What defines a Direct Democracy?

Direct democracy is characterized by the active participation of all citizens in the decision-making process. In a direct democracy, individuals have the opportunity to directly vote on legislation and government policies rather than relying on elected representatives to make those decisions on their behalf. This form of governance empowers citizens to influence legislation and policy outcomes directly, fostering a sense of community involvement and accountability.

The other options refer to different governmental structures. For instance, the first choice describes representative democracy, where elected officials make decisions. The third option mentions a council of experts, which suggests a technocratic or oligarchic approach rather than broad citizen participation. The fourth choice refers to a centralized voting system, which might indicate a more hierarchical structure rather than direct engagement by the populace in decision-making. Therefore, the distinctive feature of direct democracy is indeed that all citizens participate directly in voting on government decisions.