Why does negative campaigning undermine democracy

Sara Hobolt notes that they have been increasingly used at key moments in European integration, seen as one way to improve EU democracy. So far, the referendum debate is not living up to these democratic ideals. Fear has long been used as a strategy of negative campaigning. But the fear stories used by both sides of the campaign and in the media prevent democratic engagement with the arguments, create divisions, and foster political cynicism.

Matthew Goodwin shows how the most important issues in the campaign have become migration and the economy. Vote Leave use identity-based arguments that turn migrants into a common enemy. These stories also have clear Islamophobic undertones. The campaign recently argued that remaining in the EU would allow free movement to millions of Turks , which would increase crime and jeopardise national security. These claims stigmatise not just Turkish people already in the UK, but also Muslims in general.

Anti-German sentiment also plays a role. Instead, they have focused on fear-based economic arguments, warning of an imminent economic disaster. Instead of primarily highlighting the benefits of EU membership, or indeed positioning Britain as a European country that should work together with its European neighbours, the Remain campaign is, in this way, seeking to scare British citizens away from a Leave vote.

Instead of encouraging people to think about the positives and benefits of European integration, it is hoped that fear of the unknown, fear of our own economic futures, will take control on 23 rd June. On the one hand, this is the only way that Brits can discuss the EU. Because of this, pro-Europeans in Britain have always focused on the economic arguments to make the case for membership. In one way, these arguments serve to make Europe resonate with the public. Kahle and Chris Riley.

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They were introduced to America by the British during the colonial era, and are virtually unknown in other developed countries. One way is to rename and relaunch the problem. Take Jobs Policy A that eventually everyone soured on in the first example. When those same people were presented with Job Policy B in substance, the same policy from a positive frame, they were suddenly more open-minded.

Another way to combat negativity is to offer voters a new, unfamiliar situation with the possibility of a major gain. Part of the problem in politics, Ledgerwood says, is that most of the political domain is about losses and preventing pain. We often think of climate change, for example, in terms of saving the Earth we have, and avoiding loss.

That goes for candidates, too. When you do find effective frames positive for yourself, negative for others , stick to them, Ledgerwood says. Focused frames are most powerful. Obama faced a number of negative frames in his time as a candidate, but he had a few things going for him. Aside from being able to dictate his own frames, because voters came at him fresh, Obama was able to tie his ideas back to one positive theme, articulated over and over: Hope and change.