Direct Democracy

Classical form of democracy that involves direct participation and/or means of direct intervention by citizens in legislation and accountability of government such as recall, initiative and referendum. It prevailed in Athens and presently prevails partially in Switzerland and some states of USA. This form of democracy has its supporters in Pericles in Athens and Rousseau and Mill during the eighteenth and ninteenth centuries, New Left and presently, the Radical Democrats such as Macpherson, Pateman and Bottomore.