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Direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of democracy in which the electorate decides on policy initiatives without elected representatives as proxies. This differs from the majority of currently established democracies, which are representative democracies. The theory and practice of direct democracy and participation as its common characteristic was the core of work of many theorists, philosophers, politicians, and social critics, among whom the most important are Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and G.D.H. Cole.
A recall election is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official's term of office has ended. Recalls, which are initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition, have a history dating back to the constitution in ancient Athenian democracy and feature in several current constitutions. In indirect or representative democracy, people's representatives are elected and these representatives serve for a specific period of time. However, where the facility to recall exists, if any representative comes to be perceived as not properly discharging their responsibilities, they can be called back with the written request of a specific number or proportion of voters. Even where they are legally available, recall elections are only commonly held in a small number of countries including the United States, Peru, Ecuador, and Japan. They are considered by groups such as ACE Electoral Knowledge Network the most rarely used form of direct democracy.
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a public vote in the legislature in what is called indirect initiative, or under direct initiative, where the proposition is put to a plebiscite or referendum, in what is called a Popular initiated Referendum or citizen-initiated referendum.
The Progressive Era was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States focused on defeating corruption, monopoly, waste and inefficiency. The main themes ended during World War I (1914-1918) while the waste and efficiency elements continued into the 1920s. Progressives sought to address the problems caused by rapid industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption; by the enormous concentration of industrial activity in monopolies and of wealth among the elites of the Gilded Age; by the spread of slums and poverty and the exploitation of labor. Sometimes "mutually antagonistic", progressive movements fought social, political and economic ills by advancing democracy, but also scientific methods, professionalism and efficiency; regulating businesses, protecting the natural environment, improving working conditions in factories and living conditions of the urban poor. Spreading the message of reform through mass-circulation newspapers and magazines by "probing "the dark corners of American life" were investigative journalists known as “muckrakers". The main advocates of progressivism were often middle-class social reformers.
In California, a ballot proposition is a referendum or an initiative measure that is submitted to the electorate for a direct decision or direct vote. If passed, it can alter one or more of the articles of the Constitution of California, one or more of the 29 California Codes, or another law in the California Statutes by clarifying current or adding statute(s) or removing current statute(s).
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The People's Power League was an important Progressive organization, formed in 1892 by James William Sullivan and led by William U'Ren, that was devoted to governmental reforms in the United States in the early 20th century. Ellis Oberholtzer noted that the tradition behind the League reached back to the egalitarian Pennsylvania Constitution. Both the Pennsylvania radical and the League supported unicameral legislatures ; a mechanism of rapidly replacing elected officials ; and a body of elected officials to launch a full-scale investigation into the government at fixed intervals. Other radical leaders associated with the League were Will Daly, George Orton, Alfred Cridge, and E.S.J. McAllister. Its predecessor organization was the Direct Legislation League.
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The U.S. state of Oregon is one of the many states in the United States that has direct democracy in the form of initiatives and referendums. Oregon residents introduced this system in 1902 with a ballot measure. Nationwide, referendums and initiatives became known as the "Oregon System" of direct government.
Electoral reform in Oregon refers to efforts to change election and voting laws in the West Coast state of Oregon.
Direct democracy refers to decision making by vote at public meetings, such as is found in many New England towns in the form of open town meetings, that date back to colonial times. It may also refer to state and local referendums, where a proposal, law, or political issue is put to a direct vote by the electorate, rather than being voted on by representatives in a state or local legislature or council.
John Randolph Haynes (1853–1937) was a prominent California socialist and progressive in the early 20th century who helped steer many of state's reforms. His Direct Democracy League was responsible for the state amendment which brought the reform to the local level and recall of the first public official in state history.
Massachusetts has several forms of direct democracy, allowing for initiative and referendums at the state level and in many municipalities. The recall of public officials is also provided for in many municipalities.
References
- ↑ Sullivan, James William (1893). Direct Legislation Through the Initiative and Referendum. True Nationalist Publishing Company.
- ↑ Schmidt, David D. (1989). Citizen Lawmakers: The Ballot Initiative Revolution. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. pp. 7, 262.
- ↑ "Initiative, Referendum and Recall Introduction". Oregon Blue Book. Salem, Oregon: Oregon Secretary of State. 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
- ↑ Carey, Charles Henry (1922). History of Oregon. Chicago, Illinois: Pioneer Publishing. pp. 837–838.
- ↑ John M. Allswang, The initiative and referendum in California, 1898-1998 (Stanford University Press, 2000) pp. 1-31.
- 1 2 American reformers, 1870-1920 : progressives in word and deed. L. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield. 2006. ISBN 074252762X.
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