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Direct Democracy vs Representative democracy

            
             The word democracy can be defined either way. One being "government by the people exercised through elected representatives" and the other being " majority rule , government that is exercised through the people." Both definitions although similar have great contrasts. They both in microcosmical way represent direct democracy which includes having referendums, initiatives and recall. What is a referendum? Well it's like an election in that citizens are registered to vote and cast a ballot. The difference is that they do not vote for a representative, they vote for a question. One of the most important characteristics of this type of vote is that it is the total number of votes cast for the question that counts and usually the ballot only has two options yes and no . However, referendums have not been a frequent happening in Canadian politics. The other form is know as representative democracy and is the traditional style of selecting a representative as the voice of the people. Canada has used this form for many years. Now in the 21st century there have been criticism as well as complements for the system we now carry. Some argue that direct democracy is the way to go because it truly represents the people and enhances citizen participation. Some say that with the great level of cynicism and public distrust in our political system that direct democracy is the only option for revival of true democracy. However on the contrary other dispute the faults of direct democracy. The fact that it can bring about serious divisiveness within a nation. All of the benefits from our traditional system and this new wave of populist support for direct democracy will all be anatomized to unclothe which has the most conclusive arguments.
             In the recent provincial election the voter turnout was 52% which favoured Dalton Mcguinty and the liberal party. 52 percent, that's only half of the registered voters in Ontario.


Essays Related to Direct Democracy vs Representative democracy

1. electoral college vs popular v

... Cleveland, had 5,540,050 popular votes but just168 electoral votes (Kemler, 1999). Various people feel that with all the advances in technology, the United States should switch from a representative democracy to a direct democracy. Who wins the presidency should be the result of the popular vote. Because each state has the same amount of electors that they have in Congress, no state can have ... Schulman). Why should one person's vote count more than another person's just because of the state they choose to reside in? It is unreasonable. The United States should switch to a direct democr...

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2. How Democratic Are We?

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... the most important economic resource, even more important ..... The advent and development of new technologies has created a forum for public debate over the merits of representative democracy vs. direct democracy. New technologies are enabling us to experiment with a system of direct democracy, which has for so long been unable to compete with proportional representation due to reasons of practicality. Former obstacles to political participation are no longer ... the barrier of physical accessibility of the polling station. New developments in technology have led to an increased level ...

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... representative assembly such as parliament. Materialism - Matter is eternal and everything. Dictatorship - a form of government ruled by one who has absolute authority and who has come to power by the aid of influential friends, force, psychological persuasion, or election rather than by inheritance. Socialism - an economic system in which all power rests in a dictator and a single political party. Direct Democracy ... Parliament - Magna Carta - no taxation without representation, right of habeas corpus, trial by jury, and due process of law. House of Burgesses - the first representative ...

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... is the process of representation. There are many different types of representation and all of them have their own specifics and processes. Particular representation may also be known as, a representative democracy. This type of representation is tied very closely to place and space and focuses mainly on small areas such as districts, towns and boroughs. Two other types of representation that ... ways to be represented but also different systems of representation. In a single-member district only one person is elected to represent. This representation implies a direct geographical link b...

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