Ways of participating in politics

T his chapter examines political participation and political culture. We ask, what are the main forms of political participation, what proportion of the population may be considered active in politics, and who are the active participants? Are the patterns of political participation changing? What are the causes of falling participation rates in the most basic form of political behaviour — voting — and how might this trend be reversed? We then turn to the beliefs and attitudes shaping political behaviour. We ask, what is political culture and more specifically, what are the main characteristics of the British political culture and how have these changed? Finally, we examine the controversial political debate concerning both the nature and meaning of citizenship in contemporary Britain.