Direct democracy and representative democracy venn diagram

Definitions: short, sharp key works to gain the marks- especially for the 5 mark definition questions in GPO1/GPO2
Direct Democracy:In a direct democracy people vote on policies directly such as the Brexit referendum where people get to directly influence the outcome of the result.
Representative Democracy:
In a representative democracy people vote for representatives who present a particular plan, ideas and policies and ask people to vote for them. Whomever gets the majority vote has a mandate to carry out his policies. In this system the voter does not have direct control over the outcome. e.g. in the UK we have Members of Parliament who represent a constituency in the government which is a area of the country and voices its issues and opinions on behalf to Parliament.
Easy ways to remember and key features to distinguish them: Similarities and Differences
Similarities:
1.People are sought after to have their opinions expressed.2.Legislature that represents their views.3.Initiatives, petitions, public consultations etc happen all the time within representative democracies in order for the gov. to represent the people e.g. following 'let's talk Newcastle' the council decided the budget not the people they simply kept in mind what was said during the consultations.4.Pressure groups etc who use direct democracy to put forward their views are an integral part of representative democracy - e.g. many of the Conservative's economic policies are guided by the BBA but they work very much as a representative democracy.
Differences:
1.People make decisions (e.g. through a referendum) instead of through elected or appointed bodies.2.Government held accountable.3.Direct democracy is majoritarian - working on the will of the majority - risk of tyranny of the majority e.g. California 2008 intitiative to ban civil partnerships - discriminatory. Representative democracy mediates between different groups representing them all thusly avoiding this.4.Parliament is sovereign whereas in direct it is subservient to the people if it likes it or not - it's power is greatly weakened by direct democracy e.g. Bill of Rights taken out of Queen's Speech - delayed possibly for up to a year - due to oppisition in part from Liberty campaign and petitions e.g. Change.org's petition against the Bill 230,000 people signed.5.More likely to result in rational decision - direct often works with emotions e.g. AV referendum negative vote after Lib Dems went back on their promise on tuition fees.6.Handles complex and technical political decisions - this isn't practical for direct democracy e.g. AV low turnout and negative vote partly due to complexity; Scottish Referendum lead up lasted months because people needed to be educated on the political, economic, and social implications.
Overall: Although there are similarities between the two different systems of democracy it is clear they are very different when analysed. Direct democracy seems to be the purest form of democracy however it can lead to bias and sometimes give the public too much power to make mistakes. Representative democracy by contrast can result in people being wrongly represented.

On the contrary, indirect democracy implies a democracy in which the citizens choose their representative, to actively participate in the administration of the government and act on their behalf.

In this article, you can find the important differences between direct and indirect democracy, take a read.

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

Basis for ComparisonDirect DemocracyIndirect DemocracyMeaningDirect democracy refers to a form of government wherein citizens out rightly take part in the administration of the government.Indirect democracy implies a democracy in which people vote for their representative, to represent them in the Parliament.PoliciesGovernment policies are decided by the people themselves.People elect their representatives to take decisions on government policies.LegislatureWhole community forms legislature.Representatives of the winning party forms government and are a part of legislature.SuitabilityCountries whose population size is small.Countries whose population size is large.

Definition of Direct Democracy

Direct Democracy or otherwise called pure democracy or participatory democracy, is one in which decisions relating to the laws and policies of the government are taken by the people directly. It requires direct participation from the citizens of the country in day to day decision making and administration of the government. Switzerland is one of the countries where direct democracy is prevalent.

In this form of government, every law, policy or bill is passed only when voted on by all the citizens of the country. Here, all the people of the government come together raises issues, enter into discussions to come up with a decision which is agreeable to all. So, the citizens of the country have a direct say in the formulating laws and the affairs that influence them.

Definition of Indirect Democracy

Indirect democracy or popularly called as representative democracy is the system of government wherein people choose their representatives, to represent them in the Parliament and actively participate in running the government.

So, the participation of the citizens is limited in taking important decisions and formulation of policies. India is the common example of indirect democracy.

In an indirect democracy, a politician is elected from each constituency who represents the people who voted for him in the parliament. It relies on free and fair elections wherein those who are currently ruling have a just and fair chance of losing. Hence, the elected politician can be removed from the office and made accountable for the work performed by them for the community.

Key Differences Between Direct and Indirect Democracy

The difference between direct and indirect democracy can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

1. Direct democracy can be described as the system of the government, wherein the implementation of laws is possible by the general vote of all the citizens of the country. On the other hand, indirect democracy is that form of government in which the citizens of the country votes for the representatives who are empowered to decide on their behalf.
2. In a direct democracy the decisions relating to government policies, laws and other issues, are taken by the people. Conversely, in an indirect democracy, the people choose their representatives, takes decisions on the formulation of laws and policies.
3. In a direct democracy, the entire community forms legislature. As against, in an indirect democracy, the elected representatives of the winning party forms the government and are a part of the legislature.
4. While direct democracy is best suited for small countries, indirect democracy is good for large countries.

Conclusion

Direct democracy is a clear democracy that is appropriate for the countries where population size is less. However, it cannot be practised in a country with large population size, and where a decision has to be taken by crores of people. Due to this drawback, representative or indirect democracy came into being that overcomes the disadvantages of the direct democracy.

How are a direct democracy and a representative democracy alike and different?

In direct democracy, the people decide on policies without any intermediary or representative, whereas in a representative democracy people vote for representatives who then enact policy initiatives.

What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy quizlet?

In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.

How is a direct democracy similar to a representative democracy?

What is the difference between representative and democracy?

Which of the following best describes the difference between direct democracy and representative?

What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy quizlet?