direct democracies
Voters decide directly
Direct democracies are political systems in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves rather than through elected representatives.
Ancient Athens is the classic example; modern instances include Swiss referendums and ballot initiatives in some U.S. states.
The term often contrasts with representative democracy: Some argue that the internet could enable direct democracies on a larger scale.
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- initiativeSelf-directed action capacity
- ballot measureVoting item for approval
- propositionStatement expressing a judgment
popular vote · binding vote · petition · electorate · suffrage · franchise · turnout · majority rule
Equality principle supporter
- equalitySame status for all
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- justiceFair treatment under law
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
enfranchisement · inclusion · liberty · solidarity · representation · legitimacy · consent · collective will
Independent management of affairs
- town meetingLocal governance assembly
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
- participatoryInvolving active contribution
- deliberativeCharacterized by careful consideration
consensus · decentralization · autonomy · public forum · civic engagement · transparency · accountability · localism
referendum
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- initiativeSelf-directed action capacity
- ballot measureVoting item for approval
proposition · popular vote · binding vote · petition · electorate · suffrage · franchise · turnout · majority rule · supermajority
egalitarian
Equality principle supporter
empowerment · enfranchisement · inclusion · liberty · solidarity · representation · legitimacy · consent · collective will · civic duty
self-governance
Independent management of affairs
- town meetingLocal governance assembly
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
- participatoryInvolving active contribution
deliberative · consensus · decentralization · autonomy · public forum · civic engagement · transparency · accountability · localism · cantonal
direct democraciesrepresentative democracies
Systems with elected officials
representative government · republican government · liberal democracies · legislative assemblies
direct democraciesautocracies
Governments by single rulers
dictatorships · tyrannies · authoritarian regimes · absolute monarchies · despotisms
direct democraciestechnocracies
States governed by specialists
direct, democracy, directly, direction, directional, director, directive, indirect, indirectly