DIRECT DEMOCRACY: New Approaches to Old Questions

Abstract

Until recently, direct democracy scholarship was primarily descriptive or normative. Much of it sought to highlight the processes' shortcomings. We describe new research that examines direct democracy from a more scientific perspective. We organize the discussion around four "old" questions that have long been at the heart of the direct democracy debate: Are voters competent? What role does money play? How does direct democracy affect policy? Does direct democracy benefit the many or the few? We find that recent breakthroughs in theory and empirical analysis paint a comparatively positive picture of the initiative and referendum. For example, voters are more competent, and the relationship between money and power in direct democracy is less nefarious, than many observers allege. More new studies show that the mere presence of direct democracy induces sitting legislatures to govern more effectively.

Selection and Passage of County Land Preservation Voter Referendum: The Role of Government

“…The institutions of direct democracy -citizen initiative, recall, and voter referendum -have become an important component of American democracy (Lupia and Matsusaka, 2004). The majority of American state, county and city governments make available the initiative and referendum process.…”

“…The most obvious difference between direct democracy and more traditional legislative processes (i.e., representative democracy), is the direct participation of voters (Lupia and Matsusaka, 2004). Until recently, direct democracy scholarship has been descriptive or normative, while focusing on process deficiencies (Boyle, 1912;Lupia, 1994).…”

“…It then proceeds to ask what government by the people and how, if at all, it can be implemented. Direct democracy is a broad term that utilizes a variety of forums (e.g., town meetings, recall elections, citizen initiatives, and government referendums) in which citizens directly participate in their community's public policy-making (Lupia and Matsusaka, 2004).…”

“…In general, the voter referendum as a form of direct democracy has become an important component of the American system of representative democracy (Lupia and Matsusaka, 2004).…”

“…With direct democracy, citizens play an unequivocal role in public policy-making (Lupia and Matsusaka, 2004). By casting their affirmative vote on a governmentally-selected ballot referendum to…”