Direct Democracy

Direct Democracy

1. Definitions

   • Individuals express opinions themselves and not through representatives, being active decision makers.
     • 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people.' Abraham Lincon 1863
   • Pure Democracy
     • Unfiltered Democracy
     • Direct participation by citizens in the democratic decision making process
   • History
     • Dates back to 1500 BC by Greece as a form of Government
     • Athenian democracy were the assembly, composed of male citizens composed of 500 citizens; with the law courts, composed of a massive number of jurors chosen by lot, with no judges
     • Athenian democracy

2. Types and Features

   • Referendums
     • Electorate vote on a single yes or no question.
       • Plebicite
       • Ecamples occur outside of the U.K and Brexit and Switzerland.
         • Scottish referendum September 2014 on indipendence
           • Yes - 44.70%
           • No - 55.30%
           • 84.59% turnout
         • Greek bailout referendum 2015 to acxcept economic bailout by EC.
           • Yes - 38.69%
             • Although there was a referendum, a deal was reached in July 2015
           • No - 61.31%
           • 62.5% turnout
         • A.V referendum 2011 on whether to adopt an A.V voting system
           • Yes - 32.10%
           • No - 67.90%
             • 42.2% turnout
         • 1975 ECC membership 1975
           • Yes - 67.23%
             • No - 32.77%
           • 64.62% turnout
     • Binding if included in a parties manifesto.
     • Switzerland regularly exercise this method.
       • Maximum participation and stability of the political system.
         • To accomplish a 'Swiss compromise'
         • Stabilised 19th Century Switzerland that was split between Conservatives and Liberals.
       • Over 150 years with 150 proposed changes to the constitution, less than 10 times did the majority of the electorate voted 'yes'.
         • Between January 1995 and June 2005, Swiss citizens voted 31 times, to answer 103 questions (during the same period, French citizens participated in only two referendums).
           • Comparison
         • 180 referendums in 20 years
   • E-Petitions

3. Positives

4. Negatives

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