Is a democracy possible without a legislature?
612705
In a real democracy we would each be voting for every piece of legislation. No legislature needed.
719943
We are not a Democracy. We are a representative republic. It would lead to chaos if everything that was decided went up to vote. This way you vote the representative in and if the decisions are bad ones you vote them back out. The system has a lot of checks and balances so things that are controversial can't be done quickly.
838495
It is possible in theory. Of course it probably wouldn't be a very good thing if it did happen. But there would always be opposition to that rule, no matter what. No ruler has ever been popular with 100% of their population. And in current times, there would be a heck of alot of opposition to a singular ruler.
1103422
Hell no, a true democracy would only lead to a Islamic Theocracy similar to Iran, we need a strongman to oppress the people and keep them in line.
566841
Democracy is people's government.
1140971
there is the democratic republic - which the USA has.  They elect people to legislate on their behalf - and elect the leader as well.\n\nThere is the democratic monarchy - which the UK and others have.  It still elects those to legislate for them - but the leader is there by birthright (there are still a couple where the monarch is not just a figure head).\n\nThere is plain democracy, which does not exist to my knowledge anymore, it was in ancient Greece, where there was no real "leader" and that while there was a senate to deal with certain issues, one person = one vote on main issues.\n\nI suppose you could also include the democratic dictatorship where there is "an election" every so many years and surprisingly the "leader" keeps getting re-elected. basically one person = no vote.\n\nThere was the attempt at democratic socialism, but am not sure as much about that.
224363
Yes.  Democracy encompasses more than just geographical borders.  It is a philosophy that is largely built upon the foundation of law, and freedom of choice.  As long as men continue to value individual freedom and freethinking there will be democracy.  I don't foresee a world filled with dark, gothic, Batman-like figures devouring the poor without a fight.  That's how France and America became great anyway.  Don't forget.  Lights of liberty we all must be.
909383
Well, I don't think there would be a democracy.....without good education there are no good jobs and without good jobs there is no economy...without the economy.....\n\nwell you know
612023
not until there is a world without government.
704315
Yes, because part of the "choice" in a democracy is not to vote for anyone at all. (Although a "none of the above" option on a ballot would suffice for that.)  The problem is that Americans don't believe that they have a duty to vote.
271064
Some people might argue that true democracy is taking root in many places world wide, while others say that it is merely on the surface, and our current "democracies" are really just oligarchies masquerading as republican forms of government.  I do believe, however, that true democracy exists - otherwise, for example, how could a terrorist group like Hamas become the elected majority in the Palestinian government?  Only the wishes of the radicalized Palestinians could have made that happen, and I haven't heard any charges of corruption in regards to that particular election.  Look at Ukraine in 2004, the so-called "Orange Revolution" where the dictatorial government there was ousted after a successfully contested election.  Democracy can prevail.
902346
The earliest recorded history of direct democrcay would be the one practiced by the Greeks. They would all asemble at the market place and would discuss and would vote on matters of state but as the population grow, it became evident that there would not only be logical concerns but peace and order as well. And so representative democracy was born.\n\nImagine in the US if every bill that will be passed, the entire US population would go to debate how the bill will be phrased, worded, revised and voted. Even the country you mentioned is no longer near the pure democracy espoused by the Greeks because someone crafts the bill before tossing it to the population for the vote.\n\nIn the end, a look at US Constitution would tell us that there is still traces of direct democracy in the U.S. During the last midterm election, we have seen states voting for different referendums and ammendments. Californias exercised direct democracy by calling for a re-call. And amendments were added to the US Consitution through direct democracy.
643070
No. Democracy will tear apart a nation when the people figure out how to vote money for themselves, thus making government top heavy.  This is the main reason our founders set us up as a Federal Republic, to keep power evenly divided so that no one group had too much power
695451
Depends upon the state you're in.  Most western states allow citizen "iniatives" or "propositions." If you get enough signatures (usually a percentage of the population) then it can go on the ballot for a statewide vote.  If it passes, it can become law (without the legislature's approval.)  Other states don't have that option at all (a good idea, in my mind. The only thing more corrupt than a legislature is a CITIZEN INITIATIVE!) So your only resort is to ask your legislators to change the law.\nHere's a link to a state map showing initiative states;\nhttp://www.iandrinstitute.org/statewide_i&r.htm
947198
As long as the country remains free and subject to the rule of law, it is still a democracy even if a Communist Party is in power. That is only the governing party, who are still subject to the (usually constituionally-based) system of governance in place unless there is constitutional change or some sort of revolution.\n\nThe United States, for instance, doesn't actually shift between being a Republic and a Democracy depending on the name of the party in power. It has been both since 1776. Likewise, France or Italy don't cease to be democracies when their Communist Parties win votes.
703668
While a Constitution seems to be necessary, it is not sufficient by itself.  You need institutions that work too.
374933
Government leaders are still relavent, but is the process of nominating and electing them?  That's the bigger question.  If we can't control the systems that places leaders in positions of power, then what becomes of democracy?