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  4. Spring 2005
  5. Direct Democracy Works

Journal of Economic Perspectives

ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)

Direct Democracy Works

  • John G. Matsusaka
Journal of Economic Perspectives
vol. 19, no. 2, Spring 2005
(pp. 185–206)
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Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to describe the practice and theory of the increasingly important political phenomenon of direct democracy and the main lessons from the scholarly literature. Many questions remain to be answered, but the emerging view is that direct democracy works--allowing the general public to participate in lawmaking often seems to improve the performance of government.

Citation

Matsusaka, John, G. 2005. "Direct Democracy Works." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19 (2): 185–206. DOI: 10.1257/0895330054048713

JEL Classification

  • D72 Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
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