What are the features of democracy and how can participation be improved?
The features of direct and representative democracy, the strengths and weaknesses of UK democracy, the participation crisis, the franchise, and the case for and against reforms such as compulsory voting and votes at 16.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Politics on direct and representative democracy, the strengths and weaknesses of UK democracy, the participation crisis and the franchise, and debates over reforms such as votes at 16 and compulsory voting.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to distinguish direct and representative democracy, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of UK democracy, explain the participation crisis and its causes, trace the widening of the franchise, and assess proposed reforms such as votes at 16, compulsory voting and greater use of referendums.
Direct and representative democracy
The UK is primarily a representative democracy but uses referendums for major constitutional questions, such as the 2016 EU referendum (52% leave) and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum (55% remain in the UK). Referendums increase legitimacy and direct participation and can settle constitutional questions, but they can oversimplify complex issues, reduce decisions to a binary, expose voters to misinformation, and sit awkwardly with parliamentary sovereignty (referendums are legally advisory in the UK).
Strengths and weaknesses of UK democracy
- Strengths: regular free and fair elections by secret ballot, a near-universal franchise, the rule of law and an independent judiciary, devolution dispersing power, an active and plural pressure-group system, and a free press that scrutinises government.
- Weaknesses: an unelected and unaccountable House of Lords, the disproportional First Past the Post system that wastes votes and distorts seats, low and uneven turnout, the dominance of two large parties, and the concentration of power in the executive (Lord Hailsham's "elective dictatorship").
A useful way to judge UK democracy is to weigh legitimacy (free elections, the rule of law) against representation (the distortions of First Past the Post and the unelected Lords): the system is clearly democratic but contains significant democratic deficits.
The participation crisis
The debate is therefore whether participation is declining or simply changing form, shifting from party membership and voting towards single-issue, online and direct activism. AQA rewards weighing both bodies of evidence rather than asserting a crisis.
The franchise and suffrage
The right to vote was extended in stages: the Great Reform Act 1832 (broadening the property franchise), the Representation of the People Acts of 1867 and 1884 (extending to more working men), the 1918 Act (votes for men over 21 and women over 30, after the suffragist and suffragette campaigns), the 1928 Act (equal voting at 21), and the 1969 Act (lowering the voting age to 18). The history shows democracy as a hard-won, gradual achievement, which frames current debates over extending the franchise further.
Reform debates
Proposed reforms include votes at 16 (already used in Scottish Parliament, Senedd and Scottish and Welsh local elections), compulsory voting (as in Australia), greater use of referendums, digital and e-democracy, and reform of the Lords and the electoral system. Each is debated in terms of whether it would genuinely raise participation, improve representation and the quality of decisions, or simply produce uninformed or coerced voting.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20189 marksExplain and analyse three features of representative democracy. (Paper 2, Section A, short-answer)Show worked answer →
Three distinct features, each defined, illustrated and analysed.
One: free and fair regular elections. Citizens choose representatives at fixed intervals. Analyse that this provides accountability but First Past the Post distorts the link between votes and seats.
Two: representatives who deliberate and are accountable. MPs make informed decisions and answer to constituents. Analyse the tension between the trustee (Burkean) and delegate models.
Three: protection of rights and pluralism. Parties, pressure groups and a free press give citizens a voice between elections. Analyse that this strengthens participation but unequal resources can distort it.
Markers reward three clearly different features, accurate detail, and analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each.
AQA 202120 marksEvaluate the view that the UK suffers from a participation crisis. (Adapted from Paper 2, Section C essay; 25-mark essay rescoped to 20.)Show worked answer →
A balanced essay with a sustained judgement and developed arguments on both sides.
For a crisis: falling and volatile turnout (a low of 59% in 2001), declining party membership, and disillusionment with politicians and parties.
Against a crisis: high turnout in the 2014 and 2016 referendums, the rise of e-petitions and single-issue and pressure-group activism, and recovering general election turnout, suggesting changing rather than declining participation.
Markers reward a clear line of argument, named statistics and examples, weighing of the two sides, and a judgement (for example that participation is changing form rather than collapsing). AO3 (evaluation) carries the most weight.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA A-level Politics (7152) specification — AQA (2017)