ABSTRACT
Over the last 30 years referendums have played an increasingly important role in determining government policy. Recent high profile referendums in Scotland, Catalonia and Ukraine have continued the movement towards independence referendums following decolonization and the end of the Cold War. The Greek bailout referendum and Britain’s vote on membership of the EU reflect a tradition of European states giving their people a direct say in the transfer of sovereign powers to the European Union seen through the ratification of key treaties such as Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon. This Routledge Handbook covers key aspects and issues of direct democracy and referendums throughout the world including:
•their history;
•when, why, where, how and on which issues referendums are held;
•why some referendums are more democratic than others;
•how referendums are won;
•whether they produce good policies;
•if referendums increase participation and improve the quality of representative democracies;
•do referendums increase trust in democracy and the political actors;
•the impact of new technology on the possibilities, methods and frequency of direct public political participation;
•how they should be regulated.
Covering other related areas such as recall, citizen juries and random selection, this compendium is an indispensable guide to referendums and the workings of modern democracy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|79 pages
The history and variety of referendums
chapter 4|7 pages
Methodological issues
part II|58 pages
The politics of referendums
part III|139 pages
The democratic quality of referendums
chapter 10|18 pages
Democratic credentials and deficits of referendums
chapter 12|20 pages
The correct expression of popular will
part IV|81 pages
Voting at referendums
chapter 18|11 pages
The formation of opinions at referendums
chapter 19|14 pages
Are referendums a mechanism to turn our prejudices into rational choices?
part V|79 pages
Policy and political effects of referendums
chapter 23|14 pages
Do referendums make better citizens?
chapter 25|15 pages
Effects of referendums on party cohesion and cleavages
part VI|62 pages
Related direct democratic institutions