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Direct Democratic Choice
The Swiss Experience
Authors:
Publisher:
2005
Summary
Direct Democratic Choice sets out to understand how the citizens actually decide in direct-democratic votes. Author Hanspeter Kriesi has analyzed nearly twenty years of post-election surveys in Switzerland (1981-1999), which he has contextualized according to the various political issues and the relevant arguments provided by the political elites. This book's core argument is that the citizens who participate in direct-democratic votes make competent choices. Kriesi's extensive empirical research shows that the majority of these voters arrive at their decisions on the basis of arguments about the advantages and disadvantages of the available options. The less competent and less interested citizens either do not vote or, if they do, employ heuristic shortcuts allowing them to make approximately reasonable decisions. Kriesi provides strong support for an optimistic view of direct-democratic decision-making but also indicates that this process, wherever it occurs, can be improved by proper institutional design and by appropriate strategies enacted by the political elite.
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Bibliographic data
Copyright year
2005
ISBN-Print
978-0-7391-0965-6
ISBN-Online
978-0-7391-5424-3
Publisher
Lexington, Lanham
Language
English
Pages
263
Product type
Book Titles
Table of contents
ChapterPages
Table of Contents No access
Tables No access
Figures No access
Preface No access
Chapter 1. Introduction: Toward a Realistic Theory of Direct Democracy No access Pages 1 - 18
Chapter 2. The Structuration of the Choice No access Pages 19 - 44
Chapter 3. The Campaign: The Role of the Political Elite No access Pages 45 - 86
Chapter 4. Political Awareness No access Pages 87 - 110
Chapter 5. Participation No access Pages 111 - 136
Chapter 6. Heuristic Strategies No access Pages 137 - 174
Chapter 7. Argument-Based Strategies No access Pages 175 - 198
Chapter 8. The Relative Importance of the Two Strategies No access Pages 199 - 226
