The use of referendums as a political tool to settle controversial issues, usually of great constitutional significance, has become increasingly popular in the United Kingdom since the Tony Blair Labour government.
Admittedly, it is understandable why so many people, particularly of a libertarian stance, strongly advocate the use of referendums - and that is simply due to the fact that they demonstrate the pure voice of the people, a direct democracy, unaltered by the distorting effects that corrupts the legitimacy of representative democracy.
However, the fundamental reason why governments have experimented with the use of referendums is to be able to conclusively solve conflicts and disputes within the political system in order to stave off a crisis. But this does not always happen, in fact, referendums can often result in more harm than good. These are the reasons why ...
Perhaps one of the most renowned concerns about the use of referendums is the potential it has to allow a majority of voters to compress the rights of minorities. This is known as 'tyranny of the majority'. The most prominent example of this was of course seen in the 2016 EU membership referendum when the majority of citizens in both Scotland and Northern Ireland were unwillingly dragged out of the European Union against its will, as 52% of the United Kingdom as a whole opted to leave. The same can also be applied to London where 60% of the population voted to remain. Usually in a democratically representative scenario, such as a general election, elected MPs can find compromises between the majorities and the minorities. However, the nature of the 2016 EU referendum as well as the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum, which required a straight yes or no / leave or remain answer, meant that consensus between opposing sides have even till this day, never been achieved.
This is certainly not a new concern either, as far back as 1790, the politician and writer Edmund Burke, criticized the use of direct democracy, arguing that are 'tyranny of a multitude is a multiplied tyranny'. In other words, referendums can be seen as a form of democratic suppression - for example the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum, which suppressed any hopes for the Liberal Democrats or any minor political party to realistically gain a stronger voice in the House of Commons through a more representative electoral system.
It is also clear that in instances where a large proportion of the electorate are not sufficiently informed of the the complexities of the issues being discussed, voters are more likely to be driven by transient whims than be careful contemplation. Elected politicians are much less likely to fall victim to this This means that the electorate can be easily swayed by strong political personalities, extensive propaganda, expensive advertising campaigns and even intimidation. The 2016 EU referendum campaign was plagued with misinformation that without doubt affected the result of the vote. Eurosceptic politician Micheal Gove sparked a wave of unnecessary xenophobia in the British people in the lead up to the vote by assuring the British people that Turkey was going to join the EU, and if Britain stayed as a member, millions of people would flock into the UK. This was simply not the case. It wasn't until 2018 until Gove admitted that fears of Turkish immigration should not have been exploited. In addition, influential 20th century fascist dictators such as Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler were both known to use the the plebiscite (a direct vote) to disguise their aggressive and racist policies as populism, or as a way to further legitimize their authority. It could be argued that the result of the 2016 EU referendum is a demonstration of the underlying xenophobia of wider British society concealed as populism too.
There are also a series of minor issues ... For example, what happens if the turnout is very low, as with the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum or the 2005 Congestion Charge referendum, with popular turnouts of 42% and 61% respectfully. Are results such as these democratically valid?
Low voter turnout compounded with a very close outcome, notably the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum when there was only a 1% difference and a 50% turnout, can cause even greater political obscurity. leaving a major question mark over the legitimacy of the Welsh Assembly.
Referendums ultimately divide communities, not unite them.
Written by Con Gallagher - Instagram @politicsbloguk
Comments