What is the main DIFFERENCE between a representative democracy and a direct democracy? Who makes the decisions in each government?
The main difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy lies in the decision-making process. In a representative democracy, the people elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf. These elected officials are responsible for representing the interests and views of the citizens and making decisions that align with their preferences and values.
In contrast, a direct democracy involves the direct participation of citizens in decision-making. In this system, all eligible citizens have the right to participate in decision-making processes, such as voting on legislation or policy initiatives. Essentially, the citizens collectively make decisions by directly voting on matters of public interest.
While elected representatives make decisions in a representative democracy, citizens themselves are the decision-makers in a direct democracy.
The main difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy lies in how decisions are made. In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf. These representatives are responsible for creating and implementing policies and laws. The decisions are made by the elected officials, often through a legislative body, such as a parliament or a congress. On the other hand, in a direct democracy, citizens themselves participate directly in decision-making. This can be done through mechanisms like referendums or town hall meetings, where citizens directly vote on issues or policies. In a direct democracy, decisions are made collectively by the people, without the intermediary role of elected representatives.
The main difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy lies in how decisions are made and who is involved in the decision-making process.
In a representative democracy, the power to make decisions is entrusted to elected representatives. These representatives are chosen by the citizens through regular elections. The role of the representatives is to represent the interests and opinions of the people who elected them. They are responsible for making decisions on behalf of the larger population.
On the other hand, in a direct democracy, all individuals within a community or society have an equal say in decision-making. Direct democracies allow citizens to directly participate and vote on policy matters. This means that each person has the chance to express their own opinion and influence the outcome of decisions.
To clarify further, let's consider an example: In a representative democracy, such as the United States, citizens elect officials like the President, senators, and members of Congress, who are then responsible for making decisions on behalf of their constituents. They consider various perspectives, debate proposals, and eventually vote on legislation.
In contrast, in a direct democracy, decisions are made by the entire population through referendums or public assemblies. This means that citizens themselves engage in the decision-making process through voting on specific issues or attending town hall meetings where decisions are discussed collectively.
It is important to note that in reality, most contemporary democracies employ a mix of both representative and direct democratic elements. These variations can be seen in practices like public consultations, citizen initiatives, and referendums on specific policy matters.
To summarize, in a representative democracy, elected officials make decisions on behalf of the citizens, while in a direct democracy, decisions are made directly by all individuals participating in the democratic process.