www.educationforum.co.uk Political Participation: Old
Politics
Slide 2
Democracy Classical or direct democracy means rule by the
people Representative democracy is a modern idea and means rule for
the people by their elected representative Should modern
representative democracies like Britain show high levels of
participation in political decision making?
Slide 3
Ways of Participating Old Politics 1. Voting in national, local
and European elections in decline 2. Joining a political party in
decline 3. Joining a pressure group/supporting a pressure group in
decline 4. Getting involved in trade union activity in decline
Slide 4
Ways of Participating New Politics 1. Direct action demos,
protests, sit ins, high profile activity to get media attention -
growing 2. New Social Movements like pressure groups but tending to
operate outside of establish political institutions, less formally
structured, centred on moral issues and global concerns, and
internet savvy - growing
Slide 5
Why is Old Politics Declining and New Politics advancing?
Possible explanations 1. Globalisation national governments cant
solve problems alone 2. State is too strong executive too dominant,
parliament too weak and pressure groups ineffective 3. Ideological
merge by mainstream parties not much to choose between any of them
4. Changes in class structure has disrupted old class based
ideological model of British politics and undermined party loyalty
(dealignment)
Slide 6
Voting Behaviour Factors 1. Class 2. Region 3. Housing tenure
4. Ethnicity 5. Age 6. Gender 7. Issues instrumental voting
Slide 7
Voting Patterns 1. 1945-70 clear pattern of aligned voting WC
Labour MC Tory PARTY ALIGNMENT 2. The class basis of party
alignment is called CLASS ALIGNMENT 3. Since 1970 there has been a
process of party and class dealignment 4. Since the 1990s there has
been a growing problem of voter apathy and low turn out
Slide 8
Causes of Dealignment 1. Economic change and changes in the
class structure (Weberians Lockwood, Ivor Crewe et al) 2. Growing
adoption of a policy preference model of voting based on voters
evaluation of party policy rather than long standing loyalty
(Gordon Smith) 3. Decline in importance and party emphasis on
traditional ideology 4. Increased Americanisation of UK politics
becoming more presidential focussed on personalities, image, media
rather than substance (SE Finer)
Slide 9
Recent Elections New Labour landslide victories 1997, 2001,
2005 accredited to Blairs shifting of Labour to the centre of the
political spectrum and courting of traditionally Conservative media
such as News International New Labour won significant chunks of the
middle class vote 2010 Labour lost much of the middle class vote to
Conservatives who styled themselves as centre ground compassionate
conservatives strong emergence of the third party liberal Democrats
produced first coalition government since World War 2 2015
continuing disenchantment with traditional politics has seen the
emergence as an electoral force of UKIP right of the Conservatives
but left of the extreme right draws support from both Labours
traditional voters (working class) who are attracted by anti
immigration and nationalistic rhetoric AND middle class
Conservative voters UKIP is very Thatcherite on economy, low tax,
small state, tough on law and order issues, anti EU. Both Labour
and Conservatives appear to be privately accepting that they cant
win an overall majority next time and are campaigning on issues
more attune to traditional voters Labour dropped New Labour and
have moved left. Conservatives competing with UKIP on right wing
issues. If either hit around 35% of the vote next time they will
probably head the next Coalition government
Gender and Voting Gender differences in voting have all but
disappeared there used to be a marked tendency for women to vote
Conservative traditional family values Why the Change? Impact of
equal opp legislation more women now work Changing position of
women in society Movement of Labour to the centre
Slide 12
Ethnicity and Voting 4:5 Black and ethnic minority voters vote
Labour Why? 1. Class 2. Policy left wing more positive about
immigration and equality 3. Party image Conservative very white and
upper/middle class
Slide 13
Age and Voting Old more likely to vote Conservative and young
Labour although in recent elections the differences have become
less marked Why? Old commitment to traditional values, young more
likely to be attracted to change and new ideas Young far less
likely to vote at all and more likely to engage in New Politics
Why? Old politics seen as irrelevant to their lives, image of
politicians, young people more likely to feel strongly about the
specific moral issues NSMs tend to represent
Slide 14
Region and Voting North/Scotland/ S Wales Labour and SNP/PC
South Conservative South West Liberal Democrat N Ireland politics
based on religious divide Why the North-South divide 1. Economic
differences CLASS 2. Decline of traditional industry 3. Local
issues such as peripheral nationalism and religion
Slide 15
Overall Trends in Voting behaviour Class and other social
factors still important but most declining is a more volatile
policy preference model emerging?
Slide 16
Political Parties Since universal suffrage 1928 modern
political parties have emerged Parties have to present a clear set
of policies in their manifestos to get elected Interpretations
Pluralist/Functionalist: The cornerstone of democracy (Dalton and
Wattenburg) without political parties representative democracy
would be unthinkable Marxists claim mainstream parties simply offer
the illusion of choice and democracy whilst all parties are
essentially capitalist parties managing the capitalist system on
behalf of the capitalists Elite theorists suggest parties play an
important role in mobilising the masses but real power resides
within the elite
Slide 17
Functions of Political Parties 1. Fighting elections competing
for government... J Schumpeter defines democracy as the competitive
struggle for the peoples vote 2. Policy Making important as makes
up future legislation - must appeal to a broad range of opinion 3.
Forming and leading Government government in UK is formed by
largest party in Commons party leaders become Prime Minister 4.
Representative Function once elected a party must represent the
whole nation
Slide 18
Decline in Party Membership 1951 Conservative 2.9 million
Labour 876,000 1971 Conservative 1.3 million Labour 700,000 1981
Conservative 1.2 million Labour 277,000 1991 Conservative 1 million
Labour 261,00 Lib Dem 91,000 2001 Conservative 311,000 Labour
272,000 Lib Dem 73,000 2011 Conservative 177,000, Labour 190,000
lib Dem 66,000
Slide 19
Pressure Groups Unlike parties do not seek to win elections and
become government Instead attempt to achieve their objectives by
putting pressure on those in government Pressure Groups tend to
focus on a narrower range of issues than parties Pluralists
(Dahl)argue pressure groups are essential for democracy an
important way of participating in politics New Right (Samuel
Brittan)suggests Pressure Groups are unrepresentative and too
influential get too much attention from government, they weaken
government rather than strengthen it Marxists assert only the
wealthy business focussed pressure group have real power and
influence
Slide 20
Types of Pressure Group Protective/sectional represent the
interests of one sector of the population e.g. The National union
of Teachers protects the interests of teachers, the BMA doctors,
The CBI industry leaders, The British Diabetic Society people with
that illness Promotional/Cause groups that promote a particular
cause(s) e.g. Greenpeace, friends of the Earth, RSPB, RSPCC, LIFE,
Child Poverty Action group Not always a helpful distinction
considerable overlap. Some prefer to use the classification of
insider and outsider groups
Slide 21
Insider/Outsider Insider those regularly consulted by
government and listened to. Invited to participate in decision
making and policy making Outsider little or no access to
government, not consulted or listened to often resort to more
direct methods of achieving influence
Slide 22
Why Insider? The group possesses expertise on a complicated
matter Government may need to cooperation of an influential group
to translate policy into action e.g. Changes in health service can
only succeed if doctors and nurses support it Insider group is seen
as reasonable and law abiding Insider group is seen as
representative of its own community of members
Slide 23
Why outsider? The group is seen as unreasonable or violent or
extreme Their methods break the law e.g. Animal Liberation Front
The issues they represent are seen as either insignificant or too
challenging They lack useful expertise Their cooperation is not
needed to enact policy
Slide 24
Movement A pressure group can go from outsider to insider and
vice versa over time E.g. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace were
seen as outsider in the 1980s and have become insider recently as
politicians fall over themselves to appear greener than their
opponents Teachers unions were insider for many years but have
recently become outsider with the radical education policy of
Michael Gove
Slide 25
Methods Used by Pressure Groups Contact with MPs submitting
evidence to parliamentary committees, sponsoring MPs, lobbying
ministers and their advisers Offering cooperation and expertise in
return for influence Using the Courts pressure groups can challenge
government decisions legally (expensive if they lose) Using the
media publicity campaigns, many have press offices, publicity
stunts, websites, journals etc. Direct Action action outside of
formal political process... Can be legal or illegal, marches,
demos, sit ins, boycotts, blockades, disruption (e.g. Hunt
saboteurs). Direct action can result in massive media attention but
can also back fire
Slide 26
Are Pressure Groups Good or Bad for democracy? Pluralists say
they are essential for democracy because 1. They represent a large
range of opinion that otherwise would not be heard 2. They
represent minority interests which otherwise might be marginalised
3. Offer opportunities for political participation between
elections therefore good for democracy 4. Provide opposition and
therefore a check to the power of government even when government
has a large majority 5. Pressure group activity educates and
informs the population on political and social issues they may not
otherwise learnt about
Slide 27
Are Pressure Groups Good for democracy? Marxists say pressure
groups operate within the framework of the capitalist system and
therefore can never be very influential Any victory for minority
groups will be small scale and temporary The most powerful pressure
groups are ones representing capitalist interests radical groups
are always outsider (second face of power) Pressure groups leaders
are not elected and therefore not accountable for their actions non
legitimate power... The payment of MPs to represent pressure group
interests can be seen a corrupt The New Right criticise the power
of trade union pressure groups who they claim exert excessive power
and cause economic harm through wage demands and strikes