Democracy on the Ballot: Direct Democracy in California and the United Kingdo

This essay compares direct democratic institutions between two cases: ballot initiatives in California, and elite-controlled referendums in the United Kingdom (UK). The relationship between direct democratic institutions and Lijphart's majoritarian and consensus models of democracy is outlined in relation to the two cases, additionally considering the impact that these institutions can have on voter choice and deliberation in democratic states. The essay finds that though the direct democratic institutions of California and the UK are markedly different, neither functions as an entirely majoritarian or entirely consensual device; instead, the institutional features would appear to function as an additional dimension of democracy, in line with Vatter and Bernauer's (2009) suggestion. Further, direct democratic institutions in both cases also present opportunities for negative impacts on voter choice and the deliberative democratic process.