Suitable for intermediate CEFR B1+
Activity 1
Before reading check your understanding of new vocabulary.
Democracy in the UKActivity 1
Before reading check your understanding of new vocabulary.
The UK is a democratic
society and democracy is listed
as one of the fundamental British Values
and Principles. Every four years millions
of British citizens vote at polling
stations across the country as part of the General Election.
But what exactly is the General Election and why does
it matter?
To answer this question we first need to understand
democracy and what it means to live in a democratic society.
“Democracy
is the most valued and also the vaguest of political terms in the modern
world.”
|
- Robertson (1986)
Democracy is based on the right of every citizen over
a certain age to attend political meetings and to vote on important issues that affect people in society. In a
democracy, majority decisions can lead to new laws being passed that could
change the way society works or the way it is organised.
In the UK all citizens that have the right to vote in local and general elections
are encouraged to do so, so that the democratic process represents all
communities, and so that the Prime
Minister (the country’s political leader), and any new laws really do have
the majority support of the people of the UK.
There are two main political parties in the UK - the
Conservatives (Tories) and Labour, and several smaller parties – the Liberal
Democrats, the Green Party etc. In the General Election citizens of the UK
decide who will lead the country by voting for one of these political parties,
and the leader of the party with the most votes becomes the Prime Minister.
Each party has a manifesto
containing information about their opinions and beliefs about important issues
such as tax and public services (like education and the NHS), and voters must decide which party they believe will do a
better job of looking after the country and make it stronger for future generations.
All citizens in the UK have the right to participate
in democracy regardless of their religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or
physical well-being. Only people that have committed
crimes and are in prison are
excluded from democracy. Once a person has been released from prison they once
again have the right to take part in the democratic process.
Sound good, right?
Well yes, in theory
democracy is a very attractive system, but there can also be some challenges in
practice. For example, in our busy society how many people have time to
research important issues that affect society on a local and national level?
How many people really understand the complexities
of important issues and the consequences
of new laws? How can ordinary people be informed of these issues, and how can
we make sure that information is not biased?
It’s important to consider these questions when
reading about political issues in the news or on social media, and to develop critical thinking skills as part of engaging in the democratic process and
discussing important issues that affect society.
Activity 2
Write your own sentences using the new vocabulary in this article.
Activity 2
Write your own sentences using the new vocabulary in this article.
Activity 3
What political system does your country have? Write your answers in the comments.
#democracy #UKpolitics
