Direct democracy

Question 1

What is democracy?

Answer 1

• a form of government whereby the common people hold political power and can rule either through elected representatives or directly.

Question 2

What is direct democracy?

Answer 2

a form of democracy whereby the electorate (people who are entitled to vote in an election) decide on policy initiatives themselves without the use of legislative representatives as proxies (authority to represent someone else, especially in voting)

Question 3

Give an example of direct democracy?

Answer 3

• referendums (Brexit 2016)

- Switzerland ( a rare example of a country with instruments of direct democracy)

Question 4

What type of democracy is Switzerland?

Answer 4

• semi-democracy as politicians are elected to handle the daily governance of the nation and make decisions on behalf of the people
• however, the citizens do retain a high degree of democratic power.