a) Define and discuss direct democracy and representative democracy. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Critically analyze the benefits as well as the problems in light of contemporary American experience, including the California initiative process.
             Lets start by defining the word "democracy"- is a term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to rule, directly or indirectly. The government is said to be democratic if it serves the "true interests" of the people, whether or not those people directly affect the making of those decisions. Democracy is also looked upon as "the rule of the many." Having citizens participate directly in either holding office or making policy, which is also often known as direct or participatory democracy. It is also defined as decision making by the voters themselves rather than through representatives. An example of this type of democracy would be a town meeting, in which citizens' vote on major issues.
             Representative democracy is another political system in which leaders and representatives acquire political power by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote. This form of governing is used by nations that are called democratic. This type of political system has a small number of elected city councilors to make the decisions in a town meeting, unlike direct democracy, in which hundreds of representatives are involved in making the decisions. It is obvious that when different sets of hands can control political power, depending on what kinds of people become leaders, how the struggle of votes is carried on, how much freedom to act is given to those who won the struggle, and what other sorts of influence (besides the desire for popular approval) affect the leader's actions.
             Representative democracy is referred by some as the "elitist theory of democracy." It might be seen as impractical, time c...