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'. To refer to . 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). In the UK holding a referendum has to be legislated for by the Westminster Parliament. Their increasing use (or at least proposal) was also partly due to the participation of the Liberal Democrats in the coalition government, the Lib Dems being the party most committed not only to constitutional reform but also the use of referendums in general. Disadvantages. 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. For example, David Cameron called the 2016 Referendum to deal with the electoral threat of UKIP whilst Tony Blair did not call a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, despite indicating he would do so. The Scottish Independence Referendum of 2014 and the Brexit Referendum of 2016 are examples of this. Unreliable views - referendums provide a gauge of public opinion at a given time, therefore being an unreliable guide to public interest and an inappropriate means of approving constitutional decisions that will have far-reaching, long-term implications. Scotland's economy will be worse off. . The increasing use of referendums in the UK has created a convention that they should be used for major constitutional change or a change to the way in which the UK is governed. In most elections this does not happen (especially under a proportional system) however in a referendum there is one winning side and one losing side. Those votes cast in marginal seats have much weight than those in safe seats where a vote is very unlikely to make a difference. Additionally, referendums can be used to educate the public and raise citizens' awareness of political issues. (03 Mar 2014), Electoral reforms made by specific assemblies Second, in the cases of difficult negotiations over a peace settlement in societies afflicted by years of civil conflict, the prospect of a popular vote on the final deal concentrates the minds of those negotiating on coming up proposals that can be politically sustained. Depending on the precise rules adopted, referendums and initiatives (20 Sep 2011), Manually counting ballots in Block Vote systems Referendums are held only at the discretion of the Government. What are the Mechanisms for Reform and Amendment? Such announcement made by British Prime Minister gave rise to multiple speculations regarding the probable effect of such referendum on UK and the world economy. Referendums allow for a single issue to be addressed on its own merits. View Do the advantages of referendums outweigh the disadvantages from MC 527 at Jackson State University. Arguably, this makes the UK more democratic as the general public have a direct say on the decisions that the government makes and although they are not lawfully binding, they successfully require the federal government and parliament to adhere to the publics outcome. However, when it became obvious that we simply wouldnt join a government at all without a commitment to a referendum on voting reform, their appetite for power outweighed (rightly, as it turned out) their fear of losing power . By clicking Check Writers Offers, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. There is a consistent danger that referendums, because of their binary nature, become dominated by wider political issues and not just the issue on the ballot paper. If there is a difficult decision to make, then a referendum can solidify support for it. Referendums are overall a good tool for democracy, as they make constitutional decisions more legitimate and provide a check on government power, however they are vulnerable to ill-informed votes and may be an inadequate method of approving constitutional changes that will have a very large impact. Now is the time for leadership, not followship. Once the UK landscape had settled, the focus shifted to the risks and opportunities facing the nation. Is the Prime Minister Effectively a President? Additionally, referendums can be used to educate the public and raise citizens awareness of political issues. Across the breadth of life and environmental sciences, we discover, apply and translate science to forge major advances in human and environmental health. Detailed lesson on referendums in the UK. One argument for independent schools is that they are like Beacon schools, showcasing the very best of education. The central governent is at Westmi. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. In total 406 constituencies voted Leave in the Brexit Referendum but only around 160 MPs had voted to leave. There is therefore a danger of neverendums. Governments often choose to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public good. Independent schools provide a very positive learning environment for their pupils, with some of the best teacher-pupil ratios in the country, excellent learner support facilities and other resources . This therefore suggests that referendums allow the public to have more power, as there is only a general election every five years. Thousands ofjobsare at stake in the North-East. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. What might be some of the weaknesses of referendums? Referendums do a good job of raising public awareness of key issues. The main purpose of the article is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Italian referendum tools and particularly the research hypothesis is to demonstrate why the turnout requirement should be abolished waiting for the work in progress people's initiative referendum draft without the participation quorum. It could prove Britain's constitutional moment. Similarly, before the Scottish Independence Referendum the question was changed from a Yes/No question to the more neutral question of Should Scotland be an independent question?. . Has sovereignty moved between different branches of government? 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. Constitutional issues are a reserved, not devolved, power. prevent government from making unpopular decisions. The advantages and the disadvantages of referendums 'In the wake of the second world war, during the process of decolonisation, several countries broke free from their erstwhile colonial overlords following successful referendums. Advantages and disadvantages of referendums ----- One of the arguments put forward against referendums is that they tend to simplify complicated problems and reduce them to yes or no answers. Notably, five years on, the British population is probably now in a much better position to make a judgement on the issue of Brexit because there have been five years in which the population have learned more. an academic expert within 3 minutes. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. Possible Constraints on a Prime Ministers Power. 3. We are improving the health of people across the world through new discoveries, treatments and patient pathways and working in partnership to build a transformative health ecosystem in our region. One of the major advantages of a written constitution is the fact that it can be easily consulted. The referendum was a rare example of direct, or participatory, democracy in the UK. Referendums allow for an individual issue to be addressed not as a broader part of party policies, but on the merits and drawbacks of it. The reasons for leaving were numerous, including questionable immigration policies, concerns over Brussels micromanaging UK affairs, and doubts about whether remaining in the EU was in the best economic interests of the UK. 4. The concept applies mainly to political divisions (political parties) among voters.The essence of such systems is that all votes cast - or almost all votes cast - contribute to the result and are effectively used to help elect someone . Referendums and consultations are a form of political education for the general population. The results of referendums have had major consequences. They have to weigh up a number of competing issues, all of which will be of differing levels of importance to different to voters. At elections, voters elected representatives to take difficult decisions on their behalf. The chaos seen after the Brexit Referendum result can in part be attributed to the failure to adequately plan for both potential scenarios. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. If Brexit goes ahead, grievances in communities will worsen, so I say to Labour colleagues: we did not get elected to make our constituents poorer and you know thats what Brexit will do. 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. The Scots referendum saw high levels of engagement in complex economic and constitutional issues. Answer (1 of 30): Good question, and one that throws a lot of confusion in the air. Take for instance, in Nigeria there is the 1999 . The parties stances on Brexit have also had electoral consequences, not least the weakening of Labours traditional working class support in some areas. Another argument advanced in favour of referendums is that they can be used to resolve political problems, particularly for incumbent governments; where a governing party is divided over an issue, for example, holding a referendum can help reach a solution on the issue without splitting the party (one example of this is the 1975 UK referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EC, an issue over which the ruling Labour government was deeply divided). Equality Feminism and Difference Feminism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Feminism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Liberalism, Measurements of Success Through Pressure Groups, Differing Views and Tensions Within Socialism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Conservatism, Public are given direct control over policy-making, ensuring their views and interests are directly reflected in policy, Helps to educate the public about important political questions, as they will be better-informed about key issues through referendum campaigns, Makes the government listen to the public more, as it is another way of voters communicating their thoughts other than just through elections, Provides a check on government power- governments dont control the outcome, Ensures that major changes (e.g. 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. For example, an individual might not understand the significance of their vote to a political question, and that it can have long term effects that they may not take into considerationwhilst voting. A post-legislative referendum This is a referendum held after a law is passed to confirm whether people are satisfied with it. Conversely, in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum the SNP at least published a White paper to show there were some plans for a potential exit. Devolution in Scotland and Wales was presented in 1998 as the bulk of the general public voted yes in regards to wanting more power. We are working with our partners to tackle inequalities in all aspects of society, striving to make change for a fairer world and one in which people can enjoy a fulfilling, rewarding life. First is their intrinsic worth as an exercise in direct democracy. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. 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. Advisory Referendum A referendum in which the result is not legally binding. We're here 24 hours a day, except from 6am to 4pm on Saturday (UTC+8). Electoral Assistance Division (EAD). 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. Psephology The study of the statistics and probabilities surrounding elections. One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . So why is this and what might the advantages and disadvantages of referendums be? resolve issues which government and individual parties are unlikely to be able to resolve easily. 1. , How would you react if Brexit was CANCELLED! 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