Download or read book Political Participation Direct Democracy and Party Elections written by Ignacio Garcia Marín and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2011-11 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2011 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Middle- and South America, grade: 1,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin, course: 2010-2011, language: English, abstract: In this paper I am going to describe the fall of conventional political participation within western European countries. Later on I am going to defend some possible ways to fix it and finally, I will expose my proposal: promotion of direct democracy through the Participatory Budgeting. With the cases of Porto Alegre and Seville, -with different situations and challenges- the values of transparency, participation, deliberation and responsiveness become especially protagonist. Politicians often think that people do not have any interest for the political arena. In fact, rarely they make decisions to try to attract citizens to institutions. Like the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, they blame external factors to explain why citizenship refuses in part their representatives 1. The separation between citizen's demands and politician's rules could be a possible answer to the tragic riots during last weeks in England. Similarly, the reason for the Spanish Revolution that "pushed" during May and June millions of citizens of varied social groups into the streets is not only the tremendous unemployment rate. We cannot understand any social behavior if we exclude the political variable. Both David Cameron as Zapatero have decided strong economic cuts - hard to understand for citizens - while the voice of millions of Europeans against these decisions were expressed roundly. The sensation of politicians deaf respect citizens and the increasing idea that they do not solve anything is frequent. At the same time, social movements, demonstrations and claims thrive, creating a democracy with varied and multiple channels where ideas are expressed. Citizens are interested in politics, but the current representative system is marked by

Download or read book Political Participation Direct Democracy and Party Elections written by Ignacio Garcia Marín and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2011-10-28 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2011 in the subject Politics - Region: Middle and South America, grade: 1,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin, course: 2010-2011, language: English, abstract: In this paper I am going to describe the fall of conventional political participation within western European countries. Later on I am going to defend some possible ways to fix it and finally, I will expose my proposal: promotion of direct democracy through the Participatory Budgeting. With the cases of Porto Alegre and Seville, -with different situations and challenges- the values of transparency, participation, deliberation and responsiveness become especially protagonist. Politicians often think that people do not have any interest for the political arena. In fact, rarely they make decisions to try to attract citizens to institutions. Like the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, they blame external factors to explain why citizenship refuses in part their representatives 1. The separation between citizen's demands and politician's rules could be a possible answer to the tragic riots during last weeks in England. Similarly, the reason for the Spanish Revolution that “pushed” during May and June millions of citizens of varied social groups into the streets is not only the tremendous unemployment rate. We cannot understand any social behavior if we exclude the political variable. Both David Cameron as Zapatero have decided strong economic cuts - hard to understand for citizens - while the voice of millions of Europeans against these decisions were expressed roundly. The sensation of politicians deaf respect citizens and the increasing idea that they do not solve anything is frequent. At the same time, social movements, demonstrations and claims thrive, creating a democracy with varied and multiple channels where ideas are expressed. Citizens are interested in politics, but the current representative system is marked by slowness and rigidity of the new times. Literature shows us how voter turnout and affiliations to political parties drop dramatically until today, with alarming rates of disaffection, skepticism and distrust to political institutions. People do not find solutions and support from parties, and the divorce is a fact. However, our societies are mature and prepared for more protagonism in decision-making. We should decide more times than once every four years. We want and we need. We have to walk to a new model of democracy. Then, how are the principal Participatory Budgeting's experiences? What can we learn from them?

Download or read book Elections and Democracy written by Jacques Thomassen and published by Comparative Study of Electoral. This book was released on 2014 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Elections and Democracy' is based on data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, spanning 36 countries. It considers the majoritarian and consensus models of democracy and how their embodiment in institutional structures influence vote choice, political participation and satisfaction within a functioning democracy.

Download or read book Initiatives without Engagement written by Joshua J Dyck and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2019-02-28 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arguments about the American ballot initiative process date back to the Progressive Era, when processes allowing citizens to decide policy questions directly were established in about half of the states. When political scientists began to systematically examine whether the state ballot initiative process had spillover consequences, they found the initiative process had a positive impact on civic engagement. Recent scholarship casts doubt on these conclusions, determining the ballot initiative process did not make people believe they could influence the political process, trust the government, or be more knowledgeable about politics in general. However, in some circumstances, it got them to show up at the polls, and increased interest groups’ participation in the political arena. In Initiatives without Engagement, Dyck and Lascher develop and test a theory that can explain the evidence that the ballot initiative process fails to provide the civic benefits commonly claimed for it, and the evidence that it increases political participation. This theory argues that the basic function of direct democracy is to create more conflict in society.

Download or read book Morality at the Ballot written by Daniel R. Biggers and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-12-15 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Across the United States, there is wide variation in opportunities for citizens to craft legislation through the process of direct democracy. Previous studies suggest that an active role in policy making can spark political interest and engagement, encouraging individuals, who would otherwise abstain from voting, to turn out. Daniel R. Biggers challenges this contention, testing a new theoretical framework that details the exact circumstances under which any proposition might increase participation. Morality at the Ballot reveals that the ability of direct democracy to increase turnout is significantly more limited than currently thought, and that the propositions that do affect participation are restricted to a small subset of ballot issues that include morality policy. Biggers uses these morality propositions to demonstrate the conditions necessary for direct democracy to influence turnout, affect who votes, and shape electoral and policy outcomes. The investigation provides significant insights into the consequences of deciding policy via the ballot and expanding the role for citizens in the political process.

Download or read book Educated by Initiative written by Daniel A. Smith and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2009-11-12 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This body of research not only passes academic muster but is the best guidepost in existence for activists who are trying to use the ballot initiative process for larger policy and political objectives." --Kristina Wilfore, Executive Director, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center and Foundation Educated by Initiative moves beyond previous evaluations of public policy to emphasize the educational importance of the initiative process itself. Since a majority of ballots ultimately fail or get overturned by the courts, Smith and Tolbert suggest that the educational consequences of initiative voting may be more important than the outcomes of the ballots themselves. The result is a fascinating and thoroughly-researched book about how direct democracy teaches citizens about politics, voting, civic engagement and the influence of special interests and political parties. Designed to be accessible to anyone interested in the future of American democracy, the book includes boxes (titled "What Matters") that succinctly summarize the authors' data into easily readable analyses. Daniel A. Smith is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida. Caroline J. Tolbert is Associate Professor of Political Science at Kent State University.

Download or read book Voting from Abroad written by Andrew Ellis and published by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). This book was released on 2007-11-14 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The constitutions of many countries guarantee the right to vote for all citizens. However, in reality, voters who are outside their home country when elections take place are often disenfranchised because of a lack of procedures enabling them to exercise that right. Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook examines the theoretical and practical issues surrounding external voting. It provides an overview of external voting provisions in 115 countries and territories around the world, including a map illustrating the regional spread.

Download or read book Citizenship and Contemporary Direct Democracy written by David Altman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers a comparative study of the origins, performance, and reform of contemporary mechanisms of direct democracy.

Download or read book Direct Democracy written by Thomas E. Cronin and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 1999 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Political Participation Diffused Governance and the Transformation of Democracy written by Yvette Peters and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-27 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although democratic governments have introduced a number of institutional reforms in part intended to increase citizens’ political involvement, studies show a continued decline in regular political engagement. This book examines different forms of political participation in democracies, and in what way the delegation of public responsibilities—or, the diffusion of politics—has affected patterns of participation since the 1980s. The book addresses this paradox by directly investigating the impact of institutional changes on citizens’ political participation empirically. It re-analyses patterns of political participation in contemporary democracies, providing an in-depth time series cross-sectional analysis that helps develop a better understanding of how variation in political participation can be explained, both between countries and over time. As such, it develops an institutional theoretical framework which can help to explain levels of participation and shows that, instead of displaying more political apathy, citizens have reallocated or displaced their activities to a broader array of forms of participation. This book will be of key interest to students and scholars of comparative politics, democratization, political participation and electoral politics.

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook to Referendums and Direct Democracy written by Laurence Morel and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-12-12 with total page 710 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last 30 years referendums have played an increasingly important role in determining government policy. Recent high profile referendums in Scotland, Catalonia and Ukraine have continued the movement towards independence referendums following decolonization and the end of the Cold War. The Greek bailout referendum and Britain’s vote on membership of the EU reflect a tradition of European states giving their people a direct say in the transfer of sovereign powers to the European Union seen through the ratification of key treaties such as Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon. This Routledge Handbook covers key aspects and issues of direct democracy and referendums throughout the world including: •their history; •when, why, where, how and on which issues referendums are held; •why some referendums are more democratic than others; •how referendums are won; •whether they produce good policies; •if referendums increase participation and improve the quality of representative democracies; •do referendums increase trust in democracy and the political actors; •the impact of new technology on the possibilities, methods and frequency of direct public political participation; •how they should be regulated. Covering other related areas such as recall, citizen juries and random selection, this compendium is an indispensable guide to referendums and the workings of modern democracy.

Download or read book A Comparative Study of Referendums written by Mads Qvortrup and published by Manchester University Press. This book was released on 2005-10-07 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combining an account of the political history and philosophy of the referendum, with a thorough assessment of the practical experiences with referendums in western democracies, this book has established itself as the unrivalled market-leader in the field. Fully revised and with new chapters on campaign spending and the administration of referendums, the second edition of this book provides a thorough overview of the theory and practice of referendums.

Download or read book Representation written by Jack H. Nagel and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2013-07-03 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In any democracy, the central problem of governance is how to inform, organize, and represent the opinions of the public in order to advance three goals: popular control over leaders, equality among citizens, and competent governance. In most political analyses, voting is emphasized as the central and essential process in achieving these goals. Yet democratic representation encompasses a great deal more than voter beliefs and behavior and, indeed, involves much more than the machinery of elections. Democracy requires government agencies that respond to voter decisions, a civil society in which powerful organized interests do not dominate all others, and communication systems that permit divergent voices to be heard. Representation: Elections and Beyond brings together leading international scholars from a wide range of disciplines to explore the twenty-first-century innovations—in voting laws and practices, in electoral systems, in administrative, political, and civil organizations, and in communication processes and new technologies—that are altering how we understand democratic representation. Featuring twelve essays that engage with national, provincial, and municipal governments across three continents, this volume tackles traditional core elements of democratic representation, such as voting, electoral systems, and political parties, while also underscoring the ways in which beliefs and preferences of citizens are influenced, expressed, and aggregated and the effects of those methods and practices on political agendas and policy outcomes. In pinpointing deficiencies in contemporary democratic practices and possibilities for reform, Representation provides an invaluable roadmap to improve democratic representation in the twenty-first century. Contributors: André Blais, Pradeep Chhibber, Archon Fung, Jacob Hacker, Zoltan Hajnal, Matthew Hindman, David Karpf, Georgia Kernell, Alexander Keyssar, Anthony McGann, Susan Ostermann, Paul Pierson, Dennis Thompson, Jessica Trounstine, Mark E. Warren.

Download or read book Mobilization Participation and Democracy in America written by Steven J. Rosenstone and published by Longman Publishing Group. This book was released on 1993 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself-including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.- Re-issued as part of the "Longman Classics in Political Science" series, Rosenstone & Hansen's authoritative text on political participation in the U.S. features a new Foreword by Keith Reeve that explores the text's enduring contributions to the discipline. Mobilization, Participation, and Democracy in America provides a thorough analysis of the dynamics of citizen involvement in American politics over the past four decades and identifies who participates in the political process, when they participate, and why. Now in a Longman Classics Edition, it features a new Foreword by Keith Reeves of Swarthmore College.

Download or read book Citizens as Legislators written by Shaun Bowler and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early in the twentieth century, many American states began experimenting with direct democracy. Direct democracy-primarily the initiative device-allows groups to place directly before voters laws affecting taxation, spending, term limits, school choice, gay rights, immigration, and numerous other state issues. Ballot initiatives were expected to allow citizens the option of getting around legislators, who were seen as beholden to wealthy interests; early defenders of the process argued it would make state politics more responsive to the public will, and more responsible. Citizens as Legislators examines direct democracy in America at the end of the twentieth century to see if it has lived up to these expectations. The twelve contributors to this volume use the American experience with direct democracy to investigate some fundamental questions of politics: Can modern democracy have direct citizen participation in legislation? What are the consequences of more (or less) direct citizen access to government? The authors look at the context of the initiative campaigns and detail the rise of the modern initiative campaign industry. They examine how campaigns affect voters and how voters deal with the array of decisions they face in direct democracy states. They go on to explain why certain policy outcomes are different in direct democracy states. Shaun Bowler is a professor of political science at the University of California, Riverside. Todd Donovan is a professor of Political Science at Western Washington University. He and Shaun Bowler are coauthors of Demanding Choices: Opinion, Voting, and Direct Democracy. Caroline J. Tolbert is an assistant professor of political science at Kent State University.

Download or read book Direct Democracy s Impact on American Political Institutions written by S. Bowler and published by Springer. This book was released on 2008-04-28 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this volume a series of contributions look at the impact of direct democracy on those processes of representative democracy to raise – and answer – the question: Does direct democracy harm representative democracy?

Download or read book Design Meaning and Choice in Direct Democracy written by Shauna Reilly and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-22 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Design, Meaning and Choice in Direct Democracy examines the link between political knowledge and participation in direct democracy in the United States. Presenting insights on the different behaviours of the petitioner, the ballot and the voter and using quantitative, qualitative and experimental methodological approaches, Shauna Reilly evaluates the use of direct democracy and why, despite the power of these measures, there is such low turnout in these elections. She demonstrates the varied approaches to ballot measures and citizens particularly when dealing with citizen comprehension which can account for the variety of language that appears on the ballot. A rigorous and highly original analysis of direct democracy in the United States, this book guarantees that readers will be shocked at the findings and question the future of governance through ballot measures.