Abstract

LIZCANO-FERNANDEZ, Francisco. Direct democracy and representative democracy. Convergencia [online]. 2012, vol.19, n.60, pp.145-175. ISSN 2448-5799.

With the specific purpose of contributing to a rigorous classification of political democratic regimes (PDR) that have existed throughout history, this paper highlights three different concepts which correspond to its main sections: The first distinction is based upon a strict contrast between the two basic genres of political regime : PDR and dictatorship. The second distinction differentiates the two basic kinds of PDR within the history of mankind: direct democracy and representative democracy. The third distinction contrasts two eidetic political regimes (ideal direct democracy and ideal representative democracy), which despite referring to "ideals", they may be worth considering also as historical. Despite being part of a single classification, these distinctions are based upon different logical reasoning, which involve analytical variables and political actors.

Keywords : political regime; dictatorship; direct democracy; representative democracy; political representative.

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