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UCL Uncovering Politics

How Can We Fix Our Democracy?

Jun 1, 2023
39:47

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Quick takeaways

  • Citizens need to actively participate in the political process and feel represented, which can be achieved through improved education, media literacy, and access to information.
  • Citizens' assemblies offer a means to inject deliberative and representative elements into decision-making, complementing existing elected institutions and fostering inclusive democracy.

Deep dives

Challenges in UK Democracy

The UK's democracy is falling short in terms of citizen participation, unequal participation among different groups, and inadequate representation. Participation in the democratic process is low, with many people only voting and not engaging further. Certain groups, such as the young and disadvantaged, participate less than others. Representation is also lacking, although there have been improvements for women and ethnic minorities. However, representation for those without university degrees has declined. In addition, policy failures and misjudged decision-making contribute to a lack of trust in the system. The balance of power between government and checks and balances is skewed, resulting in corruption and inadequate scrutiny. Furthermore, the democratic discourse often lacks thoughtful and evidenced-based discussions, hindering productive policy-making. These challenges are not unique to the UK and are present in many democracies around the world.

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