Revision with unchanged content. This work examines the British
referendum since the 1970s, while primarily focusing on the
question whether the referendum could be regarded as a new
understanding of democracy in the UK. It is investigated whether
this approach is true or whether the referendum is rather a clever,
opportunistic device which supports political manipulation and thus
helps to impose the interests of its triggers. In order to answer
those questions, it is necessary to elaborate on the constitution
and its main principle, parliamentary sovereignty. The second part
of this work will offer a detailed, descriptive introduction to all
eight referendums that have been carried out so far in the UK,
intending to inform about the circumstances of each individual
referendum. The main part will then form the assessment of these
referendums. Controversies and inconsistencies of the governmental
actions are addressed in order to find an answer to the central
question of this work, whether the referendum is part of a changing
democracy in Britain or, whether it is rather understood as a
tactic of the government. This work is directed towards students of
British cultural and political studies and towards those who do
research in the field of the referendum. It is also addressed to
readers with a general interest in the topic.
MA, British and American Studies, Education andIntercultural Communication at ChemnitzUniversity of Technology. English language teacherat the Federal Language Office, Hürth.
