This post is a summary of five texts: 1) The title above published at http://wethecitizens.ie/ 2)"Advantages and disadvantages of the referendum." at http://aceproject.org/ 3)"Initiatives and referendums in the U.S.A." at En.Wikipedia.org 4)"The ballot initiative process" at http://usgovinfo.org/ 5)"UK politics - Elections, referendums and democracy." at http://www.markedbyteachers.com/
The extent of our democratic voice is to vote once every few years for people from a very narrow range of backgrounds who have to think in the short-term problems in order to be re-elected, even though their jobs is to legislate for long-term problems. An idea proposed was to enact a system of direct democracy like they have in Switzerland. It is a form of a large proportion of the population sign a petition for a particular issue, it can automatically trigger a referendum, this can be to veto government legislation, remove a corrupt official or even propose legislation.
Arguments in favour of direct democracy.
- Government decisions can be put to vote for veto if enough people are unhappy.
- It is would make politicians more accountable.
- Citizens are directly involved.
- Any citizen or group can campaign for a cause they believe.
- People feel empowered and are thus happier.
Arguments against direct democracy.
- It can lead to emotional, misinformed decision by citizens.
- It can reduce complex legislative decisions to a yes/no choice.
- Sometimes government need to pass laws that are unpopular.
Supporters of the use of referendum argue that, in the context of voter disenchantment with traditional forms of democracy, referendums can help to re-engage voters with politics and democracy. Another argument in favour of referendum is that can be used to resolve political problems. They can help reach a solution on some difficult issue. There are also arguments against the use of referendum. One is that it weakens representative democracy. Another is that voters do not always have the capacity or enough information to make decisions and may make decisions based on partial knowledge and unrelated factors.
In the politics of the United States, initiatives and referendum is a process that allow citizens of many states to place new legislation on a popular ballot and vote on it. It is written into several state constitutions. It is was one of reforms aimed at breaking the concentration of power. A way in which average persons could become directly involved in the political process. Initiatives and referendums, also known as "ballot measures" or "propositions," allow citizens to vote directly on legislation. Popular referendum requires a predetermined number of signatures to qualify as a ballot measure.
This is a form of direct democracy, through which citizens exercise the power to place measures on ballots for a public vote. Successful ballot initiative can create, change or repeal state and local laws. There is no ballot initiative at the national level in the U.S.
A referendum is a form of direct democracy, it is a strategy which enables the electorates to participate in political decisions. Elections may not necessarily increase democracy, whereas referendums are one of the most adequate types of the purest form of democracy. Also, referendums can be held more often than elections.
