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direct democracy

American

[di-rekt di-mah-kruh-see, dahy-rekt] / dɪˈrɛkt dɪˈmɑ krə si, daɪˈrɛkt /

noun

government with direct rule by the people, without the involvement of elected representatives.

Example Sentences

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direct democracy

“To really wake up the public — the General Assembly and Capitol Square crowd — we had to go to the direct democracy route with a constitutional amendment,” Owens said.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

Switzerland's system of direct democracy means all major decisions are taken via the ballot box.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

Opinion polls suggest that both votes, put forward under Switzerland's direct democracy system, could be tight.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

California’s direct democracy originated during the early 20th century’s Progressive Era to allow citizens to bypass the Legislature and enact reforms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026

Is not that a reductio ad absurdum for this system of pure and direct democracy?

From Ethics in Service by William H. Taft

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023