Direct democracy means the people don’t just vote to elect representatives. In a direct democracy, the people also vote to decide issues. This means they have more executive and legislative power than the elected representatives.
But to assume such responsibility, the voters need more self-confidence, and also more information, than the voters in a representative democracy. The reasons are obvious; they need more self-confidence because they are directly responsible for how the country functions. They also need more information to exercise added responsibility.
Self-confidence and information are related; people feel more confident when they have better information on the issues.
In a direct democracy, the voters can no longer blame the politicians because the voters have the power.
Some people fear direct democracy and refer to it as “mob rule”. Mob rule has nothing to do with direct democracy. Direct democracy is about deliberate, orderly discussions and debates, followed by orderly, free, and fair voting by informed voters.
To get a real, fact-based view of what real direct democracy is about, enter in your computer or phone: “Swiss direct democracy”. On the Web, you will find lots of information about efficient and effective direct democracy. Switzerland can still improve its direct democracy, but that is another topic.
You may also be aware direct democracy does not work so well in other places. But that is not because of direct democracy. The problem is they do not really practice direct democracy, California is one example.
California’s direct democracy is not really so because, for example, the judges can throw out a decision made by the people in a free and fair referendum. In a direct democracy, the judges can not overturn the results of a referendum. How can that be direct democracy? it makes no sense.
Direct democracy also develops the maturity, sense of responsibility, sense of ownership of voters.
Maturity and responsibility also means that in a direct democracy, voters can no longer say, and do not say, what voters in representative democracies often say; “it is the politicians!”, “the bureaucrats!”, “the lobbies!”, “the political parties!”, “the rich!”, “the judges!” and on and on.
In a direct democracy, the voters have the power to pass new laws, reject laws, change the constitution, reduce taxes or raise taxes, purchase new fighter jets for the air force, legalize same-sex marriage, sign a treaty with another country, stop using nuclear energy or fossil fuels, build a new road or public swimming pool, etc.
How do you prepare ordinary voters to evolve into direct democracy voters? It is simple; ordinary, reasonable people can understand complex political issues in the same way ordinary people already understand other complex issues.
For example, juries of ordinary people have to decide if someone is guilty or not guilty. To reach their decision they have to understand the lawyers, the expert witness, the judges, and the law. Families also have to understand the legal implications of mortgages, etc.
Ordinary voters are really not different from elected politicians. Most politicians are not experts on most of the issues on which they vote either.
You know most politicians are not experts in technology, health, education, etc., but they pass laws on all those issues. They learn by listening to experts, getting to know different points of view, through discussions, watching debates, etc.
That is how they understand if the new law is necessary, what the law should say, if the army needs new equipment or any other issue. Most voters can also learn the same way.
You may like direct democracy, but to make it happen you have to work. Direct democracy is the natural evolution for representative democracy, but the evolution needs “help” because most politicians prefer representative democracy. They prefer it because it gives them more power.
