# Direct Democracy Government in which citizens decide policy themselves rather than through elected representatives — the Athenian assembly, the Swiss cantonal vote, the American ballot initiative and referendum. The Founders' "republic, not a democracy" distinction is aimed at it; [[Socrates]]'s trial is the canonical argument against it; [[Athens]] is the historical case. See [[Democracy]] for the family of forms. ## See also - [[Democracy]] · [[Athens]] · [[Socrates]]