Public Law Studies Quarterly

The Feasibility of Achieving "Direct Democracy" in the Era of the ‎Fourth Industrial Revolution

Document Type : Article

Authors

Seyyed Mohammadreza Mottaghi 1
Hassan Khosravi 2
Bijan Abdolkarimi 3
Bizhan Abbasi 4
Ehsan Aghamohammadaghai 5

1 PhD student in public law, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Public Law, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Prof., Department of Philosophy, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

4 Prof., Department of law, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

5 Associate Prof., Department of law, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2023.354055.3252
Abstract
The confrontation between the two theories of direct and indirect democracy is one of the contentious topics surrounding democratic implementation models. In direct democracy, citizens exclusively have the right to enact laws. In contrast, the idea of indirect democracy claims that due to citizens' ignorance and the high costs associated with directly consulting them in any matter, representatives can better fulfill this responsibility. The arguments for the latter have gained more traction due to a closer connection to reality (at least until now); however, with the extensive changes brought about by technological advancements known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the possibility of altering these assumptions seems plausible. In this context, the present paper, seeks to answer the question: how the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution can help address the gaps in the idea of direct democracy? This research suggests that if the predictions are realized, access for the general public will become much easier and less costly, and even with the help of new technologies, citizens' preferences can be extracted without direct consultation. Additionally, with the assistance of artificial intelligence, it is expected that the general public will have an even greater ability to participate in drafting programs or selecting proposals that align with their desired interests; developments that effectively negate the advantages of the indirect democracy concept.

Keywords

the fourth industrial ‎revolution
‎ direct democracy
indirect ‎democracy
continuous ‎democracy
national ‎sovereignty
popular ‎sovereignty.‎
Subjects

  1. English

    1. A) Books
    2. Landes, D. S. (1969). The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present. New York: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.
    3. Landemore, H. (2020). Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the Twenty-First Century, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
    4. Poole, D.; Mackworth, A., & Goebel, R. (1998). Computational Intelligence: A Logical Approach. UK: Oxford University Press.

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Bai, Ch.; Dallasega, P.; Orzes, G., & Sarkis, J. (2021). Industry 4.0 technologies assessment: A sustainability perspective. International Journal of Production Economics, 229 (Nov).
    3. Brod, D. jost. (2022). Quantum computational advantage with a programmable photonic processor. Nature, (606), 75-81.
    4. Chrpa, L.; Gemrot, J., & Pilat, M. (2021). Planning and acting in non-deterministic domains: conditional planning, execution monitoring, replanning and continuous planning. Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 34 (6)., 34-53.
    5. Lijphart, A. (1997). Unequal Participation: Democracy's Unresolved Dilemma. The American Political Science Review, 91(1), 8–11.
    6. Piryonesi, S. M., & El-Diraby, T. E. (2020). Data Analytics in Asset Management: Cost-Effective Prediction of the Pavement Condition Index. Journal of Infrastructure Systems, 26 (1).
    7. Robertson, A., & Peters, J. (2021). What is the metaverse, and do I have to care? (2021-10-04 online) https://runway.airforce.gov.au/resources/link-article/what-metaverse-and-do-i-have-care.
    8. Smith, D., & Tolbert, C. (2007). The Instrumental and Educative Effects of Ballot Measures: Research on Direct Democracy in the American States. State Politics & Policy Quarterly, 7 (4), 416-445.

     

    References in Persian:

    1. A) Books
    2. Ashton, S. T. (2005). Industrial Revolution. Translator: Mehdi Tedin, Tehran: elmi farhangi (In Persian).
    3. Bashiriyeh, H. (2012). Democracy Lessons for All. Tehran: didgah moaser Institute (In Persian).
    4. Bramandi, V. (2016). direct democracy, translator: Mehdi Hajzadeh and Mostafa Bovalhosni, Tehran: Majd Publications (In Persian).
    5. Cohen, Karl.P (1995). Democracy. translator: Fariborz Majidi, Tehran: Kharazmi (In Persian).
    6. Couric, James (2014). Industrial Revolution. translator: Mehdi Haqitkhah, Tehran: Nashr Qoghnos (In Persian).
    7. Fogel, S. (2014). Western civilization. Translator: Mohammad Hossein Arya, Tehran: Amir Kabir, Vol. 2nd (In Persian).
    8. Lipsett, S. M. (2014). Encyclopedia of Democracy. translators: Kamran Fani and Nurullah Moradi, Tehran: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (In Persian).
    9. Malekan, E. (2015). Principles of Internet Engineering. Yazd: Nass Publications (In Persian).
    10. Mill, J. S. (2010). Representative Government. translator: Ali Ramin, Tehran: Ney Publishing (In Persian).
    11. Robinson, J., & Ajmoglu, D. (2021). the narrow path of freedom. translators: Seyed Alireza Beheshti and Jafar Khairkhah, Tehran: Nei Publishing House (In Persian).
    12. Rifkin, J. (2019). The Third Industrial Revolution. translator: Aslan Gudjana, Tehran: tarhe noo (In Persian).
    13. Schwab, C. (2022). shaping the future of the fourth industrial revolution. translator: Ali Zavashkiani and Mohsen Rabiei, Tehran: Publisher: Ariana Qalam. (In Persian)
    14. Toffler, A. (1994). third wave. translation: Shahindokht Kharazmi, Tehran: Simorgh (In Persian).

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Karimi, Abedin, Sadeghi, Alireza, Challenges of electronic warfare with the emergence of quantum technologies with an emphasis on quantum radars and data security, Maritime Science and Technology Quarterly, Fall 99, No. 95 (In Persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 55, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
Pages 437-460

  • Receive Date 21 January 2023
  • Revise Date 24 May 2023
  • Accept Date 10 September 2023

Home

Journal Process Ethics

Peer Review Process

Submission

Indexing and Abstracting

Contact Us