There are a many ways in which citizens can participate in politics in the UK without necessarily having to vote for example: joining a political party, boycotting, and even signing petitions and fund raising. All of these methods provide political involvement without a democratic vote being placed. Participation in marches has increased recently as more people see the effects of this form of involvement in politics. However, there is an argument that there has been a participation crisis over the past years in the UK. A participation crisis is when less and less citizens take part in political activities; this can be shown in the decrease of voter turnout and the level of participation. This is in some ways a crisis as it means that some people within the population will not be represented by a vote, and so may not be politically catered for. This would lead to some citizens being favoured in politics as they actually affect who is in power with their vote. On the other hand, there is an argument that there is in fact not a participation crisis because the turnout of voting is increasing and specific forms of participation are also on the rise.The main concern about democracy in the UK comes from evidence of rising political apathy. Some people have seen this as nothing more than a ‘participation crisis’ Political Apathy is the lack of caring or strong emotions linked to politics. Politically apathetic people are far less likely to take it upon themselves to vote as they won’t have strong political views for or against any party. Deteriorating rates of voter turnout and falling levels of party membership despite there being opportunities for participation show evidence. There are three main reasons to show why there is a participation crisis in the UK. The first reason is the public. Due to people’s increasing lack of community care, citizens fail to pull together and look out for each other, which decreases the interest and connection they have in politics.…
A referendum is supposed to be enhancing democracy in the UK however they undermine our system of representative democracy, where candidates are elected to make decisions on behalf of their constituency. These candidates have a good understanding of politics and are elected to make decisions with the constituent’s best interests in heart. They are used, as most people in the UK do not have the political knowledge and understanding to make these important decisions. They are less likely to have access to key arguments and information than elected, full-time politicians. Furthermore in seeking a majority vote, referendums may undermine the rights of the minorities that are generally well protected by constitutions and judiciaries within representative democracies. They are detraction in a representative system of democracy and as such they surrender power of experts to the masses.…
a) To what extent would the wider use of referendums improve democracy in the UK?…
Due the nation's interest in materialism and individualism, we have gained a certain lack of interest in political matters and affairs – people find politics dull and many people think that it doesn't affect them, this results to certain inhabitants obtaining a 'laissez-faire' attitude toward the government. Nowadays citizens around the UK aren't aware of political dealings; this supports the idea that today's society has become far more materialistic when compared to the previous generations. Many people take the approach that the government can 'do what they want' as the majority of Brits spend their time worrying about getting the next best iPhone etc. The UK has become very divided in the past 20 years due to the generation gap between certain individuals in society. Today's generation of teenagers have become disinterested in the UK's current affairs, this may be down to the fact that they have not been socialised to consider the country's events, which in turn blames the next generation and their lack of interest in how Britain is governed, this has lead to the UK's population becoming far more self aware as opposed to considering others. On the contrary, the elderly people in today's society were raised with slightly different morals and views on how their country was governed. Previous generations deemed voting to be a privilege, something that they had earned – the majority of this generation wouldn't even dream of not voting...out of respect. This highlights how the change in generations has prompted the UK to dive into a participation crisis.…
Although some individuals do not like to vote because they believe that their vote doesn't do anything that number has slowly decreased and more people are voting because they are demanding change for the…
Do you think your vote can change America? There are many ways that voting can change…
Voting has become a huge dilemma in a few states one of those states being Texas. In 2014, Texas forced a new law, to be eligible to vote you must show identification. Since 2014, many studies show that voting has decreased.…
(Dictionary)Voting is a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or a body of individuals. All American have the right to vote when they turn the age of 18 and are considered an adult. You only hear about voting really when it comes to the election for the President of the United States or a candidate is running for a seat in a government position. The American people believe that they should vote because they think it actually matters. Then there are those American who believe that voting is a complete waste of time. They think this way because once a candidate reaches prescribe number of electoral votes they pretty much have won the election no matter if there are states still left to vote.…
This book used many graphical charts and statistical data to basically prove many points, but one of the most vivid facts is that suffrage did not cause the decline in voter participation. If anything, it is more based on demographics and how people have begun to become disinterested in the electoral process over time – by feeling that one person alone is unable to change anything.…
Voter turnout and political efficacy amongst a people are crucial to the proper maintenance of a democratic society. In order for changes to be made and the largest amount of voices to be heard, people must feel like their vote counts, and that a direct result to their vote is a response from the government. As former US President Dwight David Eisenhower once quoted, “The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter,” and for this reason political scientists commonly inquire on what factors cause a variance in voter turnout. These factors may be socio-economic, do age, income, culture or religion play a role in who votes and who doesn’t? ; political affiliation, do democrats vote more than republicans, or vice-versa? ; or education, does a person’s level of education cause variance in their turnout?…
In today’s society voting and our government is an abundance of the reason we have conflict within our country. Voting is a way to voice your opinion on whom you feel would do the best job at running our country. It is important to vote because it allows you to have a say in our future government, and how our country is going to be led. Many citizens in today’s time era, criticize our government and country. If these citizens did not voice their voting, then they can not criticize the way our government is run.…
In the United States of America, we consider voting to be an obvious right that everyone deserves. It is a part of our lifestyle and crucial in our government. Despite its importance, voting is not mandatory for American citizens. Only after becoming a registered voter, any United States citizen over the age of 18 can cast their ballot for who they want in positions of power within the government. Those who want to vote are able to, and several accommodations are provided for people who find themselves incapable of making it to the polls on Election Day. Without voters, our government would be unable to function properly. Compulsory voting should be put into effect in the United States, because over public awareness of politics would increase, the power of separate political parties will decrease, and the election results will reflect the public’s true opinion.…
Over the last 40 years, voter turnout has been steadily declining in the established democracies. This trend has been significant in the United States, Western Europe, Japan and Latin America. In 2014, the New York Times reported that the November midterm elections was abysmally low in regards to voter turnout. Over all, the national turnout of the election was only 36.3% compared to over 70 decades ago when the voter participation turnout was only 36.3% (Board 2014) . Thus said, with a clear non-advancement in voter turnout, can it ultimately be considered a problem that needs to be fixed? Low participation is a cynical argument, exclaiming that: voters need to be more concern, elections don’t matter, and real decisions are made by power elites…
The essay shows me that voting in the United States is something that many people take for granted. Many of those individuals today are young adults that don’t find the need to vote. Most of them either bandwagon a majority of the time or don’t vote at all. I believe that everybody should be an informed voter. People should vote for a candidate that they both have the same views on topics and is also going to create jobs and continue to improve the…
when it affects us and conflicts or agrees with our own interests. From highly debatable issues such as gay marriage, health care, gun control, to some of the lesser known topics such as gerrymandering, voter fraud, and pension reform, Americans want the right to have a say in where our country goes. Although voting is an important gateway to influence and shape the government’s decisions, course, and future, 10% of Americans are politically disengaged, or political bystanders. Americans also often choose not to vote often for reasons such as being “too busy”, “not interested”, and “illness/disability”. Those who do vote however, tend to be older individuals over…
