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Condition of Democracy in the UK. Dr Maurice Mullard 5 December 2008. Condition and Health of British Democracy. Decline of Parliament Political Parties Party discipline Briefings on policy statements bypassing Parliament Mrs Thatcher One of Us Blair Sofa Government
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Condition of Democracy in the UK Dr Maurice Mullard 5 December 2008
Condition and Health of British Democracy • Decline of Parliament Political Parties Party discipline Briefings on policy statements bypassing Parliament • Mrs Thatcher One of Us Blair Sofa Government • Brown proposals to strengthen Parliament
Strengthen Parliament • Blair press as Feral Beasts • Iraq War lessons for democracy • Appointments • Select Committees • Decision on going to war
New Politics • The Global challenge the need for expertise the idea of a British interest beyond parties • Crime Race and Immigration should not be polarising issues • Citizen jurors give data and information be part of policy making
What role political parties • Parties do make a difference • Achievements of government • Ideology • Expectations
The New democracy of the Internet • Getting Information • Political Blog • The break with elites • Pandora’s Box • Elites and mob rule • Assault on reason
The Constitution • UK Bill of Rights • Human Rights Act • Devolution • Local government • Citizens jury
PROBLEMS WITH DEMOCRACY • How do we read the history of democracy • Born of struggles – hopes and optimism • To challenge elite power • That politics does matter
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY • Social Policy and Welfare States – part of the optimism and the promise • Human rights • Accountability • Political parties
DISILLUSIONMENTS • OLIGARCHY – ELITES • GLOBAL BUSINESS ELITES – DISTORT DEMOCRACY FINANCE FOR POLITICAL PARTIES • BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT • INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION IN THE POLICY PROCESS
THE PASSIVE CONSUMER CITIZEN • FROM PUBLIC TO CITIZEN AS CONSUMER • POLITICS AND THE MEDIA • THE LOSS OF IDEOLOGY • THE NEW ANTI POLITICS
Post democracy • Political vacuum the emergence of new social movements • New technologies blogging – the internet • The sound bite politics • Surveillance and the State
POLITICAL IMAGES • Passivity and legitimacy • New Elites and income inequalities • Politics represent views • End of collectivism and class struggles