The 2001 Election and Democracy in Britain

Abstract

Uses survey data gathered over the past four decades to investigate voters’ orientations towards themselves as political actors, as well as their orientations towards elections, parties, political institutions, and the wider democratic process. Levels of political interest and political efficacy, and willingness to engage in non-electoral actions, have changed little over the last 40 years. Like their predecessors, contemporary British voters are not particularly interested in politics and they do not feel particularly efficacious. Analyses of satisfaction with democracy indicate that people were more satisfied in 2001 than at any time since 1973. Democratic satisfaction is largely driven by valence politics considerations. The main sources of satisfaction are positive evaluations of state institutions, economic and social policies, and political leadership in general. Keywords: