Living in a Democracy
•
This section focuses on the following
concepts:
1. Participation
2. Representation
3. Rights and Responsibilities
Living in a Democracy
•
It can be divided into three main
sections:
1. Politics
2. Pressure Groups
3. Trade Unions
Living in a Democracy
•
It can be divided into three main
sections:
1. Politics
2. Pressure Groups
3. Trade Unions
Politics
•
Complete the following paragraph using the word
bank below
•
The UK is a democracy and people have the right to
choose their __________ through regular
elections with a choice of political ______ and free
media. However, people also have a __________to
act within the law and to exercise their rights by
___________ in the political process.
•
Responsibility
Participating
Representatives
Parties
Politics – What you will learn:
1. Rights and Responsibilities in a
democracy
2. Right to vote
3. Representation
4. Electing an MP – First Past the Post
system
5. Advantages and Disadvantages of the
First Past the Post system
Politics – What you will learn:
6. Electing an MP – Additional Member System
7. Advantages and Disadvantages of the
Additional Member System
8. Under-representation of women and ethnic
minorities
9. How representatives help their constituents
– MPs, MSPs and councillors
10. Ways in which people can participate in
politics
Introduction - What is a
democracy?
What is a democracy?
• This is a way of running a country where
people have the right to choose who
represents them.
What is a democracy?
• This is a way of running a country where
people have the right to choose who
represents them.
• This happens though regular elections, a
choice of political parties and free
media.
Different kinds of democracy
• In a democracy, everyone
has a say in the running of
the country.
• In direct democracies, all
people in an area vote on
every issue.
• Can you think why this would
be difficult in Scotland?
Different kinds of democracy
• Can you think why this would
be difficult in Scotland?
• Too many people would be
voting all the time!
• It’s hard enough getting
people to vote once every 4
years!
• What do we do instead?
Different kinds of democracy
• What do we do instead?
Representative democracy
• This is where people in a
country elect people to
speak on their behalf.
Rights and Responsibilities in a
Democracy
• People have rights in a democracy
• However, people have the responsibility
to act within the law and exercise their
rights by taking part in the political
process.
Questions…
1. What does “freedom of speech” mean?
2. Who decides who rules a country in a
democracy?
3. Should people be allowed to criticise
their government? Explain your answer.
4. Are there any people in society that
are not allowed to vote? Do agree with
this? Explain your answer.
Task…
RIGHT
RESPONSIBILITY
The Right to Vote
•
British citizens (except the insane and
long-term prisoners) have the right to
vote if they are:
1. Over 18
2. On the electoral
register (list of voters)
Responsibilities of voters
•
Voters have the responsibility to:
1. Use their vote wisely
2. Accept the outcome of an election
Right to Stand as a Candidate
• RIGHT - All British citizens over 21
have the right to stand as a candidate
• RESPONSIBILITY – campaign within
the rules, act honestly and legally
Right to Protest
• RIGHT – to form pressure groups and
take part in meetings, demonstrations
and other forms of campaigning
• RESPONSIBILITY – respect other
people’s opinions, protest peacefully
Right to a Fair Trial
• RIGHT – To be charged within 24 hours
and brought to trial within a certain
amount of time. Right to be defended
by a lawyer.
• RESPONSIBILITY – obey the law, serve
on a jury if called, tell the truth to
police or in court
Freedom of Speech
• RIGHT – To criticise the government if
they disagree with policies or actions
• RESPONSIBILITY – not to slander (lie
about) other people or to incite religious
or racial hatred
Freedom of the Media
• RIGHT – Newspapers, TV and radio have right
to criticise government. Under the Freedom
of Information Act the media have access to
more information about the work of the
government
• RESPONSIBILITY – to report facts
accurately and fairly and not to libel (tell lies
about) people or to incite hatred
Rights and Responsibilities
• The table lists rights people have. Fill in the responsibilities that
go along with these rights.
Right
Right to vote
Right to stand as a
candidate
Right to protest
Right to a fair trial
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the media
Responsibility
HW - Past Paper Question
• Describe the rights and responsibilities
that voters in Britain have.
8 marks
Use the PEE
method:
Point
Explain
Example