Money, Sex and PowerMoney, Sex and Power

Week 6Week 6

Remedying the Democratic Remedying the Democratic Deficit:Deficit:

Blair’s ‘babes’ and the Blair’s ‘babes’ and the feminisation of UK politicsfeminisation of UK politics

Lecture outlineLecture outline

►The democratic deficit –what is it?The democratic deficit –what is it?►Does it matter who represents us?Does it matter who represents us?►What has been done to try to remedy What has been done to try to remedy

the democratic deficit?the democratic deficit?►Have women’s issues and concerns Have women’s issues and concerns

been integrated into political life, i.e. been integrated into political life, i.e. has politics been feminised?has politics been feminised?

Democratic deficit – what is Democratic deficit – what is it?it?

Political representatives don’t reflect the Political representatives don’t reflect the social composition of the electoratesocial composition of the electorate

Representation complex conceptRepresentation complex concept►1. Symbolic1. Symbolic►2. Delegate/representative2. Delegate/representative►3. Demographic3. Demographic

Demographic representation important Demographic representation important for idea of democratic deficitfor idea of democratic deficit

Demographic concept of Demographic concept of representationrepresentation

►Composition of legislative assembly Composition of legislative assembly should reflect composition of should reflect composition of society/community – should ‘describe’ itsociety/community – should ‘describe’ it

►Like a statistically representative Like a statistically representative samplesample

►Quantitative concept of representationQuantitative concept of representation►Assumes that members of social group Assumes that members of social group

are only ones who can represent the are only ones who can represent the interests of that group (women, ethnic interests of that group (women, ethnic minorities)minorities)

Female suffrageFemale suffrage

► Campaigners argued that once women had Campaigners argued that once women had vote they’d be able to bring about changevote they’d be able to bring about change

► Political equality would bring about other Political equality would bring about other forms of equalityforms of equality

► A change in numerical representation would A change in numerical representation would bring about change in policies that affected bring about change in policies that affected womenwomen

►Descriptive representation would lead to Descriptive representation would lead to substantive representationsubstantive representation

Problems with descriptive Problems with descriptive representationrepresentation

► No necessary link between social No necessary link between social background/group membership and political background/group membership and political beliefsbeliefs

► If taken to extreme get situation where no one If taken to extreme get situation where no one can represent anyone else because don’t have can represent anyone else because don’t have exactly the same social backgroundexactly the same social background

► Despite this, elected assembly that’s Despite this, elected assembly that’s unbalanced in social composition still seen as unbalanced in social composition still seen as less than democraticless than democratic

► Most legislative assemblies extremely Most legislative assemblies extremely undemocratic if measured in this wayundemocratic if measured in this way

Unrepresentative UK Parliament Unrepresentative UK Parliament (2010)(2010)

► Age – 56% aged 50 or over, 34% of population Age – 56% aged 50 or over, 34% of population (2002) – current parliament average age 50(2002) – current parliament average age 50

► Gender - 506 men, 143 (22%) women Gender - 506 men, 143 (22%) women ► Occupation - Cons - journalists, company directors, Occupation - Cons - journalists, company directors,

bankers, financiers, barristers (private sector)bankers, financiers, barristers (private sector)► Lab - teachers, lecturers, local govt workers (public Lab - teachers, lecturers, local govt workers (public

sector)sector)► Education - 9/10 University, 3/10 Oxbridge, 20 Education - 9/10 University, 3/10 Oxbridge, 20

EtoniansEtonians► 54% Cons fee paying school, 40% Lib Dems, 15% 54% Cons fee paying school, 40% Lib Dems, 15%

LabLab► Ethnicity - 27 MPs from ethnic minoritiesEthnicity - 27 MPs from ethnic minorities

Effects of women’s under-Effects of women’s under-representationrepresentation

1.1. Effects on democracy and egalitarianismEffects on democracy and egalitarianism

2.2. Affects legitimacy of a democratic Affects legitimacy of a democratic systemsystem

3.3. Women and men may have different Women and men may have different interestsinterests

4.4. Scope and form of politics restrictedScope and form of politics restricted

5.5. Inefficient use of human resourcesInefficient use of human resources

6.6. Socially unjustSocially unjust

What is to be done?What is to be done?

1.1. Do nothing and wait for time to take Do nothing and wait for time to take its courseits course

2.2. Equality rhetoricEquality rhetoric

3.3. Equality promotionEquality promotion

4.4. Affirmative/positive actionAffirmative/positive action

All-women shortlistsAll-women shortlists► In UK 1In UK 1stst past the post electoral system past the post electoral system►Discriminatory and non-representative Discriminatory and non-representative

compared with Proportional Representationcompared with Proportional Representation►Women candidates often seen as an Women candidates often seen as an

electoral liability, given marginal seatselectoral liability, given marginal seats►Gender divide reinforced by media, Gender divide reinforced by media,

women’s contribution trivialisedwomen’s contribution trivialised►With PR more women would be elected With PR more women would be elected

(Scotland and Wales)(Scotland and Wales)

Remedying the democratic Remedying the democratic deficitdeficit

►Labour introduced women-only shortlists in Labour introduced women-only shortlists in 19931993

►Challenged in court by two male applicantsChallenged in court by two male applicants►SDA 1975 ambiguous but challenge upheldSDA 1975 ambiguous but challenge upheld►2002 amended SDA (Election Candidates) 2002 amended SDA (Election Candidates)

Act Act ►Became legally permissible to take positive Became legally permissible to take positive

action in selection proceduresaction in selection procedures

Increasing the number of Increasing the number of women candidateswomen candidates

►2015 - Important as SDA (Election 2015 - Important as SDA (Election Candidates) expiresCandidates) expires

►Result of all-women shortlists used by Result of all-women shortlists used by Labour was that the number of women Labour was that the number of women MPs increasedMPs increased

►1997 proportion of women MPs went 1997 proportion of women MPs went from 9% to 18%, 120 women MPsfrom 9% to 18%, 120 women MPs

►2005 election - Lab 27.5%, Lib Dem 2005 election - Lab 27.5%, Lib Dem 16.1%, Cons 8.6% 16.1%, Cons 8.6%

Women MPs in 2010Women MPs in 2010

Lab LD C Lab LD C OtherOther

Male 258 54 180 28Male 258 54 180 28

Female 96 9 17 4Female 96 9 17 4

Women MPs 19.7% of all MPs in House of Women MPs 19.7% of all MPs in House of CommonsCommons

What differences have women What differences have women made?made?

►Domestic violence policy developedDomestic violence policy developed►National Childcare strategyNational Childcare strategy►Other women friendly measuresOther women friendly measures► Intervening on ‘women’s issues’Intervening on ‘women’s issues’►Does this imply a feminisation of Does this imply a feminisation of

politics?politics?►Two possible interpretationsTwo possible interpretations

Feminisation of politics?Feminisation of politics?

1.1. UK politics still male dominated and UK politics still male dominated and masculinisedmasculinised

(See Cowley, 1999 and Childs, 2001)(See Cowley, 1999 and Childs, 2001)

2.2. Has been a feminisation of UK Has been a feminisation of UK politics, women simply being there politics, women simply being there makes a difference (Ann Phillips)makes a difference (Ann Phillips)

Voter turnoutVoter turnout

►UK seen a considerable drop in voter UK seen a considerable drop in voter turnoutturnout

►2001 general election 59.4% turnout, 2001 general election 59.4% turnout, compared with 2005 when there was a compared with 2005 when there was a 61.4% turnout and 2010 with a 65.1% 61.4% turnout and 2010 with a 65.1% turnoutturnout

►Younger people, working-class and ethnic Younger people, working-class and ethnic minorities more disillusioned with minorities more disillusioned with conventional politics than white, middle-conventional politics than white, middle-class, older peopleclass, older people

ConclusionConclusion

►Democratic deficit – political Democratic deficit – political representatives don’t reflect the representatives don’t reflect the composition of the populationcomposition of the population

►This is important for equality and social This is important for equality and social justicejustice

►For women’s descriptive representation For women’s descriptive representation and that of other minority groups to be and that of other minority groups to be translated into substantive representationtranslated into substantive representation

►And on grounds of legitimacyAnd on grounds of legitimacy

ConclusionConclusion

Women make a difference to:Women make a difference to:►The way politics is doneThe way politics is done►The working environmentThe working environment►The political cultureThe political culture►Policy developmentPolicy development

Descriptive representation is translated Descriptive representation is translated into substantive representationinto substantive representation

Is politics feminised?Is politics feminised?

►Little evidence of feminisation of Little evidence of feminisation of politicspolitics

►Political institutions are culturally Political institutions are culturally masculinistmasculinist

► Institutionalise a particular form of Institutionalise a particular form of masculinitymasculinity

►Some evidence that Wales and Some evidence that Wales and Scotland more feminised Scotland more feminised