Direct democracy in a Populist Era

Direct democracy is often viewed as an ideal, compared to which representative democracy is only a rough accommodation, rendered necessary by the practical inconveniences of the former due to the dynamics of modern societies and the complexities of their problems. Viewed in such a way, direct democracy belongs to the larger ideal of deliberative or participatory democracy, which is often perceived as the real form of democracy. The belief that representative democracy – though not a value in itself – is practically necessary has recently come under question by those who argue that technology has given us the possibility to overcome these limitations. Consequently, a debate has developed concerning whether the time has come to implement direct democracy.