AFTER-READING activity. is a form of democracy that favours decentralisation and participation, the widest possible dispersal of political power.

•

is a form of democracy that favours decentralisation and participation, the widest possible dispersal of political power.

 

Read the text in more depth to do the 'After-reading' exercises

Ex. 1. 2.

1. Comprehension questions:

What are the different ways of construing the term 'the people'?

What is the interpretation of the principle 'government by the

people*?

What devices guarantee popular participation in 'direct

democracy'?

4. 5. 6. 7.

What is the key feature of'representative democracy'?

What lies behind the principle 'government for the people'?

What gives voting its democratic character?

What are the grounds for the claim that 'a true democracy can

be equated with absolute dictatorship?

How does 'radical democracy' differ from other conceptions of

democracy?

What is the feminists' stance on the matter?

Ex. 2. Terminolog y/ concepts:

A. Learn the terminology:

totalitarian democracy - тоталитарная демократия majoritarianism - мажоританизм political equality — политическое равенство radical democracy - радикальная демократия plebiscitary democracy — плебисцитная/плебисцитарная демократия deliberative democracy - делиберативная (совещательная) демо­кратия

B. Match the above notions with the definitions:

•... is a form of democracy that emphasises the need for

discourse and debate to help define the public interests.

•... is absolute dictatorship that masquerades as a democracy,

typically based on the leader's claim to a monopoly of ideological wisdom.

•... is a theory or practice in which priority is accorded to the

will of the numerically strongest.

•... is an equal distribution of political power and influence,

•... is a form of democratic rule that operates through

unmediated link between the rulers and the ruled.

♦ Work with the dictionary and consult the text to do ex. 3, 4

Ex. 3. Translate from English into Russian:

Popular participation entails direct and continuous involvement; to kick the rascals out; plebiscitary democracy; to make politicians publicly accountable; ritualised submission, orchestrated through marches and demonstrations; to lay down a framework.

Ex. 4. Translate from Russian into English:

Средства; диалоговое (интерактивное) телевидение; политики несут ответственность; не предоставлять больших возможностей для участия; истинные интересы народа; приравнять что-либо к чему-либо; массовые митинги; сторонники демократии; призы­вать к чему-либо.

Ex. 5. Fill in the gaps in column 'A' with the topical vocabulary units from column 'B\ making all necessary changes

A. B.

a. credentials

b. unmediated, participation

с to participate

d. provided, competitive

e. to be determined

1. People are seen as having a basic right... in the making of any decisions that affect their lives.

2. Direct democracy is based on the direct... and continuous... of citizens in the tasks of government.

3. The models of democracy... by the principles of «government 'for' or 'by' the people».

4. The... of totalitarian democracies were based on the claim that «the leader» articulated the interests of the people.

5. What gives voting its democratic character is that,... that the election is..., it empowers the public to 'kick the rascals out'.

f. to lack, to empower

6. If democratic principles... in the
interests of the majority of people,
they can easily... by them.

7. Under representative democracy g. to lay down, to
the public... power, they only endorse
select those who will rule on their

behalf and... them to structure the future of their lives.

8. Direct democracy was achieved in h. to confine
Athens by mass... in solution of

disputes.

9. In Greek city-states political i participation
participation was... to male

citizens over the age of 20.
10. Universal suffrage was not j. involvement

established in the UK until 1928, since then women have no longer been deprived of their... in politics.