Topic 3: ARE CITIZENS IN BRITAIN DISENGAGED FROM THE POLITICAL SYSTEM?

2 Democracy in action in South Africa … … and Britain

3 BRITAIN’S ‘CRISIS’ OF ENGAGEMENT Helena Kennedy (2006) We need to “… save British democracy from meltdown” David Cameron (May 2006) “ … our democratic system isn't working … public faith in our political institutions is draining away and being replaced by a progressive and debilitating alienation.” Philip Gould (June 2006) “… we face a crisis of political engagement. The metaphor that I have long used for this crisis is the empty stadium. We who work in politics continue as normal while the audience - in this case, literally - trickles away.

4 KEY QUESTIONS Evidence Are citizens in Britain becoming disengaged from politics? Explanation If so, why are citizens disengaging from politics? Implications Does it matter if disengagement is increasing? What can be done to increase engagement?

5 WHAT IS POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT? Behaviour  Voting  Member of party  Member of group  Go on march  Write to MP  Boycott goods  Donate money Attitudes  Support for political system  Support for political actors/institutions  Political interest

6 TRUST IN GOVERNMENT “How much do you trust British governments of any party to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own political party? - Just about always - Most of the time - Only some of the time - Almost never”

7 TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, Source: Bromley et al (2004); updated using BSA

8 POLITICAL EFFICACY, Source: Bromley et al (2004); updated using BSA

9 POLITICAL INTEREST IN BRITAIN, Source: Electoral Commission, Audit of Political Engagement (2004, 2005, 2006)

10 TURNOUT: NATIONAL Source: International IDEA

11 TURNOUT ACROSS WESTERN EUROPE, Declined  Austria  Finland  France  Ireland  Luxembourg  Netherlands  Portugal  Spain  Switzerland Stayed same  Belgium  Denmark  Germany  Greece  Iceland  Norway  Sweden Source: International IDEA; see also Dalton (2002) ch3

12 EXPLAINING TURNOUT DECLINE Feature of citizens  Citizens less interested in politics than before  Citizens less trusting in politicians than before Feature of elections  Bland parties  Uncompetitive elections

13 POLITICAL TRUST AND TURNOUT: 1997 AND 2001 Source: Bromley & Curtice (2002) Table 7.11 High trust Medium trust Low trust

14 PARTY DISTINCTIVENESS AND TURNOUT, Source: Curtice (2005), Table 2

15 ELECTORAL COMPETITIVENESS AND TURNOUT, Source: Curtice (2005) Table 2 10% 16% 20% 14% 5% % Average opinion poll lead 1%

16 OTHER EXPLANATIONS OF DECLINING TURNOUT POWER inquiry (2006; chs2-3)  Citizens lack influence over political decisions  Parties not responsive to public demands Diplock et al (2002)  Political system is distant, irrelevant Kellner (2004)  Politics seen as irrelevant; doesn’t deliver what people want  Politics seen as ‘phoney’; politicians don’t tell people the truth.

17 ARE PEOPLE MOVING AWAY FROM ELECTORAL POLITICS? Fuel protests (2000) Countryside march (2002) Iraq war march (2003) Make Poverty History (2005)

18 FORMS OF NON-ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION Individual/Non-active  Donate money  Boycott goods; buy ethical goods  Sign petition Individual/Active  Contact MP or media Collective/Active  Go on demonstration  Attend political meeting or group

19 FREQUENCY OF NON-ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION, 2000 Individual / Non-active  Donate money  Signed petition 62% 42% Individual / Active  Contacted public official  Contacted the media 25% 9% Collective / Active  Raised money for organisation  Gone on demonstration 30% 5% Source: Pattie et al, 2003: Table 3.1

20 WHO PARTICIPATES? 0 actions5+ actions Manual18%24% Professional 8%47% <£10,000 per year19%25% >£50,000 per year 3%54% Education to 1519%24% Education over 19 7%50% Source: Pattie et al, 2004: Table 3.4

21 TRENDS IN NON-ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION Source: Curtice and Seyd (2002) Table 5.9

22 NON-ELECTORAL AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION Turnout in 2001 election  3+ protest actions = 80%  No protest actions = 65% Turnout among young (<35 years)  3+ protest actions = 58%  No protest actions = 46% Source: Curtice and Seyd, 2003

23 CONCLUSION: CONCERN OR OPTIMISM? CONCERNOPTIMISM Declining political trustInterest in politics still high Declining turnout Non-voting due to weak electoral competition Increasing non-electoral participation Skewed to the better resourced Abandoning ballot box for direct participation? Protest is supplement to, not replacement for, voting