Biggest Contemporary Challenge to Direct Democracy
In designing and writing the paper, you have freedom of choice: a) you can decide either to use a broad perspective that refers to all types of direct democracy, or you may want to focus on a particular type (e.g. referendum, citizens’ initiative etc.); b) you can have a general overview of the problems, a comparative approach (more cases) or focus on a single case (e.g. one community, one country). If you do the latter, the case selection must be explained (i.e. why that case and not a different one). Your paper should look like a coherent piece (i.e. include an introduction, body, and conclusion), and every claim has to be backed by arguments, using references (literature) and examples. It is necessary to have conclusions that highlight the takeaways from your essay.
1. 12-point font, spacing 1.5 lines, 2.5 cm margins (top, bottom, left and right)
2. The text should have a title, do not stick to “Essay 1” or to restating the question /task
3. Use embedded references using the Harvard Style (author, year: page).
4.The source must be academic material, try to avoid news reports or website content, and be sure to use the four books I provided as reference
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES TO DIRECT DEMOCRACY
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Discussion and Analysis of Contemporary Challenges to Direct Democracy
Introduction
It might be easier for more people to have a say in choices now that technology and globalization have changed. In a study from 2009, Bengtsson and Mattila say that this would give people a say in making laws and rules that affect their lives (Bengtsson and Mattila, 2009, p.1032). It is hard to use direct democracy because of how people live and think now, so this idea must be looked at very carefully. Many people share false or wrong information, one of the biggest issues with direct democracy. Another thing to remember is that information changes all the time. Information can spread quickly on the internet because it is easy for false news and misleading content to get around. The above behavior could make it hard for people to think and learn new things (Bowller and Donovan, 2001, p.130). The problems with democratic government come from the fact that it is not easy to use one’s right to vote and poll. Direct democracy has several challenges, and it is impossible to attend to only one; therefore, some pertinent challenges have been discussed in this essay. These problems can be seen in people who do not care about politics, cannot get enough information, and think that politics are not working. This trend can be seen in the fact that California, in the United States, has a lot of proposals and vote measures. Dalton et al. (2001) say that people who live in a direct democracy might have trouble fully understanding things that are hard to grasp (Dalton et al. 2001, p.150). The main point of this article is to find a fair answer that keeps the ideas of equality, fairness, and making well-informed decisions while letting everyone participate. This essay will focus on the issues arising when democracy is not properly run and utilized. It will also look at how much these issues show how important direct democratic problems are.
Discussion
Since so much information is available now, as shown in the picture below, the fact that people’s knowledge can be changed is a big problem for direct democracy (Bengtsson & Mattila, 2009, p.1034). It is easy for false or misleading information to get around on many online platforms, like social media and traditional media sources. In this case, people might make choices without all the facts, which would be bad for many things directly linked to democracy. Lack of democratic ideals is a broad word that can be used to describe this situation. Many false claims and incomplete information were spread during the 2016 Brexit vote, which may have affected the result. Low voting turnout is a recurring concern for direct democracies, even if they can make it easier for individuals to participate. There are multiple potential explanations for this phenomenon, encompassing disinterested voters who lack concern for the pertinent concerns, individuals possessing limited knowledge regarding said matters, or those who perceive their votes have negligible significance. According to Lord (2021), citizen initiatives and referendums in the United States typically receive a lower voter turnout than conventional elections (Lord, 2021, p.272). Concerns have been raised over the extent to which these findings accurately represent the viewpoints of the entire population due to this occurrence.
-15240019812000Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Challenges to Democracy
“Tyranny of the Majority” pertains to instances in which individuals who possess more significant influence and authority within a given community disregard or infringe upon the rights and interests of minority groups with comparatively less power and influence. Individuals residing in direct democracies frequently encounter the phenomenon known as the “tyranny of the majority.” In a group setting where all individuals can express their opinions and contribute to decision-making processes, the majority will inevitably influence those in the minority position (Reilly, 2018, p.170). The enactment of Proposition 8 in California in 2008 is a compelling illustration of how direct democracy can be employed