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4 The recall of elected politicians A comparative analysis of the recall of elected officials On 3 September 2011 this story appeared in a local paper in the small town of Sheboygan in Wisconsin. It is worth quoting it verbatim: A Sheboygan City Council member has started a campaign to recall embattled Mayor Bob Ryan. Kevin MatiChek, the Alderman who started the petition, said a recall would be cheaper and quicker than the legal process the Council had approved earlier this month. Seven formal complaints have been filed against the mayor, after he went on a
“the recall”. Very little has been written about this, even though this is an important aspect of democracy 2 . A political scientist has defined the recall as “a form of direct democracy that allows voters to limit an elected official’s term in office” 3 . To be a proper recall, the “process begins with an application to circulate a petition for a recall”, and, if “the proponents
Drawing on the insights of political theory as well as empirical and comparative government, the book provides an up-to-date overview of the theories and practice of referendums and initiatives around the world. The book discusses if we ought to hold more referendums, and how the processes of direct democracy have been used – and occasionally abused -around the world.
Voters can be sophisticated. In 2018, a majority of the voters in Florida voted for a conservative governor, but they also voted to give prisoners the right to vote, something the Republican Governor had opposed. The voters showed that they were able to distinguish measures from men. Politics is not just about tribal partisanship. Voters demand more choice. And they are able to exercise their judgement. Florida is not unique. This is a global trend. A large majority of voters all over the world – according to opinion polls – want more referendums. But are they capable of making decisions on complex issues? And aren’t such votes an invitation to ill-considered populism? This book answers these questions and shows what the effect of referendums have on public policy, on welfare and well-being, and outlines how some of the criticisms of referendums and initiatives can be remedied.
3 The lit de justice of November 1774 Introduction Though the funeral ceremony for Louis XV at Saint Denis in July 1774 had been the focus of so much political wrangling, it was not the last act in the drama around the reinstatement of the parlement nor was it the last ritual heavy with political implications. Ritual was also deployed to political ends in the eventual recall of the parlement of Paris, in November 1774.1 Historians examining the events between his accession and the recall have usually concluded that Louis XVI was skilfully manipulated into taking
In May 1774, Louis XV died, triggering a sequence of rituals unseen in fifty-nine years. This book explores how these one-in-a-reign rituals unfolded fifteen years before the Revolution. From the deathbed of Louis XV, the book covers his funeral, the lit de justice of November 1774, and the coronation of Louis XVI and related ceremonies in June 1775, relating them all to the politics of the day. Threads of continuity emerge from this closely woven narrative to form a compelling picture of these ceremonies in the dynamic culture of 1770s France. Light is shed on the place of monarchy, the recall of the parlements and the conduct of the coronation. This study provides an overview of the current state of the field of ritual studies in English and French, situating ritual in relation to court studies as well as political history. It covers court life, the relationship between the monarch and the parlement, the preparation of large-scale rituals and the ways in which those outside the court engaged with these events, providing rich detail on this under-researched period. Written in a clear, lively style, this book is the ideal text for the non-specialist and, as each chapter deals with one ritual, it lends itself readily to undergraduate teaching of topics around monarchy, court society, ritual, and politics, including the Maupeou coup. More advanced students and specialists on the period will find new perspectives and information presented in an engaging manner.
, citizens’ initiatives and the recall. What can we conclude? Are these mechanisms as efficient as they are said to be? Or are they as dangerous as others would have us believe? Critics have argued that direct democracy is both time-consuming and costly, and that it would lead to democratic fatigue. In extreme cases they are right. People do not want politics all the time. Yet in manageable doses, direct democracy – as employed in New Zealand, and at the local level in Germany, and the Netherlands – works, and provides an effective complement to the representative system
the trains. 38 Most of the recalled units used red paint and all were manufactured in China. Consumers were told to send the trains back to receive a replacement. This recall came amongst a series of product recalls in China, including cases of tainted pet food, milk and toothpaste. In fact, a recent book, Not Just China , described 2007 as the ‘year of the recall’. 39 Other toy
message is clear: ‘the public are not content with the state of representative democracy in Britain today’.10 As a result mechanisms such as legislative initiatives and a greater use of referendums have been put forward. So too have limited proposals for the recall – a mechanism which allows voters to ‘recall’ an elected representative in a special election, if enough voters sign a petition. This appetite for – and belief in – the panacea-like virtues of direct Cabinet Office (2009) Building Britain’s Future (Cm. 7654), London, TSO. The Conservative Party (2009
proposals for reform, such as citizens’ assemblies ( Chapter 5 ), the recall ( Chapter 6 ), and citizen-initiated referendums ( Chapter 7 ). This book is written with a purpose. It is, largely, a defence of direct democracy against its critics. To paraphrase Marx and Engels, “democrats disdain to conceal their views and aims”. They openly declare