Direct democracy is the term used to describe particular forms of vote within any democratic system. The term direct democracy is commonly used to refer to three distinct types of vote or instruments:
- referendum, which consists of a vote of the electorate required by the legal framework or requested by the Executive or Legislative on an issue of public policy such as a constitutional amendment or a proposed law;
- citizens’ initiative, which allows a certain number of citizens to initiate a vote of the electorate on a proposal outlined by those citizens to, for example, amend the constitution, or adopt, repeal, or amend an existing law; and
- recall, which allows a specified number of citizens to demand a vote of the electorate on whether an elected holder of public office should be removed from that office before the end of his/her term of office.
The common characteristic of these instruments is that they all give citizens the right to be directly involved in the political decision making process. Direct democracy is therefore often seen as conflicting with representative democracy, in which voters elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. Alternatively, direct democracy can be viewed as a sometimes necessary means for the citizens to correct or limit the excesses of elected representatives and leaders, or by the government as a means of ensuring itself of a mandate to undertake what might otherwise be perceived as unpopular measures.
Broad arguments are advanced in favour of and against direct democracy.
Proponents argue that direct democracy can help to reduce the "democratic deficit", in which voters are losing confidence and interest in traditional models of representative democracy. They claim that by putting power back in the hands of the people, people will take a greater interest and role in issues of governance, thereby increasing the legitimacy of the democratic systems.
In contrast, critics argue that it undermines and weakens representative government, and that placing power in the hands of the people can threaten the rights of minorities in society. It is also argued that many voters do not have sufficient understanding to make informed decisions about referendum issues, especially in the case of complex constitutional issues. Voter education and campaign information are therefore significant issues in relation to direct democracy.
The following links look at the three different instruments of direct democracy in more detail, drawing attention to how they are designed and administered, and outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each.
