Direct Democracy in the USA

?

Direct Democracy in the USA

Advantages

  • Referendums and initiatives are said to express the will of the people and are the purest form of democracy
  • Voters get what they want, not what elected representatives think they should get
  • Referendums encourage wider participation and engagement with issues
  • Voters are educated on issues as for and against are debated in campaigns through the media

Disadvantages

  • Elected representatives make decisions after informed debates for the good of the people in the long term
  • Voters vote for their short term interests
  • The process can threaten minority rights
  • The notions can pass on the basis of small unrepresentative turnouts
  • Campaigns lead to simplified arguments on highly complex issues, only a yes/no answer can be given
  • The process is manipulated by wealthy pressure groups
  • The opposing sides have unequal resources and media time, which prevents equal representation of competing opinions
  • They are associated with massive budget deficits

Evaluation

Some are strongly in favour of initiatives for the democratic advantages they bring and the success stories such as Maine approving same sex marriage in 2010. It is likely that elected, experienced and most crucially accountable politicians make better decisions on political and governmental issues than the Average Joe.

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Government & Politics resources:

See all Government & Politics resources »See all USA electoral processes resources »