Democracy And Participation- Direct And Representative Democracy

Question 1

Direct democracy

Answer 1

A political system where the people themselves make political decisions.
The modern equivalent is the use of referendums and initiatives within
representative democracies.

Question 2

Referendum

Answer 2

An occasion when voters are asked to decide upon an issue of public importance.

Question 3

Characteristics of direct democracy:

Answer 3

+ Only in classical Greece has a whole system been described as direct
democracy.

+ In its modern form, direct democracy uses initiatives and referendums. Other methods include public meetings and online consultations.

+ The UK is a representative democracy that uses direct democracy to resolve constitutional issues.

Question 4

Remember referendums and direct democracy

Answer 4

A direct democracy is a system where the people make all key decisions themselves, whereas a referendum is really only an example of a direct democratic method, sometimes used within representative democracies.

Question 5

Representative democracy

Answer 5

A political system where the citizens elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf and are accountable to them.

Question 6

Characteristics of a representative democracy:

Answer 6

+ The people elect representatives to make political decisions on their behalf.

+ Regular elections are a key feature and the system is characterised by representative assemblies such as parliaments, assemblies and councils.

+ A government is elected to make key proposals and arrange for their
implementation.

+ Government and elected representatives are accountable to the people.

+ Pressue groups opetac epesenting setons of socity and various
causes from outside the political system.