Direct and Representative Democracy. The Debate in Revolutionary France (1789-1795)

This essay explores the debate concerning the idea of democracy in the French Revolution (1789-1795). It shows that this idea is based upon representative democracy as well as direct democracy, maintaining a complex and precarious equilibrium between the two. It investigates the different political-...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Antonio Senta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bologna 2017-07-01
Series:Scienza & Politica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scienzaepolitica.unibo.it/article/view/7105
Description
Summary:This essay explores the debate concerning the idea of democracy in the French Revolution (1789-1795). It shows that this idea is based upon representative democracy as well as direct democracy, maintaining a complex and precarious equilibrium between the two. It investigates the different political-institutional means used in those years, the parliamentary debates and the three constitutions (1791, 1793, 1795), focusing on concepts such as representation, electoral mandate and primary assemblies. Representative democracy and direct democracy turn out to be neither distant from nor alternative to each other, but interdependent and mutual.
ISSN:1590-4946
1825-9618