Question
A state where citizens vote directly on decisions
Answers
GPT-5 mini
That is called a direct democracy (also called pure democracy). In a direct democracy citizens vote directly on laws, policies, or government decisions rather than electing representatives to decide for them.
Common mechanisms
- Referendum: an existing law or policy is submitted to voters for approval or repeal.
- Initiative (citizen initiative): citizens gather signatures to place a proposed law or constitutional amendment on the ballot.
- Recall: voters remove an elected official before the end of a term.
- Citizens’ assemblies or town meetings: deliberative bodies of ordinary citizens who make or recommend decisions.
Examples and variants
- Ancient Athens is the classic historical example. Modern examples are rare at the national level; Switzerland is the closest, using frequent referendums and initiatives. U.S. states like California use ballot initiatives at the state level.
- Most contemporary democracies are representative but may include elements of direct democracy (a semi-direct or hybrid system).
Pros and cons (brief)
- Pros: greater popular control, increased civic engagement, can check elite capture.
- Cons: risk of majority tyranny, low turnout or uninformed voting on complex issues, vulnerability to populist campaigns or misinformation; difficult to scale for large, diverse societies.
If you want, I can give historical examples, a deeper comparison with representative democracy, or illustrate how referendums and initiatives work in a specific country.
Common mechanisms
- Referendum: an existing law or policy is submitted to voters for approval or repeal.
- Initiative (citizen initiative): citizens gather signatures to place a proposed law or constitutional amendment on the ballot.
- Recall: voters remove an elected official before the end of a term.
- Citizens’ assemblies or town meetings: deliberative bodies of ordinary citizens who make or recommend decisions.
Examples and variants
- Ancient Athens is the classic historical example. Modern examples are rare at the national level; Switzerland is the closest, using frequent referendums and initiatives. U.S. states like California use ballot initiatives at the state level.
- Most contemporary democracies are representative but may include elements of direct democracy (a semi-direct or hybrid system).
Pros and cons (brief)
- Pros: greater popular control, increased civic engagement, can check elite capture.
- Cons: risk of majority tyranny, low turnout or uninformed voting on complex issues, vulnerability to populist campaigns or misinformation; difficult to scale for large, diverse societies.
If you want, I can give historical examples, a deeper comparison with representative democracy, or illustrate how referendums and initiatives work in a specific country.