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Full Idea
At its best [direct democracy] is inexperience sitting in judgement on experience, ignorance on knowledge.
Gist of Idea
Direct democracy is inexperience judging experience, and ignorance judging knowledge
Source
John Stuart Mill (Representative Government [1861], p.232), quoted by Jonathan Wolff - An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev) 4 'Representative'
Book Ref
Wolff,Jonathan: 'An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev)' [OUP 2006], p.95
A Reaction
Recent experiments have suggested that inexperienced people can become very good at making large decisions, if they are allowed to consult experts when they want to. See Van Reybrouck's 'Against Elections'.
| 20508 | How people vote should be on public record, so they can be held accountable [Mill, by Wolff,J] |
| 20504 | People can only participate in decisions in small communities, so representatives are needed [Mill] |
| 20505 | Direct democracy is inexperience judging experience, and ignorance judging knowledge [Mill] |
| 20507 | Voting is a strict duty, like jury service, and must only be aimed at the public good [Mill] |