Read the summary and the most important questions on Democracy and participation

• 1 Two forms of democracy

• 1.1 Direct democracy

• Explain how direct democracy gives the public the power to make decisions?

  Direct democracy allows people to make key political decisions. In modern societies, this usually takes the form of holding referendums. For example, the 2016 referendum.

• How has direct democracy returned in today society?

  Today direct democracy has returned in the form of the referendum, now relatively common in Europe and some states of the USA.

• Can direct democracy replace representative democracy?

  However, direct democracy cannot replace representative democracy completely. Rather, it is an addition to representative democracy. Some decisions are considered so vital , and also so unsuitable for representatives to make them , that they are left to the people.

• What are the advantages of using direct democracy?

  It is the purest form of democracy e.g.: referendums.
  unlike the British system of representative government based on parliamentary democracy is limited in the extent are only held every four or five years.  using democracy via system of referendums would reduce the democratic deficit since 1997 labour held referendums in each of the first two terms the deficit reduced. Regular referendums under a system of direct democracy would end this defecit.

• What are the advantages of using direct democracy in terms of avoiding deadlock and delay in the political system?

  It can avoid delay and deadlock in the political system e.g.  11 September 1997 Scotland Scottish devolution refendum as whether Scotland should have their own parliament.  referendums can settle an issue that have been on the political agenda for some time. We saw this in favour of a Scottish parliament after years of debate. The referendum result demonstrated as one politician put it ' the settled will of the scottish people'.

• What is another advantage of direct democracy in terms of giving power to the people?

  One advantage of direct democracy in terms of giving power to the people would be the fact that people are making a decision gives it great legitimacy.. There has been a new emphasis on public engagement in politics.  all public bodies should require to involve citizens in their decision making processes.  furthermore, supporters of the use of referendums argue in the context of increasing voter apathy and disenetchment with traditional forms of democracy , direct democracy can help to re engage voters with politics and democracy.

• What are specific examples of direct democracy in the uk ie refferendums?

  Eu referendum June 23rd 2016 a referendum on the uks membership of the European union 
  11 September 1997 Scotland- Scottish devolution referendums whether there should be a Scottish parliament.

• What are the disadvantages of direct democarcy

  It can lead to the tyranny of the majority whereby the winning majoirty simply ignores the interests of the mintorty. Elected represntatives can mediate between the interersts of the majority and minorities. For example the vote turnout of the eu referendum was 72.2 percent.

• What are the disadvantages of using direct democracy

  The people may  be too easily swayed by short term, emotional appeals by charismatic individuals. The great ohilosopher plato criticised direct democracy on these grounds.)

• 1.2 Representative democracy

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• What is representative democracy

  Representative democracy democracy choose others to represent for them.  the basis of this type of democracy is that the people do not make political decisions, but instead choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf.