Democracy on demand

Holding power to account

Bibliographic Data

ID23201722
AuthorsMatt Qvortrup (0000-0001-6928-9111, corresponding author)
Year2021
Publication date2021-08-10
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueDemocracy on Demand? (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherManchester University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.7765/9781526158963
OpenAlexW4205537074
ISBN9781526158963
LanguageEN
Citations received8

Voters can be sophisticated. In 2018, a majority of the voters in Florida voted for a conservative governor, but they also voted to give prisoners the right to vote, something the Republican Governor had opposed. The voters showed that they were able to distinguish measures from men. Politics is not just about tribal partisanship. Voters demand more choice. And they are able to exercise their judgement. Florida is not unique. This is a global trend. A large majority of voters all over the world – according to opinion polls – want more referendums. But are they capable of making decisions on complex issues? And aren't such votes an invitation to ill-considered populism? This book answers these questions and shows what the effect of referendums have on public policy, on welfare and well-being, and outlines how some of the criticisms of referendums and initiatives can be remedied.

Democracy · Governor · Judgement · Law and economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Populism · Public opinion · Sociology · Welfare · Law · Political and Economic history of UK and US · Public Administration · Social Sciences and Governance