Is Electoral Participation Necessary For Political...

Democracy is the rule of the people, therefore, for it to be at its full potential, citizens must participate in the decision-making process. However, for a large part of the public, political participation does not go beyond electoral participation. Nonetheless, even the most common form of political engagement, namely voting, is in decline (Whiteley, 2012, pp.37-38). Although electoral participation is not the ultimate measure of political participation, it is one of the most significant and easiest to measure. Besides voting, there are numerous ways of getting involved in politics, such as signing a petition, joining a protest or even contacting an MP. Yet a minority of citizens in Great Britain does exercise their right to influence politicians on policy-making, albeit the number of those who are engaged in politics is generally decreasing. According to Whiteley (2012, p.35) petitions are the second most common form of political participation because of the wide range of their extent – from local to national. However, with a number of websites devoted to signing petitions only, it is now easier to just click on issues that matter to citizens. Regardless of the ease of signing a petition, their efficacy can be argued to be very minimal. Amongst tens thousands of petitions on a government website, Parliament responded to or debated on only a small fraction of them. Often these initiatives are rejected on a basis of being recently discussed in Parliament or duplication ofShow MoreRela tedElectoral Systems : The Miracle On The Han River Essay959 Words   |  4 Pages Electoral Systems: The Miracle on the Han River Elections form essential determinants of the democratic levels in any states. Experience has increasingly suggested that the developments of electoral systems that conduct election activities in isolation from the broader political contests are contributing factors to any prevailing political problem that requires democratic solutions. The phrase â€Å"miracle on the Han River† describes the rapid economic development of South Korea from the 1960s onwardsRead MoreIs The Uk Really A Democracy? Essay1356 Words   |  6 Pagesa 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 scientists 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 mai n types of democracy, the direct democracy and the indirectRead MoreDemocracy Requires Participation Essay1021 Words   |  5 Pagesautocratic and simply takes the law into his or her own hands, but rather that each citizen has the responsibility to actively participate in this large-scale experiment known as American Democracy. Therefore, the problem of declining voter participation is a serious one indeed. Several reasons for this enigmatic conundrum of voter apathy have become apparent in recent years. In many presidential elections, numerous Americans have found themselves compromising their views and voting not forRead MoreWomen And Women s Political Status1632 Words   |  7 Pagesgendered occupation. Men and women have been socially constructed to believe only men are capable of political representation. The problem lies within an institutional bias, where unnatural distinctions have been put in place from a young age. In New Zealand, the presence and contribution of women have been pivotal to the make up of contemporary party politics. Achieving parliamentary recognition and political representation peaked during the 1970s when the country was experiencing large changes in itsRead MoreThe Voting Rights Act Of 19651549 Words   |  7 Pagesstrategic frameworks that were to guide towards a new era devoid of discrimination. The aspect of political participation was one fundamenta l instrument that was subsequently integrated into the American social dynamics. The enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to empower the minority groups to participate in the electoral processes, and to eliminate the barriers that existed in the political landscape. Some of the achievements of the act included the elimination of legislations that promotedRead MoreInfluence of Compulsory Voting1626 Words   |  7 Pagescountry, should pass a policy of compulsory voting would be against the very foundation of freedom that defines a democratic state. It brings to mind three questions with it, is voting a right or duty, does it change the level of intelligent political participation, and does the compulsion goes against all that is democracy? Voting: Right or Duty? The question of whether voting should be a right or duty is a question that is integral to answering whether voting should be mandatory. To make voting mandatoryRead MoreEssay on America Needs Voting Reform832 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the new millennium. Voting reforms are necessary to inspire political participation for other modifications and adjustments needed in areas such as health care, education, and Social Security, all which we as young people will face in the future. Participation in elections is necessary to facilitate and enable progress, but our present day system of voting is expiring by frustrated Americans. Past elections have proven that our current electoral system is insufficient and an alternative isRead MoreGiven The Increasing Decline In Turnout For Elections,1477 Words   |  6 Pagesvoting should be introduced in the UK and other advanced democracies. Proponents of compulsory voting would argue that voting is a civic duty, similar to paying tax or serving on a jury. They would also contend that it would lead to increased political participation and engagement and that parliament would become more truly representative and considerate of the whole electorate. Opponents, on the other hand, would mainly argue that making voting compulsory would be an infringement on the rights of theRead MoreCorrelation Between Rural Poverty And Voting1424 Words   |  6 Pagesanalysis of rural/poverty and its implications on voter turnout can be summarized in two conclusions. First, there is a positive correlation between poverty and aspects of electoral participation, this includes, but is not l imited to voting, attending community meetings and contact informal leaders. Poverty is positive for political activing before, during and after elections. This is significant because, in terms of local community and municipal elections (attending community meeting, contacting informalRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women1546 Words   |  7 PagesNepal In 2008, post the major changes in law in Nepal, which mandated that at least 33% of electoral Candidates overall were to be women, the country became the first in Asia to pass the 30% mark for women parliamentarians. Women won 197 (32.8%) of 601 seats. But it had taken a great deal of work, activism, training and lobbying.UNIFEM, in partnership with the National Commission for Women and local NGOs, boosted efforts that contributed to this historic representation of women. With support from