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Full-Text Articles in Law
The Educative Effects Of Direct Democracy: A Research Primer For Legal Scholars, Daniel A. Smith, Caroline J. Tolbert, Daniel C. Bowen
The Educative Effects Of Direct Democracy: A Research Primer For Legal Scholars, Daniel A. Smith, Caroline J. Tolbert, Daniel C. Bowen
University of Colorado Law Review
This article surveys recent studies by political scientists that examine the "educative effects" of ballot measures on political participation and civic engagement, as well as their impact on candidate elections. The article provides legal scholars with empirical evidence that can be used to bolster normative and theoretical claims about the process and politics of direct democracy. The authors conclude by presenting original empirical research on the effects of ballot measures on individual attitudes toward state government and political trust. The article hypothesizes that citizens who are given more opportunities to participate in politics will have more trust in state government. …
The Citizen Assembly: An Alternative To The Initiative, Kevin O'Leary
The Citizen Assembly: An Alternative To The Initiative, Kevin O'Leary
University of Colorado Law Review
The Citizen Assembly is a superior alternative to direct mass democracy and the initiative. Building on the ideas of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, it is possible to combine the traditional town hall and the Internet to fashion a new understanding of representative government that bridges the enormous gap that now exists between the political elite and the average voter. The assembly reform would increase opportunities for meaningful and intelligent participation by average citizens and improve public decisions. This article explains how a national network of citizen assemblies would work.