Hello.

My name's Ms. Ikomi and I'm a teacher from London.

I'm going to be taking you through today's lesson, so let's get started.

Today's lesson is called, what does it mean to live in a democracy? It's part of the wider unit practising what we have learned.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain the main features of representative democracy and explore the issues around balancing democratic values with our rights.

The key words we're going to hear in today's lesson include representative democracy.

This is a type of democracy where citizens choose others to represent them in making important decisions on their behalf.

And democratic values.

These are the fundamental principles that guide democratic systems of governance and ensure the protection of individual rights and the fair participation of all citizens in political life.

We're going to begin by thinking about what are the features of representative democracy? This lesson is going to help you revise some key concepts for GCSE citizenship studies, so hopefully some of this will feel familiar.

We're going to begin with the word democracy.

Breaking this word down into its parts gives us a good indication of its definition.

The first part comes from the Greek word demos.

This means the people.

The second part comes from the Greek word kratia.

This means power or to rule.

Together, it is thought to mean the rule of the people, which means democracy is a system of government in which power is given to citizens within a particular place.

The power can be exercised by citizens directly or through an elective representative.

Let's do a quick check to see what we've done so far.

Which of the following is the definition of democracy? Is it, A, a system where citizens can vote to elect representatives who make laws and decisions? B, a Greek word that refers to all the freedoms that you're entitled to.

Or, C, someone who works towards making a positive change in society? Pause the video and choose the correct answer now.

The correct answer is A.

One of the key features of democracy is free and fair elections.

Elections are whereby you go and vote for the person who is ultimately going to represent you and have a big impact on your day-to-day life.

These being free and fair is particularly important feature.

Sometimes we have elections that aren't necessarily free or fair in countries whereby they don't have democracies.

So, therefore, this element of it is really key.

In the UK, elections are held regularly.

We have a general election at least every five years and local elections at least every four years.

Some of the other key features of democracy include the fact that our votes are cast using a secret ballot.

Izzy's asking, "What is a secret ballot?" This is a really good question.

A secret ballot is a voting method in which voters' identity in an election is kept anonymous.

This is one of the really important principles that makes elections free and fair so nobody can tell who you specifically are voting for.

Another feature is that everyone who is entitled to can vote.

This is known as universal suffrage.

Suffrage means the right to vote.

Not everybody is entitled to vote.

Let's do a check.

Universal suffrage means that all people can vote.

Is this true or false? Can you also have a think about why you've chosen that answer? The correct answer is false.

This is because universal suffrage means that almost all adults in the country have the right to vote.

It doesn't mean that everyone can vote.

For example, you have to be eligible.

In the UK, that might mean that you have to be old enough and legally a citizen of the UK, so that wouldn't include everyone.

For representative democracy to be effective, citizens need to have their human rights protected.

Human rights are all things that people are universally entitled to.

Effective human rights are a really key feature of democratic countries.

For example, in a democracy, citizens need to have freedom of speech.

This is to be able to discuss politics and democracy freely.

Freedom of association.

This is to be able to freely join different groups.

And freedom of assembly, this is to peacefully protest about issues that might matter to different citizens.

Andeep's telling us, "Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that all people are entitled to." In a representative democracy, citizens elect their lawmakers, and therefore it's important that citizens have the right to be treated equally under the law.

The law protects our rights and treats all people equally.

All people within a community are expected to uphold the law no matter who they are.

We can see that this is a balance between giving people rights and also there being expectations around responsibilities.

We can't have one without the other.

Let's do another check.

Which of the following is not a key feature of democracy? Is it, A, the protection of our basic human rights? B, all that are entitled to can vote.

C, all people are treated equally under the law.

Or, D, a group of people living in the same place.

Pause the video and choose which of those is not a key feature of democracy.

The correct answer is D.

Lucas has explained why democracy matters to us as members of a community.

Read Lucas' response and give one more reason why democracy matters in communities.

Lucas has said, "As we live in a democratic country, democracy is really important and matters to us in a community.

It means we vote for our leaders and have freedom to do so.

Our votes guide the decisions of the government.

This shows that our voice matters and this helps feel valued as individuals and within our communities.

Pause the video and have a go adding to this now.

You might have said, another reason why democracy matters in communities is because it's also about how we live together and how we make decisions together, even while disagreeing.

It is both a way of life and a system of governance.

To remain peaceful and stable, disagreement must be grounded in mutual respect and tolerance.

In addition to central democracy, the UK also has local democracy through local government.

They don't make laws that manage services and make policies about things that affect everyday life for the people living in that particular area.

Most local governments in the UK are called councils.

For example, Newport City Council.

We can see it marked there on the map of the UK.

Highland Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council, and Norfolk County Council.

These are just some examples of the many, many different councils we can find around the UK.

Local democracy is about decisions made in your local area and how you can influence them.

The power to make decisions at a local or regional level in villages, towns, cities, and counties usually rest with local councils or elected mayors.

They make important decisions about local services like rubbish and recycling collections, roads and often facilities like leisure centres, public libraries, and social services.

Sometimes it makes sense to have local organisations making these decisions because a decision made at a national level may not necessarily work in one part of the country in the same way as it could in another.

So, it's important that we have both local and national forms of democracy.

Let's do another check.

Local government can make, A, changes to national laws.

B, changes to public services.

C, changes in Parliament.

Or, D, changes in the voting system.

Pause the video and choose the correct answer now.

The correct answer is B.

Sofia's telling us, direct democracy is when citizens can make decisions directly.

In the UK, we have representative democracy, which is when representatives make decisions on their behalf.

What Sofia is telling us is true.

However, Alex is reminding us it's not that citizens don't get a choice at all.

In a representative democracy, citizens get to elect leaders who they believe best represent their needs.

In a representative democracy, citizens choose the representatives.

Then, those elected leaders will make decisions on behalf of the citizens.

They're always thinking about the needs and the interests of those citizens when they are making those decisions.

We can see a diagram of how this might work here.

We have our citizens.

We have those representatives who have been elected by those same citizens.

They then will make sure that they're thinking about the people who voted them in before they make their choices.

We can see how that might be split up.

The UK is a representative democracy.

This has developed over many centuries to its current form.

Until 1215, England was ruled by a monarchy.

This had almost complete power.

In 1215, Magna Carta was introduced to limit the monarch's power and protect the rights of barons and free men.

This really important document is one of the first steps towards giving people a say in how the country was run.

It introduced the idea that leaders should be accountable to the people.

This was an early step towards representative democracy.

It also set out the really important principle that everybody is equal before the law.

We can see a picture of the Magna Carta on the slide.

In 1689, the monarchs at the time signed an agreement, the Bill of Rights, to give most power to Parliament, making England one of the first representative democracies.

We can see a picture of the Bill of Rights of 1689 being approved.

Today, citizens of the UK vote in elections for leaders on a local, regional, and national level.

They pick leaders who they believe will have their needs and interests in mind for making decisions on their behalf.

The elected leaders all work in different geographical areas with different priorities and responsibilities.

However, they share a common goal and that is to represent the interests of the people that they serve.

For example, the way members of Parliament can represent UK citizens are by raising citizens' concerns in Parliament.

They're there to highlight issues and also question ministers.

Debate and vote on laws in Parliament based on the best interests of their constituents.

Scrutinise the government to ensure that it's working effectively for UK citizens and they're not making decisions that aren't going to benefit people across the country.

We can see a picture of the House of Commons where members of Parliament will meet to have these debates.

Representative democracy can work really well.

This is because it means that everyone is still represented even in larger populations where it may not make sense for us to have direct democracy in every instance.

If citizens don't have a detailed knowledge of a potentially complex issue, there are people that have the knowledge, skills, and understanding to make those final decisions for them.

It doesn't involve every person having to vote, so therefore, it speeds up decision making in a way that it wouldn't have if everyone was voting on individual issues.

It can mean that minority opinions are heard because representatives can speak up on their behalf rather than those viewpoints being missed.

Although citizens don't vote directly for decisions in a representative democracy, they can still have a say in other ways.

For example, voting in elections for the person they think best represents those interests.

Getting involved by signing petitions, joining protests or demonstrations to show feelings of matters of public concern.

Contacting their representatives to express their views on matters that are important to them or their community.

And voting in referendums, which is a form of direct democracy, or taking part in public consultations and attending meetings.

Let's do another check.

Discuss two advantages of using representative democracy as a form of governance.

Pause the video and choose your answer now.

You might have said, one advantage is efficiency.

Representative democracy is more practical for large populations.

This is because elected officials can make decisions on behalf of many people without needing everyone to vote on every issue.

A second advantage is expertise.

Elected representatives often have the experience and knowledge needed to make informed decisions on complex matters.

We're going to do a longer task to help us put into practise what we've done so far.

Andeep doesn't quite understand representative democracy.

What might you say to help clear up his misunderstanding? Andeep says, "Representative democracy means that citizens do not get a say in how the country is wrong 'cause all the decisions are made by the representatives." Pause the video and have a go at correcting Andeep now.

You might say, you are almost right, Andeep.

In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, but they can also influence policies through voting and elections, contacting their representatives, and sometimes even through referendums. Representatives are expected to act in the best interest of the people who elect them.

Next, we're going to consider how can we balance democratic values with rights? To live in a democracy means to uphold democratic values.

These are the fundamental principles that guide democratic systems of governance.

They ensure the protection of individual rights and the fair participation of all citizens in political life.

These values support the functioning of democracy.

They uphold the dignity and freedom of individuals and their protected characteristics.

We can see that nine protected characteristics that are protected under the Equality Act on the slide there.

Democratic values include freedom, the right to express opinions, practise religion, and live without oppressive restrictions.

Equality, this means all individuals are equal before the law and have equal access to political and civil rights.

Justice, this is the fair and impartial treatment under the law and a legal system that protects individuals' rights.

Rule of law.

Everyone, including leaders, must obey the law and nobody is above it.

Democratic values also include participation.

Citizens have the right and responsibility to take part in political processes, especially voting.

Accountability, elected leaders are responsible to the people and must act transparently and justify their decisions.

Tolerance, this is respect for differing opinions, beliefs, cultures, and identities within society.

And human rights.

This is the recognition and protection of basic rights such as freedom of speech, privacy, and protection from discrimination.

Let's do a quick check.

I'd like you to match up the democratic value with its meaning.

Pause the video and have a go at this now.

Let's check our answers.

The first one, justice goes with B, fair and impartial treatment under the law.

The rule of law, this is D.

Everyone must obey the law.

Accountability, this is elected leaders must justify the decisions.

And tolerance, respect for differences in society.

Balancing democratic values with individual rights is a key challenge in any democratic society.

Democracy is based on principles such as majority rule, political participation, and freedom of expression.

However, these values must be balanced with the protection of individual rights, which are often enshrined in law and protected by institutions like the judiciary.

For example, while freedom of speech is a core democratic value, it may need to be limited if it incites violence or spreads hate.

The UK uses laws, like the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 to protect rights while ensuring that democracy functions fairly.

These laws will help prevent the tyranny of the majority, where preferences of the majority might discriminate against minorities if left unchecked.

A good example of balancing these principles is seen in debates over freedom of protest.

In a democracy, people must be able to peacefully protest to express views and influence decision making.

However, this right is not unlimited.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 introduced restrictions on protests that caused serious disruption, raising concerns from the public about whether this limits democratic participation too much.

Critics argue that too much restriction undermines democracy by silencing dissent, dissent is the act of disagreeing, while supporters claim it's necessary to have certain restrictions in order to protect public order and other people's rights.

We are balancing up people's right to protest and other people's right to be safe within those spaces.

Let's do a check.

Explain one reason why the right to freedom of speech is limited in a representative democracy.

Pause the video and have a go at this now.

You might have said, one reason is because it might enable people to incite violence and hate speech, which is illegal.

Laws like the Equality Act 2010 are put in place to limit the freedom of speech to encourage community cohesion.

Another example of balancing these democratic values with individual rights can be seen in the debate over the freedom of the press and national security.

A free press is having media outlets be able to publish things even if they go against the government or the people who are ruling.

It means that you have a lack of censorship.

A free press is essential in a democracy because it holds those in power accountable.

It also informs the public about what's going on and encourages open debate, even if that's going against the people who are currently leading.

However, this freedom can sometimes come into conflict with the need to protect national security or prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation.

For example, if journalists published sensitive military or intelligence information, it could put lives at risk or damage national interests.

In the UK, laws such as the Official Secrets Act, which is passed by Parliament in 1911, are used to restrict the publication of certain types of classified information in order to keep the majority of people safe.

While some argue that these laws like the Official Secrets Act are necessary to protect the country, others believe that they can be used to limit transparency and abuse of power.

The challenge is to allow journalists to investigate and report freely whilst ensuring the information critical to public safety is appropriately protected.

Striking a careful balance between openness and security is really important.

Let's do a check.

What law is used to restrict the publication of certain types of classified information? Pause the video and choose the correct answer now.

The correct answer is D, the Official Secrets Act.

We're going to a longer task now to put this into practise.

I would like you to read Source A and explain how democratic values can come into conflict with individual rights in a representative democracy.

Source A says, a recent government policy has introduced stricter limits on public protests to reduce disruption to transport and businesses.

Supporters say this protects the public, while critics argue it limits free expression and the right to protest.

Pause the video and have a go at this task now.

Let's have a think about what we could have included in our answer.

You might have said, Source A highlights a government policy that limits public protest to reduce disruption.

This shows a clear conflict between democratic values and individual rights.

In a representative democracy, the right to protest is an important way for people to express dissent and influence decisions.

However, this can come into conflict with the need to maintain public order and protect other citizens from serious disruption.

This reflects the balance between freedom of expression and majority rule.

While democratic values in a representative democracy support participation, the government must also protect the rights of the wider public.

Similar debates are taken place around the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, where some argue restrictions on protests go too far and threaten democracy.

Others say they're necessary to keep public safe.

Balancing these rights requires careful decisions in a representative democracy, laws and institutions to ensure no group's rights are ignored and the Equality Act 2010 is upheld.

Today we have been thinking about what does it mean to live in a democracy? Democracy means the rule of the people, a system of government in which power is given to citizens.

We've learned that representative democracy is where citizens choose others to represent them in making important decisions on their behalf.

Features of a representative democracy include upholding democratic values like freedom, justice, rule of law, participation, accountability, tolerance, and human rights.

Balancing democratic values with rights means protecting individual freedoms like speech and protest while ensuring laws and institutions prevent unfair treatment, such as hate speech or disorder.

This is managed by UK laws like the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010, and judicial oversight to maintain both public order and freedom.

That's the end of today's lesson.

Thank you for joining me.