Direct Democracy Backsliding, 1955-2024

John G. Matsusaka

Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy, 2025, vol. 6, issue 2, 249-276

Abstract: Direct democracy backsliding occurs when a government alters its laws to hinder the use of initiatives and referendums. This study develops a measure of direct democracy backsliding, collects the data to calculate it over the last 70 years, and documents several trends and patterns. The data reveal a continuous chipping away at direct democracy throughout the period; legislatures proposed on average 2.2 amendments restricting direct democracy every two-year electoral cycle, and four amendments restricting direct democracy for every one amendment expanding it. The amount of such activity in recent years is high but not at a peak for the period. The strongest predictor of anti-direct-democracy proposals is Republican control of the state legislature. I find little evidence that legislators sought to restrict direct democracy for strategic reasons, either to forestall future adverse policy outcomes, or in reaction to past adverse outcomes.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:now:jnlpip:113.00000124

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