Direct democracy

Direct democracy - definition

• A form of democracy in which citizens participate directly in policy decisions

Direct democracy - political class

• No separate class of professional politicians or distinction between govt and people

3 key features of direct democracy

1. Direct participation

2. Immediate participation

3. Continuous participation

Direct participation

• Policy decisions made by people

• No one does it on our behalf

Immediate participation

• People are the govt

• No govt | people separation

Continuous participation

• Regular and ongoing engagement

• All decisions made by people

Sortition

• Random selection used to fill public offices

3 aims of sortition

1. Reduce money/popularity influence

2. Keep govt close to people

3. Maintain representativeness of public bodies

First direct democracy (ish)

Athenian democracy

Component of the Atheninan democracy: Ekklesia

• The Athenian Assembly

• Main governing body where citizens debated and voted on major decisions

• All citizens had the rights to fully participate

Problems with Ekklesia

• Only best speakers (Demosthenes) able to hold attention of crowd, so group of elites often dominated

Component of the Atheninan democracy: Boule

• Council of 500

• Met daily

• Members chosen by lot (sortition) for a one-year term

Component of the Atheninan democracy: Dikasteria

• Popular courts

• 501 jurors chosen daily by lot from male citizens over 30

Dikasteria similarities with UK

• Similar to the principle in the UK

  • Jurors randomly selected from those between 18 and 70 on the electoral register

Advantage

• Purest form, people’s voice heard

Advatantage - delays

• Avoids deadlock with colliding party interests

Advantage - legitimacy

• Very legitimate as people make decisons for themselves on things that effect them

Advantage - education

• Encourages political engages

• Increases political education and civic involvement of the public

Advantages (when used in conjunction with rep. demo.) - responsiveness

• Politicians more responsive to public opinion

Advantage (when used in conjunction with rep. demo.) - public attitudes

• Politicians kept appraised of public attitudes as they change and evolve

• Devices:

  • Referendums

  • E-Petitions

  • Consultation exercises

Advantage - public dependence

• Removes public dependence on politicans

• Politicans often self-serving

• Therefore increases public trust and legitimacy

Disadvantage - 51%

• Can lead to tyranny of the majority

Disadvantage - exemplified by Demosthenes

• Easy to be swayed by

  • Short-term emotional appeals

  • Charisma

Disadvantage - complexity

• Issues so complex normies can’t understand

Disadvantage - simplification

• Especially in referendums, cannot boil such a big decision down to a yes/no

Disadvantage - protection

• Doesn’t safeguard minorities - interests or people

Disadvantage - practicality

• Only feasible in small communties, so definitely not modern societies

Disadvanage - restriction of citizens

• Makes politics a full-time job for everyone

• Citizens cannot carry out other jobs or responsibilities

Disdvantage - divisions

• Can engage people to the point of creating deep divisions in society