Direct Democracy in the United States

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Marcello
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States

scholarly journals Book Review | George Will’s Conservatism and Democracy in Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States ◽  
James Madison ◽  
American Government ◽  
Federalist Papers ◽  
The Federalist ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Federalist Papers

Americans typically view the United States as a democracy and are rightly proud of that. Of course, as those of a more precise nature, along with smug college students enrolled in introductory American government classes, are quick to point out, the United States is technically a republic. This is a bit too clever by half since James Madison, in The Federalist Papers, defined a republic the way most people think of a democracy—a system of representative government with elections: “[The]… difference between a Democracy and a Republic are, first the delegation of the Government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest.” What the framers thought of as democracy is today referred to as direct democracy, the belief that citizens should have more direct control over governing. The Athenian assembly was what the framers, Madison in particular, saw as the paragon of direct democracy—and as quite dangerous. While direct democracy has its champions, most Americans equate democracy with electing officials to do the business of government.

scholarly journals Citizens as legislators: direct democracy in the United States

1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (08) ◽  
pp. 36-4757-36-4757
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States

Direct Democracy in the United States

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen P. Nicholson ◽  
Kayla S. Canelo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States

Evaluating Policy Representation with Dynamic MRP Estimates: Direct Democracy and Same-Sex Relationship Policies in the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel C. Lewis ◽  
Matthew L. Jacobsmeier
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Dynamic Models ◽  
The United States ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Policy Responsiveness ◽  
Policy Representation

Does direct democracy strengthen popular control of public policy in the United States? A major challenge in evaluating policy representation is the measurement of state-level public opinion and public policy. Although recent studies of policy responsiveness and congruence have provided improved measures of public opinion using multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) techniques, these analyses are limited by their static nature and cross-sectional design. Issue attitudes, unlike more general political orientations, often vary considerably over time. Unless the dynamics of issue-specific public opinion are appropriately incorporated into the analyses, tests of policy responsiveness and congruence may be misleading. Thus, we assess the degree of policy representation in direct democracy states regarding same-sex relationship recognition policies using dynamic models of policy adoption and congruence that employ dynamic MRP estimates of attitudes toward same-sex marriage. We find that direct democracy institutions increase both policy responsiveness and congruence with issue-specific public opinion.

scholarly journals Contemporary Theory of Public Administration in the USA: from Post-Bureaucracy Paradigm by B. Armajani and M. Barzeley to Postmodern Concept by Ch. Fox and H. Miller

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61
Author(s):  
Volodymyr Tsvykh ◽  
Dmytro Nelipa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Inductive Method ◽  
Modern Theory ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Basic Features

The purpose of the article is to study comprehensively the content of the leading newest concepts in the field of public administration in the United States, identify their basic features, as well as clarify key characteristics of the contemporary American theory of public administration. The study used a set of logical methods (synthesis, analysis, inductive method, etc.) and such general scientific approaches as system, structural-functional and bibliographic ones. The article presents a systematic study of modern theory of public administration in the United States, analyzes the leading concepts, reveals their essence, principles and features. In particular, the principles of transition from bureaucratic to post-bureaucratic management, developed by B. Armajani and M. Barzeley, are analyzed; ten principles of entrepreneurial government by T. Gaebler and D. Osborne; the content of recursive practices, due to which the construction of reality takes place, including public and political, based on the scientific views of Ch. Fox and H. Miller; the essence of R. Denhardt's new civil service, which relies on the instruments of direct democracy and recognizes public activity above market instruments in the context of achieving public interests; main directions (managerial, political and legal) of integrated public administration by D. Rosenbloom; argumentation of P. Nutt and R. Backoff regarding the expediency of using strategic management in public administration. The key characteristics (trends) of the modern theory of public administration in the US are revealed, namely: debureaucratization; marketization; managerization; servicing; postmodernization. The preconditions and content of these tendencies are identified. The scientific novelty of the article is to conduct a thorough study of the main new concepts in the field of public administration in the United States, as well as to identify general relevant characteristics of the American theory of public administration. The practical significance of the article is related to the possibility of further use of its materials in the educational process, research and practical field, taking into account clear applied orientation of modern theory of public administration in the United States.

scholarly journals THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND A FAST TRIAL: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE UNITED STATES

2021 ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
V.V. Berch
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Jury Trial ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
The People ◽  
Administration Of Justice ◽  
Constitutional Right ◽  
The Right ◽  
Speedy Trial

The article is devoted to the consideration of the constitutional right to a trial by a jury, as well as the right to a speedy trial in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution. It is noted that as of today in Ukraine there is a question of ensuring the actual (real) participation of the people in the administration of justice and the creation of an appropriate mechanism for the realization of such a right of the people. It is established that the permanent evolution of the jury trial in the world as a full-fledged element of participatory democracy allows us to assert the possibility of applying the best foreign experience in this area and for Ukraine. It is noted that the jury trial, which is typical for the United States, is undoubtedly a consequence of the borrowing of English legal customs, but has its own special features. It has been established that the right to a speedy trial should be distinguished from other constitutional rights, as it concerns the interests of society and the justice system more than the interests of the accused. The circumstances that suggest whether a trial is in fact "fast" are rather vague, as each such proceeding is to some extent unique. The requirements for members of the jury are set out in the Jury Selection Act. It is noted that the release of jurors varies depending on the state. One of the grounds for such dismissal is professional activity. For example, doctors, lawyers, public figures, police or firefighters. At the same time, this practice is gradually ceasing to be natural. It is concluded that the jury trial as a form of public participation in the administration of justice is undoubtedly a democratic legal institution. Direct democracy in the exercise of judicial power, which is carried out in compliance with the principles of publicity and adversarial proceedings promotes the establishment of citizens' faith in the fairness of judicial decisions.  

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