retreat This is the third edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index. It reflects the situation as of November 2010. The first edition, published in The Economist’s The World in 2007, measured the state of democracy in September 2006 and the second edition covered the situation towards the end of 2008. The index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and two territories—this covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s independent states (micro states are excluded). The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture. Countries are placed within one of four types of regimes: full democracies; flawed democracies; hybrid regimes; and authoritarian regimes. Free and fair elections and civil liberties are necessary conditions for democracy, but they are unlikely to be sufficient for a full and consolidated democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and at least minimally efficient government, sufficient political participation and a supportive democratic political culture. It is not easy to...
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...the root causes of violence in the region. What were the American objectives in this war? Does a preliminary assessment suggest that Washington took steps toward achieving them? How does U.S. policy on the Arab-Israeli conflict look moving forward? American Objectives in the Israel-Hezbollah War Two global foreign policy commitments informed the United States view of the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation this past summer; the war on terror and the democratization of the Middle East. Since September 11, 2001, the American war on terror has been defined to include several different international actors. In his speech of September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush stated that the war would “not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated,” and that “any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.” In addition, he warned, terrorists could not be accommodated but instead must be met by force. This approach has most directly been applied to al-Qaeda and its satellites, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Saddam Hussein’s regime. But it has also generated a general lack of U.S. sympathy for any terrorist groups that target American allies, even if the organization’s goals are more national than global in nature.1 At the same time, the Bush administration has laid out a broad vision for the democratization of the Middle East as a way to undermine support for...
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...exam < Module 1 > Section A 1a What are the differences between Public Bills Committees and Select Committees? [5] Public Bills Committee is part of legislative process, whereas Select Committee is part of scrutiny process. In the former committee, the bill is examined by line by line to ensure that its wording and language is clear to allow any amendments on the bill. In the latter committee, there are two departments – governmental and non-governmental. They examine government departments’ expeditures , policies and policies. There are between 16 to 50 members in the PBC who are selected by Committee of Selection whose 7 out 9 members are ships. On the other hand, there are 11 members in the SCs and to eliminate “the conflict of interest, all the members are backbench members who are elected using the Alternative vote system. 2a What are the main functions of Parliament and how well does it perform them? [5] < This question is a 20-mark question > 3a What are the differences between direct and representative democracy? [5] In direct democracy, people are directly involved in decision-making processes, whereas in representative democracy, people elect MPs who will represent and form a government in Parliament. For instance, some qualified members of Athenian society were involved in decision-making and a referendum is a limited form of direct democracy. Also general elections are kind of parliamentary democracy, they are held every five years to election...
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...Chapter 6 The media, government accountability, and citizen engagement Katrin Voltmer The past two decades or so have seen an unprecedented spread of democracy around the globe. With the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, the ‘third wave’ of democratization, which started in the early seventies, now encompasses countries in Asia and Africa.1 And even in states whose governments continue to resist a more open and participatory form of governance, such as North Korea, Burma or Zimbabwe, the idea of democracy is a powerful force that inspires people to take on a more active role in public life. However, many of the newly emerging democracies seem to fall short of some, often many, of the basic standards that define democratic rule, with irregular voting procedures, corruption, inefficiency and autocratic styles of government being but a few of the maladies. In addition, as many of the newly emerging democracies belong to the developing world, inequality and poverty remain severe obstacles to full self‐determination of the people. The experiences of the past decades have shown that democracy is not a one‐way road and that a viable democracy requires more than the implementation of the key institutions of government. Rather, an accountable and efficient government is embedded in a complex web of interdependent conditions that ...
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...called Bicameral. Composition, Role and Powers of the House of Lords: * It compromises of four types of Lords. * The vast majority is Life Peers, where they have been appointed to the House of Lords by the Prime Minister on his own recommendations and that of other party leaders. * While a smaller number of People’ Peers have been appointed by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. * There are 92 Hereditary Peers. * There is Lords Spiritual, the 26 Bishops of the Church of England. * However they are not elected and therefore does not enjoy democratic legitimacy the powers of the Lords are inferior to those of House of Commons. * This means all they can do to proposed legislation that they disapprove of its delay it for one year. * But they cannot do this to the budget. * According to the Salisbury Convention, they will not oppose proposals that were in the manifesto that the governing party was elected upon. * However they play an important role in parliament: The Lords have a wealth of experience the amendments that they suggest to bills can be taken very seriously by the government. Especially because these amendments are generally made without an obvious party political bias. Lords have...
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.....3 2.5 Approaches to management among Siemens AG and Nissan………………………..4 2.6 Factors influence individual behaviour at work………………………………………5 2.7 Different motivational theories………………………………………………………5 2.8 Nature of groups and group behaviour of Siemens…………………………………..6 2.9 Factors to the development of effective teamwork at Siemens………………………6 III. Conclusion…...……………………….………………………………………..………8 3.1 Structure and culture affect the performance of Siemens…………………………..8 3.2 Explanation of the leadership of Siemens AG……………………………………….8 3.3 Organisational theory influences the practice of management……………………8 3.4 Different leadership styles motivate organisations in periods of change……………9 3.5 The usefulness of motivational theories for managers………………….…………10 3.6 Impact of technology on team functioning within Siemens……………………10 Reference………………………………………………..………………….……….……….12 I. Introduction All my research is about two huge companies: Nissan Motor Company and Siemens AG. One topic has already been set by the requirements, and I choose Nissan as a model to accomplish this report. It is mainly because I had a motive programme diploma and I am in favour of comparing marketing strategies through different car brands. What is more, there is a Nissan manufacture factory in Sunderland, by which I could observe the cooperation closely and even there is a chance to interview the department manager....
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...Persuasive Paper Part 3: Possible Disadvantages, Answers, with Visuals Rodney Howard Professor: Holly Sprinkle English Research and Writing September, 1st, 2015 Introduction There is a problem that exists with hung juries. It should be suggested that a supermajority be required to convict, and a mere majority be required to acquit. These reforms would effectively abolish the hung jury. We need to stop giving holdouts the power to prevent convictions and I feel that all jurors should not have to agree, only the majority. Presently, both acquittals and convictions must be unanimous in federal court and in forty-eight states. That's not fair to the defendant. He fails to get the benefit of a clear result that would allow repose, and he faces the risk of retrial, even if eleven jurors thought either that he was innocent, or that the government had failed to prove its case. (Ethan J. Leib 2006) A solution needs to be proposed to help in abolishing the hung jury. Overview of the problem Why juries hang at these rates isn’t clear. Some commentators claim that hung juries are the product of eccentric or nullifying holdout jurors. Most commentary focuses rather narrowly on the supposed failings of the individual members of a hanging jury, such as jurors’ inability to comprehend the evidence and the law, their unwillingness to follow the law, or their illegitimate refusal to reach a verdict. The experimental data recommend more complex and nuanced explanations. Based on their data, For...
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