Direct Democracy

Direct democracy is a political system. It differs from the Federal and State governments in the United States, which is a representative democracy. In a direct democracy all citizens who wish to are a part of the government, in that they, generally, make laws, conduct trials and elect or remove officials, though exactly what they do is dependent upon each individual system. Athens of ancient Greece was the first direct democracy.

Direct democracy in the United States today

Direct democracy is practiced today in those New England towns that have open town meetings.

The phrase "New England town" does not mean merely a town in New England, but refers to a characteristic form of town government. The executive branch is called the board of selectman and the legislative branch is the town meeting.

Smaller towns usually have open town meetings at which any citizen can attend and vote. (In Massachusetts, for example, towns with populations of less than 6,000 are required to have open town meetings). Larger towns, however, usually have representative town meetings. Illustrator Norman Rockwell "Freedom of Speech" power, one of his "four freedoms" posters, shows a citizen rising to speak in what is probably an open town meeting.

External links

• Freedom of Speech, Norman Rockwell poster.