direct democracy

American  

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

noun

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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

But even by the standards of the state’s direct democracy process, the 2026 election stands out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

But the article telling the Swiss how to vote came across to many as blatant interference in their widely respected system of direct democracy, and has caused real anger.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026

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

From Ethics in Service by William H. Taft