more from this thinker     |     more from this text

Single Idea 19748

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / b. Consultation ]

Full Idea

I would not approve of plebiscites like those of the Romans where the state's leaders and those most interested in its preservation were excluded from the deliberations on which its safety often depended.

Gist of Idea

Plebiscites are bad, because they exclude the leaders from crucial decisions

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality [1754], Intro letter)

Book Ref

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.27

A Reaction

I wish David Cameron had read this before 2016. This is exactly what happened with the Brexit referendum, where the people voted for an action entirely opposed to the preference of the majority of their elected representatives. Chaos ensued.

The 23 ideas with the same theme [government's consultation, by plebiscite or election]:

1566 The first priority in elections is to vote for people who support democracy [Anon (Diss)]
19965 The fundamental laws of a democracy decide who can vote [Montesquieu]
19968 It is basic to a democracy that the people themselves must name their ministers [Montesquieu]
19969 Voting should be public, so the lower classes can be influenced by the example of notable people [Montesquieu]
19999 All citizens (apart from the very humble poor) should choose their representatives [Montesquieu]
19748 Plebiscites are bad, because they exclude the leaders from crucial decisions [Rousseau]
7243 Silence of the people implies their consent [Rousseau]
19832 Democratic elections are dangerous intervals in government [Rousseau]
22800 Majority rule means obligations can be imposed on me [Hegel]
21792 The state should reflect all interests, and not just popular will, or a popular party [Hegel, by Houlgate]
20508 How people vote should be on public record, so they can be held accountable [Mill, by Wolff,J]
20507 Voting is a strict duty, like jury service, and must only be aimed at the public good [Mill]
22678 An election, and its lead up time, are always a national crisis [Tocqueville]
14846 If we want the good life for the greatest number, we must let them decide on the good life [Nietzsche]
20498 We should decide whether voting is for self-interests, or for the common good [Wolff,J]
20499 Condorcet proved that sensible voting leads to an emphatically right answer [Wolff,J]
20979 Democracy needs more than some institutions; diverse sections of the people must be heard [Sen]
20999 Democracy as 'government by discussion' now has wide support [Sen]
20095 A referendum result arises largely from ignorance [Reybrouck]
20609 If several losing groups would win if they combine, a runoff seems called for [Tuckness/Wolf]
20605 Rights as interests (unlike rights as autonomy) supports mandatory voting [Tuckness/Wolf]
20599 How should democratic votes be aggregated? Can some person's votes count for more? [Tuckness/Wolf]
20601 Discussion before voting should be an essential part of democracy [Tuckness/Wolf]