The Participation in Swiss Direct-Democratic Votes

Abstract

The theories of democracy view participation quite differently. For the ‘realist’ theory, participation does not necessarily need to be high. Limited participation and political apathy may even have a positive function for the stability of the political system: if the masses are not mobilized, they do not become a danger to the system. Since, in Schumpeter’s (1962 (1942): 283) terrible phrase, ‘the electorate mass is incapable of action other than a stampede’, lack of participation is not only unproblematic, it may even be desirable. From the realists’ point of view, lack of participation is especially desirable, if the incompetent and the ignorant do not participate. It is also desirable, if the citizens are not sufficiently motivated to participate, because they are broadly satisfied with the way the elites manage public affairs. For realists, abstentionism only becomes a problem, if the overwhelming majority of the moderate citizens demobilize, that is, if only the small minorities of highly motivated citizens take advantage of the participatory opportunities — ‘intensive minorities’ who are by and large extreme voices in the context of democratic politics. In such a situation, the solution may be more participation, even for realists (Fiorina, 1999).