To please their own political supporters Sometimes a referendum may be held for party political reasons and in the interest of a particular party, rather than the nation as a whole. . The decision being put to the people meant it was legitimised. Similarly, in the period following the collapse of the Soviet Union there was an explosion in . Free Trade . The Scots referendum saw high levels of engagement in complex economic and constitutional issues. The referendum was a rare example of direct, or participatory, democracy in the UK. Disadv: Far too . In democracy it is generally seen that the ministers become corrupt and they favour their relatives and friends. Direct democracy - referendums give the public unmediated and direct control over a policy, making sure that the public's view is clearly articulated, not distorted by those who 'represent' them. I believe this strategy was the most likely way to keep Britain in the EU. 1. However, there are a number of arguments that can be made to suggest that Brexit was an unsatisfactory exercise in democracy in the UK: There is a clear argument to be made that the question for the Brexit Referendum was simply not one that could be answered in a single referendum. On June 23 rd, referendum was announced from European Union.It was perhaps a better decision at state level that why would their country be . For example, the Westminster Government under Boris Johnson have pledged to prevent a Second Scottish Independence Referendum despite the widespread support for SNP. Additional materials, such as the best quotations, synonyms and word definitions to make your writing easier are also offered here. (25 Marks) A referendum (sometimes referred to as a plebiscite). In the 2015 General Election UKIP won 12.6% of the votes, taking many votes away from the Conservatives. This is unlike an unwritten constitution because a written constitution is contained in one single document. The Liberal Democrats, who were long-time supporters of electoral reform, insisted on this as part of the Coalition Agreement. 10 reasons against Scottish independence. Referendums have to reduce complex issues to simple questions. Some did so, others could not. General Elections can be confusing for voters. The Act's target was for UK emissions to be cut at least 60% by 2050, though the impact assessment also considered a 70% or 80% goal. The theoretical advantage of flexibility is one that is too easily exploited for self-serving reasons. Answer (1 of 4): The advantage of a referendum is that it is giving direct democratic control to the people. The results of referendums have had major consequences. By clicking Check Writers Offers, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. Investigating any wrongdoing relating to the referendum. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. An example of a one being used for this function is the 1998 referendum which was utilized to identify whether Blair and the Labour Party should devolve power to Scotland, Wales, and . In conclusion, there are various disadvantages and advantages to discuss when looking at referendums in the UK. What are the different types of referendums? On the other hand, there are two very stark downsides to choosing a referendum as the way to resolve an issue. It says the cost of meeting the 60% carbon reduction goal, based on estimates from models of the energy system and economy, amount to between 0.3% and 1.5% of GDP, or in the range of 1.6bn to 12bn per year. Physics P1 4.4 Energy and the environment. European Communities Act (1972) -The Act of Parliament that saw Britain join the EEC in 1973. In addition to this, it covers the advantages and disadvantages of customs unions, including the loss of influence over one's country's trade policy and the possibility of . Is a vote in which the electorate can express a view on a particular issue of public policy. However, realistically most are politically binding. This took place on both sides of the debate. Rousseau and Mills argue that referendums represent the Tyranny of the majority. However, referendums have become much more commonplace since with both national referendums and a number of very significant regional referendums. In Britain, referendums had been associated with Nazi Germany, where Hitler had use plebiscites to confirm support for his policies such as making himself Fuhrer (1934) and Anschluss (1938). There was a political imperative for this as if the Government had planned for a leave vote it would have been portrayed that they did not think they could win. North-East Assembly 2004 rejected the idea of regional assemblies in the UK, with the North-East as the trial assembly. 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'. This happened in the Labour Government under Harold Wilson. Subsequent events showed that there was a wide dispersity of views on how Britain should leave the EU and what leaving even meant. A referendum is a popular vote on a single issue. This trend may be exacerbated in the case of referendums on complex issues such as constitutional change or international treaties, with which voters are likely to be unfamiliar. Switzerland has a long tradition here as well. This is another disadvantage associated with holding referendums in the UK as voters may lose interest in politics. This makes them especially vulnerable to producing decisions based on false information and/or unrealistic beliefs about what alternatives are possible - often stoked by opportunistic actors within the political system. Several arguments are advanced in support of and in opposition to referendums. You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers. A good example of this is the Good Friday Referendum in 1998 which confirmed the history agreement made in Belfast and set out how devolution would work in Northern Ireland. This would allow him to lead a yes campaign. Psephology The study of the statistics and probabilities surrounding elections. Primary Legislation Legislation passed having gone through the different stages in Parliament. The ministers indulge in corrupt practices because the people have no control over them. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. Government plans to build a network of 10 freeports after the end of the Brexit transition period are unlikely to have any material impact on the UK economy because duty savings are so small as to . There is also an argument that governments need a specific popular mandate for any transcendental changes that were not part of the original platform on which they campaigned. Disadvantages. In 2014, had the population of Scotland voted to leave the UK then primary legislation would have had to have been passed to enable this. Secondary Legislation Legislation that is delegated to Ministers or another body. Brexit is the abbreviation of "Britain Exit," which refers to the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. (19 Mar 2014), Formula for the number of Members of Parliament? A referendum is a vote provided to the general public which is determined by the federal government, and is used to help answer a crucial political or constitutional concern to which the public need to vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Another is that voters do not always have the capacity or information to make informed decisions about the issue at stake, and instead may make ill-informed decisions based on partial knowledge or on the basis of unrelated factors such as the state of the economy. The same day, a referendum in Hungary produced a 98% vote to reject the authority of the EU to mandate settlement of refugees in the country. Check out Adapt the A-level & GCSE revision timetable app. One of the major advantages of a written constitution is the fact that it can be easily consulted. At elections, voters elected representatives to take difficult decisions on their behalf. There is also an argument that governments . These include: Before the 2016 EU Referendum the question David Cameron preferred was should the UK remain a member of the EU?. constitutional change) have legitimacy, which is correct for any change that affects the governing of the country, May lead to ill-informed decisions, as the public may not know the specifics and consequences of a policy decision (unlike the government), Parliament is weakened, as sovereignty is undermined, so decisions are not made on the basis of careful discussion, debate and scrutiny, Governments can absolve themselves of responsibility, meaning they make themselves less accountable, Government could be strengthened- they decide the timing of referendums and can dominate the publicity campaign, meaning they could influence the result unfairly, Referendums provide a snapshot of public opinion at one time, so may not be the most reliable method of choosing a policy direction. A PowerPoint illustrating how referendums are used in the UK, and what their advantages are. It is entirely at the discretion of the government as to whether or not to hold a referendum. 5. In fact, it is highly unlikely they would have signed the agreement without it. 1. This therefore suggests that referendums allow the public to have more power, as there is only a general election every five years. This suggests that referendums are not usually a true rendering of the particular public wants an result to be. 2. Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. From atoms to astronomy, computers to cars and robots to robust materials, our goal is to transform our understanding of the world to make life easier, healthier and more sustainable. At least 22 francs per hour (18 euros, or $25) for each worker: This is the minimum wage proposal that the Swiss voted down on Sunday in a referendum.. . 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. These topic pages provide a quick overview and easy access to all content that can be found on ACE for any give topic of interest - weather encyclopaedia files, electoral materials, comparative data, consolidated replies, case studies, or other. On Thursday 23 June 2016 a referendum was held in order to come to a decision if the UK should remain a member of EU and more than 30 million people have voted. 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. We explore what it means to be human in historical and cultural contexts, within ethical and legal norms and through languages and communication. The only real advantage in an uncodified constitution is that it avoids all the problems involved in achieving a codified one. See all Physics resources See all Energy resources . Dr Quinn is host of POLSIS Dr Quinn is host of POLSIS Political Worldview podcast the latest edition of which discusses referendums and their perils. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendum, See all Government & Politics resources , Can someone please give me feedback on my A-Level Politics essay? 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