direct democracy

   Popular self-government, characterised by the direct and continuous participation of citizens in the running of government and the taking of decisions. Direct democracy as practised in Ancient Greece involved all the citizens coming together in one place to make decisions as to how the state should be run. This is no longer seen as practicable in today’s large and often urbanised states, which is why representative democracy is the more usual form. However, the modern way of providing citizens with a direct say in law-making is via devices such as the referendum.

   Direct democracy caters for the need many people to feel to be involved in decision-taking that affects their lives. Whereas they can only participate in a general election infrequently, initiatives and referendums provide an opportunity for popular involvement at intervals in between. Direct democracy is popular with pressuregroup activists who – in the United States – see initiatives as a means of moving issues up the political agenda.