Disentangling Referendums and Direct Democracy: A Defence of the Systemic Approach to Popular Vote Processes

Abstract

What is the relationship between referendum and initiative processes and democracy? The dominant understanding is that these popular vote processes are institutions associated with a model of direct democracy that stands in opposition to representative democracy. However, this pervasive approach is rarely justified and appears to limit the study of popular vote processes by focusing on implausible ideals, obscuring that many democratic institutions face similar challenges, and encouraging overgeneralising claims that neglect institutional variation in referendum and initiative processes. Previous criticisms of the association of popular vote processes with direct democracy have failed to clearly articulate an alternative. We trace the emergence of a democratic systems approach to popular vote processes and argue that it provides a better conceptual framework to empirically study and normatively discuss these processes.

Introduction to the Special Issue ‘Beyond ‘Direct Democracy’: Popular Vote Processes in Democratic Systems’

“…One way of benefitting from the powerful tools that systemic theories offer without being overwhelmed by their complexity is to be guided by important problems (Shapiro, 2002;Warren, 2017). In the case of popular vote processes, this entails refining our understanding of the problems they raise; indeed, many of the alleged problems with popular vote processessuch as elite manipulation or voter incompetence have not been well-contextualized as parts of broader systems (el-Wakil & McKay, 2019). Intensifying the interaction between democratic theory and empirical researchaiming at empirically-informed theory and theory-driven empirical researchcan help identify relevant problems and make such research feasible while highlighting possible blind spots and new puzzles (Swift & White, 2008;Van Biezen & Saward, 2008).…”

“…Two political theory articles in this special issue address this shortcoming. In our contribution to this issue, 'Disentangling Referendums and Direct Democracy: A Defense of the Systemic Approach to Popular Vote Processes', we argue in favour of shifting away from the model of 'direct democracy' and towards seeing popular vote processes as part of democratic systems, following a longstanding but undertheorized tradition (el-Wakil & McKay, 2019). Jäske and Setälä's (2019) article 'A Functionalist Approach to Democratic Innovations' demonstrates how a democratic systems approach makes it possible to improve the comparative assessment of different democratic innovations, including popular vote processes.…”

“…They highlight that popular vote campaigns create opportunities for these non-electoral representatives to emerge and contribute to public discussion. 2 In practice, some of these representatives may make use of unequal funding, spread disinformation, or other democratically questionable activities (Parkinson, 2020;Van Crombrugge, 2020;el-Wakil & McKay, 2019), suggesting that some steps may be necessary to level the playing field. In particular, Parkinson suggests that 'we need some means by which the marginalised are given effective opportunities to make, endorse or challenge narratives and claims' (2020).…”

Reimagining direct democracy as an intersection of different forms of representation

“…24 Finally, the law itself is a mediating factor in a structural sense, not only because it regulates the rules governing direct democracy, but may also be involved in constructing the identity of its subject. 25 Direct democracy is also characterized by ideational forms of mediation in that the introduction and practice of its forms may be bound to some concepts. Chief among them, of course, is the idea of popular sovereignty.…”

Supporting Deliberative Systems with Referendums and Initiatives

“…1 The terms ' direct democratic mechanisms' or 'referendums' are often used to refer to referendums and initiatives; yet I prefer the term 'popular vote processes', which better reflects the differentiated character of these processes (there are not only referendums, but also initiatives) and disentangles them from the model of ' direct democracy' (for more on this, see Cheneval & el-Wakil, 2018;el-Wakil & McKay, 2019). I contrast 'popular votes', which I define as mass votes primarily on issues, with ' elections', understood as mass votes primarily on candidates for office.…”