A referendum on 5 May 2011 will ask UK voters whether they would like to replace the country's first past the post system with the alternative vote, or AV, method. What significant national and regional referendums have taken place in the UK? (08 Aug 2008), Representation of women in Ukraine 806 8067 22 The first UK-wide referendum was held in __1975 __on the United Kingdom's continued membership of the European Community (European Union). A referendum is a vote provided to the general public which is determined by the federal government, and is used to help answer a crucial political or constitutional concern to which the public need to vote a simple yes or no. In 2014, had the population of Scotland voted to leave the UK then primary legislation would have had to have been passed to enable this. 2. This lesson comprises: - a comparison of representative democracy and referendums - a list of UK referendums since 1973 and an accompanying PPT - how we use referendums in the UK - local and national - a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of referendums This trend may be exacerbated in the case of referendums on complex issues such as constitutional change or international treaties, with which voters are likely to be unfamiliar. It undermined representative democracy. For example, in 2011, the AV Referendum largely became a referendum on performance of the Liberal Democrats in coalition, rather than a referendum on changes to the voting system itself. This could be seen as undemocratic as only just over half of the voting populations decision was accounted for. For more information on this licence see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 . Representative Democracy (also called indirect democracy) - is where citizens choose others to represent them, making important decisions on their behalf. In most elections this does not happen (especially under a proportional system) however in a referendum there is one winning side and one losing side. Irresponsible government - governments are elected to govern, so should make policy decisions and be accountable for said decisions, instead of handing over responsibilities to the public. General Elections under FPTP do not always result in the true will of the public being expressed, whereas referendums clearly put power in the hands of the electorate. On the other hand, there are two very stark downsides to choosing a referendum as the way to resolve an issue. However, although referendums are important for democracy, referendums could be seen to be too complicated for the public to understand. In conclusion, there are various disadvantages and advantages to discuss when looking at referendums in the UK. This makes it difficult to fully understand the clear mandate for a particular policy issue. Referendums are an example of direct democracy, whereas elections are a form of representative democracy. One of the benefits of them is they take issues out of the party-political arena and allow voters to consider them directly. China: Village Committee Elections: First Steps on a Long March? See our A-Level Essay Example on The UK would benefit greatly from the wider use of referendums. Discuss., United Kingdom now at Marked By Teachers. Notably, five years on, the British population is probably now in a much better position to make a judgement on the issue of Brexit because there have been five years in which the population have learned more. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. Thousands ofjobsare at stake in the North-East. The European Union has spent much of their time bringing the country along, often reluctantly . They differ from elections- an election fills an office (so does not directly affect policy), whereas referendums do directly affect policy. Investigating any wrongdoing relating to the referendum. At least 22 francs per hour (18 euros, or $25) for each worker: This is the minimum wage proposal that the Swiss voted down on Sunday in a referendum.. In fact, it is highly unlikely they would have signed the agreement without it. The referendum device is one of the institutions of direct democracy that claim to measure and express the will of the people better than the institutions of representative democracy. (03 Mar 2014), Electoral reforms made by specific assemblies Drawing on recent examples, there are clear disadvantages that need to be considered. (27 May 2015), Experiences with reserved seats or constituencies for women in parliamentary elections This suggests that referendums are not always a true representation of what the public wants an outcome to be. Furthering this point, the public may be easily influenced by campaigns of newspapers, notable tabloids, or by wealthy vested interests who can afford to spend large amounts of money on a campaign. Advantages and disadvantages of the referendum instrument. As a result of the legitimacy that a direct vote bestows, they can have an enormous impact in settling controversial issues. The word "constitution" is also used to refer to a document that contains, sets out the framework and the principal functions of the organs of government within the state, and declares the principles by which those organs must operate. You are free to copy, distribute and transmit the publication, and to remix and adapt it, provided it is only for non-commercial purposes, that you appropriately attribute the publication and that you distribute it under an identical license. Revise the impact of the Brexit referendum of 2016 in which the UK voted to leave the European Union, as part of Bitesize Higher Modern Studies On the other hand, serious thought needs to be given to the drawbacks and limitations of referendums before their use is increased. To confirm a decision taken by a previous Government Sometimes a party will promise a referendum as a position of opposition to the current government. The overuse of referendums can undermine the fabric of representative democracy. Energy and the environment. 2. Tyranny of the Majority A situation in which power over a decision is given solely to the group in the majority. The reasons for leaving were numerous, including questionable immigration policies, concerns over Brussels micromanaging UK affairs, and doubts about whether remaining in the EU was in the best economic interests of the UK. A good example of a post-legislative referendum was the AV Referendum where a bill had been written and agreed and the referendum was the final stage in the process. If concessions need to be made to those who committed crimes during a conflict, or if a course will impose severe economic costs, or if a divisive point principle is at issue, endorsement by direct popular vote will likely aid political stability, and also bind not just the present government, but those that follow it. To please their own political supporters Sometimes a referendum may be held for party political reasons and in the interest of a particular party, rather than the nation as a whole. This happened in the Labour Government under Harold Wilson. The question is usually designed to receive a 'yes' or 'no' answer. (21 Oct 2010), Inappropriate Electoral Systems A good example of this may be the EU Referendum in 2016. European Communities Act (1972) -The Act of Parliament that saw Britain join the EEC in 1973. This infers that they can help to entrench constitutional change in a system which has an uncodified, flexible constitution and enables the public to shape the path in which Britain is heading. Schools helped with balanced political education over issue allowing them to be more informed. Now is the time for leadership, not followship. 5. Another argument for direct democracy being used more widely in the UK is that it prevents the government and MPs making extremely unpopular decisions . Reduced government power - provides a check on government power, as the government has less control over the outcome of a referendum than it does over Parliament. Devolution in Scotland and Wales was presented in 1998 as the bulk of the general public voted yes in regards to wanting more power. One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . This is a disadvantage as this caused upset among many people in Scotland and the decision did not seem fair or an accurate representation of what the people wanted. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. Although it was thought that this would stem the rising tide of nationalism, in fact, it strengthened the support and influence of the Scottish National Party, whose __2011 __election win paved the way for the __2014 __independence referendum. . Referendums are limited if the potential outcomes are not prepared for. . On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. CHAPTER 1: Introduction. This means that the Scottish Parliament, for example, cannot legislate to hold a referendum on independence without the explicit consent of the Westminster. Since __1973 __there have been eleven referendums held in the UK, the majority of them have been related to the issue of devolution. However, a clause in the bill said that 40% of the whole electorate had to vote yes and only 32.8% did so, Whether Britain should remain or leave the EEC, 67.2% of voters chose to remain in the EEC, Whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK or should be part of the Republic of Ireland. This gives the final verdict a greater mandate than that received as the result of a General Election. . Referendums can challenge parliamentary sovereignty and representative democracy. In Britain there has been an independent electoral commission since 2001. Students looking for free, top-notch essay and term paper samples on various topics. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. Don't use plagiarized sources. Referendums are overall a good tool for democracy, as they make constitutional decisions more legitimate and provide a check on government power, however they are vulnerable to ill-informed votes and may be an inadequate method of approving constitutional changes that will have a very large impact. In total 406 constituencies voted Leave in the Brexit Referendum but only around 160 MPs had voted to leave. They also claim that, since in many countries turnout at referendums is lower than at national elections, the argument that referendums increase the legitimacy of political decisions does not stand up. Constitutional issues are a reserved, not devolved, power. The UK EU . A good example of this is the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement that ended the Troubles on Northern Ireland and set up the power-sharing agreement between nationalist and republican communities. 16 Year olds were also given the vote. Under what process are referendums carried out? For fear of recall, they will hesitate to do any undesirable thing. This suggests that referendums are not usually a true rendering of the particular public wants an result to be. A successful referendum is incumbent on the ability to deliver on either of its potential outcomes and the EU Referendum in 2016 did not fulfil this criterion. This led MPs into conflict with their own constituencies and having to deliver on a mandate they had been given that they didnt agree with. From atoms to astronomy, computers to cars and robots to robust materials, our goal is to transform our understanding of the world to make life easier, healthier and more sustainable. Constitutional Scholar Vernon Bogdanor argues that referendums can effectively create a third chamber in the legislative process. Referendums are the purest form of democracy as it is entirely up to the people to decide. 1. This makes them especially vulnerable to producing decisions based on false information and/or unrealistic beliefs about what alternatives are possible - often stoked by opportunistic actors within the political system. The ultimate role of the whole population in deciding whether the deal sticks can be important in prodding elites, otherwise comfortable and secure in their factional power, to do the harder work of engaging with the bigger political picture. Has sovereignty moved between different branches of government? There are three reasons for this. In fact, the Government had already tried to use a Referendum in 1973 to settle the Irish issue but it was boycotted by Republicans as they did not feel the settlement it addressed their issues. 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