ABSTRACT

In 1969, the UK became the first country to lower its age of franchise to 18. Most other democracies soon followed. This article provides the first detailed examination of the debates and processes which contributed to the UK’s pioneering reform of the age of enfranchisement. It explores parliamentary and press debates during the 1960s, arguing that lowering the voting age to 18 was not in response to popular mobilisation by the public or pressure groups, nor the outcome of significant political contestation. Rather, voting age reform was a consequence of the desire of political leaders to align the voting age with what society increasingly perceived as the new age of adulthood, 18. Lowering the voting age was part of package of reforms which attempted to streamline the age at which young people were seen to become adults.

摘要

1969年，英国成为第一个将专营权年龄降低到18岁的国家。本文首次详细讨论了辩论和过程，这些辩论和过程促成了英国对民权时代进行开创性的改革。它探讨了1960年代的议会辩论和新闻界辩论，认为将投票年龄降低到18岁并非是由于公众或压力团体的民众动员，也不是重大政治竞争的结果。相反，投票年龄的改革是政治领导人希望使投票年龄与社会日益视为新的成年年龄的结果18的结果。降低投票年龄是一系列旨在简化年龄的改革措施的一部分。哪些年轻人被视为成年人。