Referendum Theory And Practice

Referenda play an increasingly important role in modern society. In the Twenty-first Century, the People's Republic of China has entered an historic era, shifting from economic system reform to political restructuring. Constructing democracy requires further study of referendum since it is an important form of democratic governance.There are three main theoretical and historical bases for referendum: the direct democracy developed in Athens, the popular sovereignty theory of Rousseau, and participatory democracy theory that emerged in the United States. The referendum originated within the direct democracy of Athens. Rousseau's popular sovereignty theory provides referenda with a comprehensive and systematic theoretical foundation. Participatory democracy theory makes every effort to seek a balance between referendum and representative systems. The above three together constitute the theoretical basis of referendum.In many countries recently, referenda have become increasingly popular. Each country has its own characteristics based on its current political situation and history. But no matter whether they are state-driven countries, such as France and Great Britain, countries emphasizing local autonomy, such as the United States and Germany, or nations employing mixed types of these forms, such as Switzerland and Italy, all referenda systems are worthy of study.China was one of the earliest countries to incorporate referendum into its political practice and theory. During the May 4th period, Sun Yat-sen proposed a direct civil rights theory. Although some commentators have asserted that the conditions at the time were not suitable for integrating referendum into political practice, a constitutional referendum was practiced in an autonomy movement at that time. In contemporary P. R. China, referendum research has never stopped. The author holds that referenda are not a double-edged sword but a beneficial complementarity to the People's Congress system. In the process of political restructuring, attempts at employing referenda are essential and rightful steps toward genuine democratic practice. The referenda law should be designed prudently, however.