This dramatic policy would not have had legitimacy if it was only agreed by politicians and not by citizens in Northern Ireland. (23 Jul 2013), Changes to electoral systems/voting from abroad? Advantages. 2. They are also good for dealing with areas wher. In the UK, there is a system of representative democracy called "liberal democracy" - in which the people vote for a government through regular elections with secret ballots and a choice of candidates. Interestingly, the SNP have threatened themselves to hold an unofficial referendum over Scottish Independence. A referendum helps to make decisions legitimate and confirms the principle of government by consent. In his autobiography Nick Clegg says: First Past the Post is enshrined in the DNA of the Conservative Party not least because it has consistently delivered Conservative majority governments, even as their share of the popular vote has steadily declined. However, realistically most are politically binding. The result of this referendum was 80.7% in favour of independence. For example, David Cameron called the 2016 Referendum to deal with the electoral threat of UKIP whilst Tony Blair did not call a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, despite indicating he would do so. There have been a number of referendums in the UK: For what reasons might referendums be held? Referendums can settle long-standing and controversial issues once and for all. Once people have had a referendum on one issue, they begin to expect it for more issues even if that issue is not well suited to be settled by a referendum. 806 8067 22 For many people Brexit was a magnificent exercise in democracy in Britain. Ok, let me say Im extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. However, there are also many disadvantages to having referendums . One argument for independent schools is that they are like Beacon schools, showcasing the very best of education. However, referendums counteract this problem. The Tyranny of the Majority refers to a situation in which the winning side can claim all of the authority. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. Referendums are seen as positive as it is the most direct way for the public to participate in politics and know that their opinion and vote matter to the government. For example, an individual might not understand the significance of their vote to a political question, and that it can have long term effects that they may not take into considerationwhilst voting. (25 Marks) A referendum (sometimes referred to as a plebiscite). In reality, this almost always means that the Westminster Government will have to agree to it too. 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. However, if permission is refused, Sturgeon has said the SNP will put forward a one-line manifesto in the next general election simply saying the SNP are standing for independence. This makes it different to an election, where the electorate vote for a representative, and where the result might change the government. It is important to note that David Cameron would say that he held the EU Referendum in order to settle a long-standing constitutional issue. 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. Direct democracy: advantages and disadvantages protect elite and incumbent interests at the expense of broader public interests. Ill-informed decisions - the general public are less informed than elected politicians, and have no political experience. Download Free PDF. Switzerland has a long tradition here as well. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. In a referendum the voice of every voter counts equally. Disadvantages of Fibre Optic Cabling. It provides a level of political support for difficult decisions. Subsequently, when Brexit was not immediately forthcoming, led to allegations that Parliament had betrayed the people. (19 Mar 2014), Formula for the number of Members of Parliament? They have been most famously held in Hong Kong and in Catalonia. There is one further type of referendum that also needs recognition and that is unofficial referendums. A referendum provides the opportunity to vote on a single-issue. This makes it difficult to fully understand the clear mandate for a particular policy issue. It is clear that when voting the UK population was not well-educated on Brexit. Through the system of recall, they will be under the control of the people. Referendums give an equal say to every voter. To confirm a transfer of powers Referendums will often be held to confirm a transfer of powers. A referendum is a vote given to the public which is determined by the government, and is used to help answer an important political or constitutional question to which the public must vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. , Should we have an EU referendum in 2015 , Brexiters don't like democracy or the law , We've built the EU for generations and I am not leaving! In addition the UK federal government secured the permission of the individuals of Northern Ireland for a new devolved assembly in the province in 1998. and then Add to Home Screen. I really enjoy the effort put in. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums, Society is more likely to accept the decision. What are the Mechanisms for Reform and Amendment? A really good example of this is the Alternative Vote Referendum in 2011. , Edexcel 6GP01 Government and Politics Unit 1 Exam 20/05/2014 . First, many Fintech firms rely on rolling out services and products across Europe. One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they allow the general public that are over 18 to approve or disprove essential constitutional changes. Cost. Ill-informed decisions - the general public are less informed than elected politicians, and have no political . The UK's decision to leave the EU has left everyone wondering how it will affect people associated with business. On the other hand, PPC lets you buy prominent positioning on search pages, like Google, potentially bringing much larger audiences to your website. Politicians spend time becoming expert about political issues. 3. (15 Dec 2016), Examples of 'vote per household' and multi-stage elections at the municipal level This, therefore, gives the decision taken more legitimacy. One of the major advantages of a written constitution is the fact that it can be easily consulted. Representative Democracy (also called indirect democracy) - is where citizens choose others to represent them, making important decisions on their behalf. Birmingham B15 2TT Tyranny of the Majority A situation in which power over a decision is given solely to the group in the majority. Governments often choose to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public good. Despite the result, the SNP has become even stronger electorally, culminating in the winning of 56 seats in the __2015 __election. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. Unless Nicola Sturgeon has been conducted the poorest bluff in political history, it seems that Scotland is once again set for a referendum on independence. Referendums can undermine representative democracy. Included among those shocked was, apparently, the Nobel Peace Prize committee, which had prematurely rewarded president Santos with its 2016 prize. The referendum, as an instrument of political decision-making, has been the source of much consternation in 2016. Answer (1 of 4): The advantage of a referendum is that it is giving direct democratic control to the people. For example, Good Friday Agreement . For example, the EU Withdrawal Act (2018) repealed the European Communities Act (1973). Because referendums are often held on complex issues, it is easy for populism to take hold. For more information on this licence see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 . 5. It highlighted some advantages and disadvantages of putting decisions directly in the hands of citizens. resolve issues which government and individual parties are unlikely to be able to resolve easily. R. eferendums trivialise highly complex issues by oversimplifying them into a ' yes ' / ' no ' vote. One advantage of Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums Read More One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . They differ from elections- an election fills an office (so does not directly affect policy), whereas referendums do directly affect policy. Some did so, others could not. -provides a clear answer to a specific question. The question is usually designed to receive a 'yes' or 'no' answer. If Brexit goes ahead, grievances in communities will worsen, so I say to Labour colleagues: we did not get elected to make our constituents poorer and you know thats what Brexit will do. Before 1997, referendums were rarely used in the UK, due to concerns over the conflict with the principle of parliamentary democracy. Advantages and disadvantages of FPTP system, Advantages and disadvantages of Two-Round System (TRS), Proportional representation related issues, Advantages and disadvantages of Parallel systems, Advantages & Disadvantages of Limited Vote, Electoral System Tiers and Hybrid Systems, Additional Issues Relevant to Post-conflict and Transitional Elections, Electing a President - First Past The Post, Electing a President - Preferential Voting, Electing a President - Distribution Requirements, Elections for Different Tiers of Governance, Electing Federal/State Assemblies and Autonomous Jurisdictions, Design and Political issues of Referendums, Advantages and disadvantages of the citizens initiative instrument, Advantages and disadvantages of the recall instrument, Cost and Administrative Implications of Electoral Systems, Electoral Systems and the Drawing of Electoral Boundaries, Electoral Systems and the Registration of Voters, Electoral Systems and the Design and Production of Ballot Papers, Electoral Systems and Number of Polling Days, Cost and administrative implications - conclusions, Bolivia: Electoral Reform in Latin America, Brazil: Candidate-Centred PR in a Presidential System, British Columbia: Empowered Citizen Participation, Chile: A System Frozen by Elite Interests. They therefore become dominated by populism. The party promised a referendum on the decision of the Heath Government to join the EEC. Students will be required to analyse and evaluate the characteristics of different systems used in parliamentary elections and in elections to one of the devolved bodies in the UK including: debates and issues around the performance of those systems; the advantages and disadvantages of those systems List of the Pros of Referendums. This is because electors lack the expertise to vote on complicated issues like Brexit. Advantages and Disadvantages of Brexit Introduction: This paper discusses about Pros and Cons of Brexit and Impact of Brexit on UK Economy. For example, the Westminster Government under Boris Johnson have pledged to prevent a Second Scottish Independence Referendum despite the widespread support for SNP. However, when it became obvious that we simply wouldnt join a government at all without a commitment to a referendum on voting reform, their appetite for power outweighed (rightly, as it turned out) their fear of losing power . On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. This is another disadvantage associated with holding referendums in the UK as voters may lose interest in politics. 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. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. . Students looking for free, top-notch essay and term paper samples on various topics. 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