Has your teacher ever asked your class to vote on where to go for a field trip or a school picnic? They might ask students to raise their hands to vote, fill out a survey, or hand their vote on a piece of paper. All of these methods are examples of direct democracy. The ancient origins of direct democracy helped inspire the system of indirect democracy that many countries use today! Show
Definition of Direct DemocracyDirect democracy (also called "pure democracy") is a style of government where citizens are empowered to make decisions about policies and laws that impact them. In a direct democracy, citizens vote directly on policy proposals instead of voting for politicians to represent them in governments. Direct democracy is when citizens vote directly on policy proposals rather than electing representatives to vote for them. This style of government isn't common today, but it helped inspire the idea of Representative Democracy (or Indirect Democracy), which is the most common type of government. Direct vs. Indirect DemocracyWhen you think of a democratic country, you're probably actually thinking of indirect democracy rather than direct democracy since that's what countries like the United States use. Both types involve citizens in decision-making, unlike other government styles like monarchies, oligarchies, or dictatorships, in which only a few people in power make decisions. The main difference between direct and indirect democracy is who's making the policy decisions: the people or the representatives. In a direct democracy, citizens vote directly on issues and policies. In an indirect (or representative) democracy, citizens rely on elected officials to represent them in making these decisions. This is why elected officials are often called representatives. Representatives are people who are selected to speak or act on someone else's behalf. In the context of government, representatives are people who are elected to vote on policies on behalf of the people who elected them. Figure 1: Picture of campaign signs, Wikimedia Commons History of Direct DemocracyDirect democracy emerged in response to the domination of societies by elite oligarchies. Direct democracy was idealized in newly-formed countries looking to shift away from an authoritarian government. AntiquityThe oldest example of a direct democracy is in Ancient Greece in the city-state of Athens. Eligible citizens (men with status; women and slaves were ineligible to vote in Ancient Greece) were permitted to join an assembly that made important decisions. Ancient Rome also had qualities of direct democracy since citizens could veto legislation, but they incorporated aspects of indirect democracy by electing officials to represent them.  Switzerland also developed its own form of direct democracy in the 13th century with the creation of people's assemblies, where they voted for city council members. Today, the Swiss Constitution allows any citizen to propose changes to the Constitution or ask for a referendum. Most of Europe at this time operated under a monarchical government system (i.e. ruled by a king or queen). Switzerland is one of the only countries that is considered a direct democracy today. Enlightenment EraThe Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries saw a renewed interest in the philosophies of the classical period (i.e. ancient Greece and Rome). Ideas like the social contract between the government and the governed, individual rights, and limited government made democratic forms of government more popular as people pushed back on the idea of a monarch's absolute power and the divine right to rule. After gaining independence from England, the United States took the opportunity to create a representative democracy. They wanted to get away from the tyrannical and abusive systems under monarchs. But they didn't want a direct democracy because they didn't trust that all citizens were smart or informed enough to make good voting decisions. Thus, they created a system where eligible citizens (at the time, only white men who owned property) voted for representatives who then made policy decisions. Growth of Direct Democracy in the United StatesDirect democracy became more popular in the United States during the Progressive and Populist Eras of the late 19th century into the 20th century. People had grown suspicious of state government and felt that wealthy interest groups and elite businessmen had the government in their pockets. Several states amended their constitutions to allow direct democracy elements like the referendum, ballot initiative, and recall (more on that later!). This was also the time period when women were fighting for voting rights. Some states turned to ballot initiatives to decide whether women should have the right to vote. As democracy spread through the world following the World Wars, most countries adopted a similar indirect democratic system with elements of direct democracy. Pros and Cons of Direct DemocracyWhile direct democracy has some significant advantages, its disadvantages ultimately led to it fading in popularity compared to indirect democracy. Pros of Direct DemocracyThe main advantages of direct democracy are transparency, accountability, engagement, and legitimacy. Transparency and AccountabilityBecause citizens are intimately involved in making governance decisions, there is much more transparency than in other government types where the average citizen is more removed from day-to-day decision-making. Along with transparency is accountability. Because the people and the government are working so closely together, people can more easily hold the government accountable for its decisions. Transparency is also important for accountability; how can we hold the government accountable if we don't know what they're doing? Engagement and LegitimacyAnother advantage is a better relationship between citizens and government. Laws are more readily accepted since they come from the people. Citizen empowerment can lead to more engagement. With more engagement, people have stronger trust in the government, which helps them view it as more legitimate than government types where they have little trust or engagement. Cons of Direct DemocracyDirect democracies are ideal in some ways, but they also have their challenges, especially their inefficiency, decreases in political participation, lack of consensus, and voter quality. InefficiencyDirect democracies can be logistical nightmares, especially when the country is large geographically or population-wise. Imagine a country is facing famine or war. Someone needs to make a decision, and fast. But if everyone needs to vote before the country can take action, it would take days or weeks to even organize the vote, let alone implement the decision! On the other hand, the issue of size isn't as much of a problem for smaller municipal or local governments. Political ParticipationFrustrations over inefficiency can quickly lead to a decrease in political participation. If people do not participate, then the purpose and function of direct democracy are lost as smaller groups end up taking control. The founding fathers of the United States intentionally designed the United States government as a representative government because they felt that direct democracy could more easily lead to factionalism where only the majority has a voice. Lack of ConsensusIn a highly populated and diverse society, it can be difficult for people to agree on a controversial political issue in a highly populated and diverse societys. Without a strong sense of unity and consensus, direct democracy can quickly be compromised. Think about how hard it can be for the Democrats and Republicans to come to a decision; now imagine that every single person in the US, each with their own views, had to come to a consensus. Voter QualityEveryone has the right to vote, but does that mean that everyone should vote? What about someone who doesn't know or care about who the president is, or someone who's extremely bigoted? The founding fathers didn't want everyone voting on legislation because they feared they weren't informed or educated enough to make good decisions. If voters make poor decisions, it can translate to poor government functioning. Examples of Direct DemocracyDirect and indirect democracies aren't mutually exclusive. Most government systems feature elements of both. The United States is one of these countries: while it primarily functions as a representative democracy, it uses direct democracy tools like the referendum, ballot initiative, and recall. The Native American Crow Nation of present-day Montana had a system of government that featured a tribal council in which all community members participated. This council operated as a direct democracy, enabling members to vote directly on all decisions affecting the group. ReferendaReferenda (plural for "referendum") are when citizens vote directly on a policy. There are a few different kinds of referenda: a compulsory (or binding) referendum is when elected officials must receive permission from citizens to enact a law. A popular referendum is when voters decide whether to strike down or keep an existing law. Ballot InitiativeBallot initiatives (also called "ballot measures" or "voter initiatives") are when citizens vote directly on proposals. Citizens can also propose their own ballot measures if they collect enough signatures. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the power to decide about abortion was left up to the states. Kansas decided to put it to a popular vote using a ballot initiative. In a surprising turn of events, the citizens of Kansas (a politically conservative state) voted overwhelmingly against the anti-abortion initiative. Recall ElectionYou know how companies sometimes recall products if they're defective or not up to code? You can do that with politicians too! A recall vote is when citizens vote on whether an elected politician's position should be terminated. Although they're rare and usually on the local level, they can have a significant impact. In 2022, San Francisco's DA was facing harsh criticism for criminal reform policies like ending cash bail and filing homicide charges against police officers. His policies were so unpopular that the city held a recall vote that ended his term early. Direct Democracy - Key takeaways
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