Democracy & Participation

Question 1

forms of political participation

Answer 1

Conventional
* Commonplace, widely accepted
* E.g. voting, volunteering, political donations, joining groups, running for office
Unconventional
* Less common, may be considered controversial or inappropriate by some
* E.g. sit-ins, demonstrations, protests, boycotts

Question 2

Unconventional Political Participation

Answer 2

• Challenges or defies gov’t channels or dominant culture
  Protests
• Public activities that bring attention to issues in order to influence decision-makers
• Protected by 1st Amendment
  Civil disobedience
• Peaceful, non-violent breaking of unjust laws
• “An unjust law is no law at all”

Question 3

Conventional political participation

Answer 3

uncommon & not continuous
elections stimulate more
voting is the most common form (smallest overall impact is smallest

Question 4

Direct Democracy vs Representative Democracy

Answer 4

Direct democracy: The people themselves make the laws
Representative Democracy: The people elect &/or appoint representatives to make laws for them
* Includes mechanisms of accountability
* e.g. regular elections, rotation in office (term limits), etc.

Question 5

Framers’ arguments for representative democracy

Answer 5

• Representation refines public opinion
• Legislators less likely to be carried by sudden whims
• Practical, logistical concerns that gov’t with too many lawmakers becomes unmanageable

Question 6

Great problem of ‘pure democracies’

Answer 6

tyranny of the majority

Question 7

Where is direct democracy found?

Answer 7

only at state & local levels of gov’t
* Smaller communities where gov’t is closer to the people?
* More common in western states w/ history of populism
* Institutional tools allow the “little guy” contest elite power

Question 8

what can voters do in state direct democracy

Answer 8

1. Initiate (propose) laws & amendments
2. Pass laws & ratify amendments via referendum vote
3. Recall elected officials

Question 9

Arguments for Direct Demcracy

Answer 9

• Citizens possess powerful tools of popular control:
  1. Leads to gov’t responsiveness & accountability
  2. Allows citizens’ groups to go directly to the public
  3. Leads to public debate about the issues
  4. Stimulates voter interest & increases turnout
  5. Increases trust & diminishes alienation

Question 10

Arguments against Direct Democracy

Answer 10

Institutions realize classic fears about democracy
1. May lead to “tyranny of the majority”
* (i.e. representative democracy better protects liberty)
2. Voters not informed enough about policy, & the public might adopt unwise & unsound policies
3. Fewer opportunities for compromise & considering alternatives
4. Interest groups & their money increasingly prominent
5. Adversarial; encourages distrust of gov’t