Democracy, Participation and Suffrage In A Level Politics | Everything You Need To Know

Overview

Ollie from Politics Explained presents key A-level Politics material on democracy and suffrage in the UK. The video covers types of democracy, whether the UK faces a participation crisis or democratic deficit, the history of extending the vote, and possible further reforms. It also suggests essay questions and encourages students to use evidence from other parts of the course, including referendums, electoral systems, pressure groups, the media and Parliament.

Types and ideas of democracy

• Democracy means rule by the people.
• Representative democracy: Voters elect representatives, usually through political parties, to make decisions on their behalf. Representatives are not delegates required to follow voters’ instructions. Instead, they are expected to use their own judgment and are held accountable through elections.
• Direct democracy: People express their views and vote on laws or decisions themselves, rather than through elected representatives. Ancient Athens is an early example; referendums are the main modern UK example.
• Pluralist democracy: Decisions emerge from competing ideas and the influence of groups and organisations. A pluralist system gives different sections of society opportunities to be heard, including between elections.
• Legitimacy: The accepted right to exercise political power. In a democracy, elections can give a government legitimacy as well as the formal authority to govern.

Two perspectives on democratic health are presented:

• The protective perspective sees democracy primarily as a way to protect individual freedom. It requires enough participation to legitimise government, but not necessarily mass participation.
• The developmental perspective argues that active and broad participation is essential. Greater participation can make politics more open and help address inequalities in political influence.

Representative and direct democracy

Both systems aim to reflect the people’s will, use voting and majority rule, and can operate at local, regional or national levels. In either system, politicians, media figures and other persuasive individuals may influence public opinion. Direct-democratic practices, such as petitions and pressure-group activity, can also complement representative democracy between elections.

Direct democracy

Advantages:

• Gives citizens a more immediate say and can encourage participation, debate and a sense of political ownership.
• Gives equal weight to individual votes in a decision.
• Reduces reliance on representatives who might fail to deliver or act corruptly.

Disadvantages:

• Can be difficult to use frequently in a large, complex state. Voters may not want to make technical decisions or may lack the time and information to do so.
• Decisions can be exposed to emotional campaigning or manipulation, and a majority may override minority interests—the “tyranny of the majority.”
• May be slower or less practical when government needs to respond quickly to a crisis.

Representative democracy

Advantages:

• Is presented as more practical for large states and complex issues, and can allow elected politicians to make decisions quickly.
• Elections provide a way to hold representatives to account, while parliamentary representation can give minorities a voice even when they are not part of the governing majority.
• Political parties give voters a choice of candidates and broad policy programmes.

Disadvantages:

• Participation may be weaker between elections because decision-making is handed to politicians.
• Representatives may prioritise their own or their party’s interests, break promises or avoid accountability.
• Minority groups can still be underrepresented, and the UK’s first-past-the-post system can elect representatives or governments without majority support.

The UK primarily uses representative democracy, with direct-democratic elements such as referendums and the Recall of MPs Act 2015. Under the recall process described, a petition can be triggered in certain circumstances, including an MP’s imprisonment or suspension from the Commons for more than 21 days. If 10% of eligible voters in the constituency sign it, a by-election is called.

The video identifies Switzerland as a prominent example of more frequent direct democracy, with around ten referendum-style votes each year. It also notes tensions in the UK between popular sovereignty, expressed through referendums, and parliamentary sovereignty. The Brexit referendum illustrates the potential conflict: the public result differed from the position of most MPs, and the referendum’s non-binding status contributed to political difficulty over implementation.

Is there a participation crisis?

The video sets out arguments on both sides, focusing on elections, party membership and other forms of participation.

Reasons to argue that there is a crisis

• General-election turnout fell to 58% in 2001, its lowest level since the end of the First World War, and has remained below the 1945–97 average of 76%.
• Turnout can be lower in “second-order” elections, such as local or devolved elections.
• Low turnout can weaken a government’s mandate and raise questions about its legitimacy.
• Political apathy—lack of interest or awareness, or a belief that voting makes no difference—may explain low participation.
• The share of the electorate belonging to a political party fell from 3.8% in 1983 to 1.6% in the figures cited.
• The video links declining conventional participation to distrust of politicians, scandals and broken promises. It argues that participation through other channels may be less influential than voting or party membership.

Reasons to argue that there is not a crisis, or that participation is changing

• Turnout was high in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum (84.6%) and the 2016 Brexit referendum (72.7%), suggesting strong engagement when voters see an issue as especially important.
• Party membership can rise sharply when parties offer a compelling cause or an accessible way to join. Examples include Labour’s membership growth in 2015, the SNP after the independence referendum and UKIP before the 2015 election.
• These examples may indicate that people still use parties for political action, or that participation has shifted towards single-issue politics.
• Pressure-group membership, demonstrations and direct action can provide alternative forms of engagement. Demonstrations on the Iraq War, Brexit and climate change are mentioned.
• Social media and e-petitions have created additional ways to express views. The video gives the 2019 petition to revoke Article 50 as an example, reporting more than 5.5 million signatures.
• Low participation might sometimes reflect contentment, rather than apathy or alienation: people may see less need to push for change.

The video suggests that turnout might be increased by making voting easier—for example, holding elections at weekends, allowing voting at different locations or over several days, expanding postal voting, or introducing online voting. It also notes concerns about cyberattacks, fraud and voter intimidation, particularly in relation to online voting.

Does the UK have a democratic deficit?

A democratic deficit is a perceived weakness in how a democratic body operates, especially concerning accountability and public control over policy.

Features presented as strengths of UK democracy

• Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and elected mayors, can bring decisions closer to people.
• Referendums provide a direct-democratic channel.
• The UK has an independent judiciary, a free media, regular and relatively fair elections, and a range of political parties and pressure groups.

Arguments that a democratic deficit remains

• First-past-the-post can produce results that are less proportional and less representative than other voting systems.
• The House of Lords is unelected, yet can exercise power and scrutinise or delay legislation.
• Some critics consider protections for citizens’ rights inadequate.
• Media influence may be concentrated among wealthy, unaccountable business interests.
• MPs may be perceived as prioritising their careers over representation, including through second jobs or moving into lobbying after leaving Parliament.

Who can vote, and how the franchise expanded

The video describes voting eligibility at the time of recording as including registered adults aged 18 or over who meet the relevant citizenship and residency rules. It lists British and Irish citizens, Commonwealth citizens, and UK nationals living abroad for less than 15 years as eligible.

It lists the following groups as ineligible for UK parliamentary elections:

• People under 18.
• Most EU citizens, with an exception for Irish citizens.
• Members of the House of Lords.
• Prisoners.
• People convicted of corrupt or illegal electoral practices.
• People compulsorily detained in psychiatric hospitals.

The video distinguishes the rules for local elections in relation to EU citizens.

History of the franchise

• Before 1832: Voting rights depended heavily on property and varied between boroughs and counties. Some wealthy men could vote in more than one constituency, while women could not vote. The electorate was small compared with the population, and growing industrial towns were underrepresented.
• 1832 Great Reform Act: Removed representation from some underpopulated boroughs, created seats for growing towns, and extended the vote to more men with property or qualifying rents. The electorate grew but remained a small proportion of the adult population.
• Chartist movement: A working-class movement that grew after the 1832 reforms failed to enfranchise men without property. Its demands included votes for all men over 21, the secret ballot, payment for MPs and annual parliamentary elections.
• Women’s suffrage movements:
  • The suffragists, organised through the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies from 1897 under Millicent Fawcett, pursued peaceful methods such as petitions, demonstrations and lobbying.
  • The suffragettes, associated with Emmeline Pankhurst’s organisation from 1903, used more militant tactics to attract publicity and pressure Parliament. Emily Davison’s death after stepping in front of the King’s horse at the 1913 Epsom Derby is cited as a highly publicised event.
  • Suffragettes’ hunger strikes and force-feeding attracted attention and sympathy, but their militancy also caused hostility. Debate continues over how much each movement contributed to women winning the vote. The video also highlights women’s wartime work during the First World War as a possible influence.
• Representation of the People Act 1918: Gave the vote to all men over 21 and to some women over 30 who met the household or marital qualification described in the video. It enfranchised around 75% of the adult population.
• Later reforms lowered women’s voting age to 21 and, in 1969, extended the vote to everyone aged 18 or over.

Possible further reforms to suffrage

Votes at 16

Arguments for:

• Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds have other responsibilities, such as leaving school, starting work or joining the Armed Forces, so voting could be added to those rights.
• Voting from an earlier age might establish a lifelong habit of participation.
• Young people can be politically aware and active; the video cites social media and climate activism, including Fridays for Future.
• The Scottish experience of allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in the 2014 independence referendum and subsequent Scottish Parliament elections is presented as evidence of increased engagement.
• Enfranchisement would give young people a voice on issues affecting them, such as tuition fees.

Arguments against:

• Critics may argue that 16- and 17-year-olds lack maturity, experience or political knowledge, and that political education should be improved first.
• The video questions whether young voters might be especially vulnerable to fake news or extreme politics, while noting that similar criticisms could be made of adults.
• Some rights available to adults are not fully available to 16- and 17-year-olds.
• Relatively few countries have extended the vote to this age group; turnout among younger voters is low, and the video says there is little evidence that most 16- and 17-year-olds want the vote.

E-democracy and digital democracy

These terms describe how the internet and social media affect democratic participation and communication. Digital tools can help groups with limited resources campaign, inform the public, share views, take part in polls and communicate with politicians. The video also notes that MPs use platforms such as Twitter to communicate with constituents.

For government e-petitions, the thresholds described are:

• 10,000 signatures: The government provides a response.
• 100,000 signatures: The petition is considered for a parliamentary debate if backed by an MP.

Examples mentioned include the petition to revoke Article 50, a petition about preventing ISIS members from returning to the UK, and a Hillsborough-related petition that contributed to a parliamentary debate and the release of documents.

Potential benefits include wider participation, direct communication and information-sharing, and greater pluralism by reducing established groups’ exclusive access to political debate.

Potential risks include greater reach for extremist groups, misinformation capable of influencing elections, and pressure on government to respond to short-term online campaigns that may not reflect wider public opinion.

Compulsory voting

Arguments for:

• Voting can be seen as a social duty as well as a right.
• Compulsory voting might increase engagement and make election results more representative.
• Parties might need to consider the whole electorate rather than focusing mainly on groups they expect to vote.
• The video notes that in Australia voters can submit a ballot without choosing a candidate.

Arguments against:

• Compulsion may be viewed as undemocratic because voting should be a choice.
• It may encourage “donkey voting,” where people rank candidates without thought, and would not necessarily stop parties prioritising marginal seats.
• It does not address the underlying reasons people choose not to vote.

Prisoner voting

Arguments for:

• Voting may be a fundamental right; removing it may further alienate prisoners and undermine rehabilitation.
• The video says that in 2005 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that a blanket ban on British prisoners voting was contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, while not requiring that all prisoners be given the vote.

Arguments against:

• Some argue that people who commit crimes forfeit the right to influence how society is governed, including criminal justice policy.
• The video also argues that prisoner votes could affect particular constituencies disproportionately under first-past-the-post.

Essay-planning guidance

The video identifies several possible exam questions:

• Is the UK facing a participation crisis?
• Have reforms to UK democracy gone far enough?
• Should there be greater use of direct democracy?
• Does the UK remain a genuine pluralist democracy?
• Have political reforms improved representative democracy?

For a participation-crisis essay, one suggested structure is to assess elections and referendums, party membership, and other forms of political participation. For other questions, students are encouraged to combine material from this topic with evidence on referendums, electoral systems, pressure groups, the media, Parliament and other areas of UK politics.

Speakers and sources featured

• Speaker: Ollie, presenting the lesson for Politics Explained.
• Organisations, institutions and sources mentioned: Politics Explained website and YouTube channel; the Electoral Commission; the European Court of Human Rights; the European Convention on Human Rights; the Swiss referendum system; the Scottish Parliament; the UK Parliament and government e-petition system; and the 38 Degrees petition platform.
• People and groups discussed: Millicent Fawcett and the suffragists; Emmeline Pankhurst, Emily Davison and the suffragettes; the Chartists; and political parties and campaign movements including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, UKIP, Votes at 16 campaigners and Fridays for Future.