Direct Democracy

• Representation under direct democracy

  People can have their say but many will not consider national interests and vote selfishly.

  Some issues may disproportionately affect some groups that may be part of a minority
• Elections under direct democracy

  Representatives are undermined as the don't make any decisions but this may not be an issue so long as referendums aren't overused
• Legitimacy under direct democracy

  Theoretically it represents the will of the majority of people but this may still be a minority of the voting population meaning the decision of a minority affects the entire population
• Examples of the failure of legitimacy under direct democracy

  Brexit - 52 % of the vote but only 37% of the whole population

  Paris E-scooters - 90% of the vote but only 4% of the whole population
• Participation under direct democracy

  People may be inclined to vote on matters that affect them but many either wouldn't care or wouldn't know enough of what they would vote
• Accountability under direct democracy

  Accountability is completely removed from politicians as the decisions are made by the electorate. Even if the decision made negatively impacts the country, politicians can shift the blame back onto the people that chose it.

  The roles of elected representatives are undermined as direct democracy bypasses them, removing their expertise and judgement from the decision making process
• Civil rights under direct democracy

  tyranny of the majority means their will is imposed upon everyone, including minority groups that may be disproportionately affected

  The complexity of civil rights can't be solved with a referendum as it oversimplifies the issue to a binary vote
• Education and Information under direct democracy

  People would need to be well informed to make a decision about their vote - typically through the news, adverts, social media. However misinformation is more common and people may react differently depending on who presents the information making them inadvertently biased, regardless of the policy