Is The Uk Really A Democracy Essay - 1356 Words

IS THE UK REALLY A DEMOCRACY? A democracy, according to Abraham Lincoln, is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The word democracy comes from the Greek word demos which means â€Å"people and kratia, which means rule (http://educationportal.ontla.on.ca/en/ ). A democracy is a system where the people have a little of control over the government in some specific important processes like voting in elections and decision making. In a democracy, the majority rule and minority rights . Although there are positive sides of the United Kingdom’s democracy, there are negative sides which cause the reliability of democracy in the United Kingdom to be questionable. â€Å"Over half of the world’s countries employ some type of democracy† (Clark, 2001-2016). Democracy is a very popular system of government; In a democratic government, everyone is under the â€Å"rule of law†, people have the power to devise laws and decide how they want to be ruled. Different political sci entists have come to a conclusion that without the four basic principles; Free elections,Political participation, Civil liberties and a Functioning government, a country cannot be called a democracy (http://classroom.synonym.com/). There are two main types of democracy, the direct democracy and the indirect or representative democracy. In this essay, I am going to critically analyse the democracy in the United Kingdom, stating the strengths and the weaknesses of the democratic system in the UnitedShow MoreRelatedThe British Voting System, Undemocratic1429 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinct types of elections: UK general elections, elections to national/regional parliaments and assemblies, elections to the European Parliament, local elections and mayoral elections.(wikipedia, 2008).According to the facts and in comparison with the French and German systems, the British voting system might be undemocratic. Held generally each four years ( in the UK, Ireland, Norway) or five years( in Fran ce), elections suppose a certain democracy. But what is a democracy? Since the late nineteenthRead MoreTo What Extent Does Democracy in the Uk Suffer from a Participation Crisis?1234 Words   |  5 PagesPolitics Essay To what extent does democracy in the UK suffer from a participation crisis? (25 marks) There are a lot of 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. 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 politicalRead MoreThe Benefits of the UK Having a Constitutional Monarchy Essay1440 Words   |  6 PagesAdvantages of the UK Having a Constitutional Monarchy As we enter the 21st century, the discussion about the existence of constitutional monarchy has become more and more commonplace. The  ¡Ã‚ ®constitutional monarchy ¡Ã‚ ¯ means the monarchs powers are largely exercised by the elected government. The Queen is Head of State which means she symbolizes the ultimate sovereignty of the state and represents Britain in an official capacity when foreign Heads of state visit the UK. DifferentRead MoreHistory And Independence Of The United Kingdom1056 Words   |  5 Pagesconflict and a fear among its people. I see how immigrants are taking our jobs and the withering economy is being abused. A storm is brewing and we won’t change until we’ve boiled over, when it’s to late. We call ourselves a democracy but we are nothing but. 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As Peter Dahlgren mentions, democracy is for and about its citizens, and therefore a certain degree of civic involvement is a necessary and sufficient condition for its prosperity (2009, 14p) If the lower level of participation in democracy continues, the word democracy, originated from demos (the people) in Greek, should be changed to elite-carcyRead MoreA Steady Retreat from Democracy and a Growing Involvement in the European Union1692 Words   |  7 PagesA Stead y Retreat from Democracy and a Growing Involvement in the European Union Heywood (2002) defines the ‘European idea’ as the belief that Europe ‘constitutes a single political community’ with shared objectives and difficulties despite its historical, linguistic and cultural differences. In the 20th century the European community essentially concerned itself with defence, peace keeping, and economic progress partly in response to the devastation caused by the SecondRead MoreThe Differences Betweek the UK and US Constitutions Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Differences Betweek the UK and US Constitutions The constitution of a state, at its most basic, can be described as the fundamental principles from which it is governed, usually defining how power is split up within it and thereby constructing a framework within which it operates (www.oed.com). In this essay, I will first provide a brief summary of the UK and US constitutions and then attempt to outline the key differences and similarities between the two and discussRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Proportional Representation (PR)1175 Words   |  5 Pagessignificant questions about current political situation in the country, particularly concerning electoral system. 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Bernstien Beginning in the late 1890s a diverse group of so-called revisionist thinkers increasingly questioned theRead MoreThe First Year Of The Magna783 Words   |  4 PagesBeing the 800th anniversary year of the Magna Carta the debate of whether or not it is time for the UK to adopt a written constitution has resurfaced, paving way for contrasting arguments relating to the need for modernisation in the 21st century, against the need to retain tradition. It must be mentioned that for the purposes of this discussion the term ‘unwritten’ is in the context that the UK constitution is not recorded onto a single codified document. While not presented onto a single document