Critiques of British democracy

DO NOWWatts cites five factors that underpin liberal democracy in Britain. Which of these factors do you think has undergone the greatest change in your lifetime?

I. A history of national independence and unityII. A relatively homogenous society lacking deep

ethnic, linguistic or religious divisionsIII. A widespread pride in, and respect for, the

institutions of government IV. A preference for gradualism and peaceful

transitions over radical changeV. A strong attachment to democratic values, the

rule of law and personal freedom

Learning objectives

• To evaluate criticisms of UK democracy• To deepen our understanding of current issues

in UK Politics and Policy• To identify evidence in various sources for use

in mini-essay questions

Changes in society

• Growing dissatisfaction with governing institutions and a decline in ‘deference’

• Greater preparedness to resort to direct action in order to register protest

• Decline in ‘British’ national identity• The development of a multicultural society,

with tensions between different communities• Growing frustration over rising levels

inequality and falling rates of social mobility

Limitations in the system of government

• The persistence of undemocratic elements, notably the monarchy, the Lords and the Civil Service

• The tendency of the executive to dominate both the legislature and the judiciary

• Limitations in the representativeness of both the FPTP electoral system and the UK Party System

• Government’s vulnerability to the influence of powerful social groups, e.g. the media and pressure groups

In addition to changes in society more broadly, Cole identifies four potential limitations to the democratic legitimacy of UK’s system of government:

Declining trust in politics and politicians

• British Social Attitudes Survey (2010)• Reflects voters’ perceptions of the Parliamentary

expenses scandal (2009)• 4 in 10 respondents believed politicians no longer put

national interest above personal interest• Trust in politicians has been consistently low over the

past 20 years, with around half of people saying they did not trust politicians to tell the truth

• Trust in government hit a low of 22% in 1996 and has only nudged over 30% once in the years since then

De-classification

Over the last four decades, British society has been transformed … Social class is less important and there is greater social mobility than in the early post-1945 years. Whereas in the 1960s, two thirds of the population was described as working class and a third middle class … today the two categories are broadly equal. Education has been a great leveller, providing new opportunities for young people born into relatively poor circumstances, allowing them to acquire qualifications and to improve their job prospects and earning capacity.

(Watts: 2012)

Increasing ethnic and cultural diversity

Rising inequality

Falling social mobility