Direct Democracy in Theory and Practice. East and West European Experience

Timetable

Coorse on Moodle Platform 

Module aim (aims)

 

The main aim of this course is to examine the use and the role of direct democratic activities in Eastern and Western European countries in a comparative perspective. The course will deal with the theory and practice of direct democracy in European states as well as with the normative dimensions of the referendum and "community initiative". The main goal is not only to understand and explain how these direct democracy instruments work, but also to answer the question about possibilities and perspectives of using them in present-day Europe, and what follows - also in the European integration process.

Direct democracy - defined as a set of procedures giving all citizens the right to make decisions biding the state - is considered to be the most pure form of democracy. The referendum and the community initiative are the most important and the most frequently used forms of direct democracy. There are also several other instruments of direct democracy such as consultation, popular veto, national (popular) assembly or recall. In last decades, referenda have been widely held to decide on important political issues.

Switzerland is certainly the world leader in using direct democracy tools. The referendum and the community initiative institutions have strongly shaped the Swiss political system and the history of this small federal state in general. But also other West European countries - like France, Italy, Denmark - widely use direct democracy tools including referendum and popular initiatives.

The World Wars and the Cold War slowed down if not stopped the democratization in many parts of the world, Europe being no exception. However, the European integration process in the western part and the fall of the Berlin Wall in the eastern part gave raise to a new democratization wave and enhanced the use of direct democratic instruments in Europe. In addition to West European states, an increasing number of East European countries has introduced direct democratic instruments after 1989. The proof of democratization are undoubtedly referendums on the accession to the European Union, which between March and September 2003 were held in nine candidate countries, except for Cyprus. The role of a referendum gains on importance in Europe and calls for a better understanding of its functioning.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Basic knowledge of political systems and the functioning of democracy, as well as communicative-level proficiency in English

Syllabus

Direct Democracy & Its Institutions 

• Theoretical approaches to democracy

• Theoretical foundations of direct democracy

• Instruments of direct democracy

• Advantages and disadvantages of using direct democracy

Direct Democracy in Switzerland

• Historical development of Swiss direct democracy

• Swiss diversity and its impact on direct democracy

• Direct democratic instruments in the Swiss Constitution (federal level)

• Use of direct democracy at the federal level

Direct Democratic Governance in Swiss Cantons and Municipalities

• The role of Swiss cantons

• Direct democracy at the cantonal level

• Direct democracy at the local level

• Functioning of direct democracy in cantons and communes

• “Heavy user” countries of direct democracy

• Scandinavian experiences

• Direct democracy in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium

• Impact on political systems

• Impact on society

 

Direct Democratic Experience in Western Europe 

• General conclusions on Western European experiences

• Factors shaping the use of direct democracy

• Advantages and disadvantages

• Selected case studies

Direct Democracy in Eastern Europe – Main Dimensions 

• Development of direct democracy in Eastern Europe

• Referendums in post-communist countries

• Influence on political systems

Referenda in Eastern Europe – Recent Experiences

• General conclusions on Eastern European experiences

• Key factors shaping referenda use

• Positive and negative experiences

• Selected case studies in Central and Eastern Europe

Direct Democracy in the Process of European Integration

• Direct democracy in the history of European integration

• Accession referenda

• Referenda on European treaties

• Direct democracy as a tool shaping integration

• The European Citizens’ Initiative

The Role and Prospects of Direct Democracy in Europe 

• Direct democracy and political institutions

• Direct democracy and society

• Direct democracy in the United States

• Direct democracy in federal systems

• E-direct democracy

Reading list

Obligatory:

Cronin T. E., Direct Democracy. The Politics of Initiative,  Referendum, and Recall, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London 1989.

Direct Democracy in Europe. A Comprehensive Reference Guide to the Initiative and Referendum Process in Europe, eds. B. Kaufmann, M. D. Waters, IRI Europe, Durham-North Carolina 2004.

Direct Democracy: The Eastern and Central European Experience, eds. A. Auer, M. Bützer, Ashgate Publishing Ltd., Aldershot-Burlington-Singapur-Sydney 2001.

Fossedal G. A., Direct Democracy in Switzerland, Transactions Publishers, New Brunswick-London 2009.

Guidebook to Direct Democracy in Switzerland and Beyond, red. B. Kaufmann, R. Büchi, N. Braun, P. Carline, IRI-Europe, Amsterdam 2005.

Kobach K., The referendum: Direct Democracy in Switzerland, Vermont 1993.

Leduc L., The Politics of Direct Democracy. Referendums in Global Perspective, Broadview Press, Toronto 2003.

Qvortrup M., A comparative study of referendums. Government by the people, New York 2002.

Referendums around the World. The Growing Use of Direct Democracy, eds. D. Butler, A. Ranney, Washington DC 1994.

The Referendum Experience in Europe, eds. M. Gallagher, V. Uleri, MacMillan, Basingstoke-Londyn 1996.

And readings prepared in so called READER to the COURSE

 

Facultatve:

Almond G. A., Powell G. B., Mundt R. J., Comparative politics. A theoretical framework, Harper Collins College Publ., New York 1999.

Budge I., The New Challenge of Direct Democracy, Polity Press, Cambridge 1996.

Comparing Democracies: Elections and Voting in Global Perspectives, eds. L. Leduc, R. G. Niemi, P. Norris, Sage Publications, Thousand Oakes, 1996.

Dahl R. A., Democracy and Its Critics, New Heaven 1991.

Klöti U., Knoepfel P., Kriesi H., Linder W., Papadopoulos Y., Handbook of Swiss Politics, Neue Zürcher Zeitung Publishing, Zurich 1999.

Linder, W., Demokracja szwajcarska. Rozwiązywanie konfliktów w społeczeństwie wielokulturowym, Rzeszów 1996.

Mendelsohn M., Referendum democracy  citizens, elites and deliberation in referendum campaigns, Palgrave, Basingstoke 2003.

Möckli S., Direkte Demokratie. Ein internationaler Vergleich, Verlag Paul Haupt, Berno-Stuttgart-Wiedeń 1994.

Qvortrup M., Constitutional Implications of the Use of the Referendum, University of Oxford 1999.

Referendum Democracy. Citizens, Elites and Deliberation in Referendum Campaigns, eds. M. Mendelsohn, A. Parkin, New York 2001.

 

• Netography

1. Centre for Research on Direct Democracy (c2d), http://www.c2d.ch/ .
2. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), http://www.idea.int/.