Because of the unwieldiness of direct democracies in areas with medium or large populations, the closest practicable model of a direct democracy is the Participatory model. In this model, citizens play an active role in the government through neighborhood assemblies and workers’ councils. Supporters of this theory say that citizens would be less apathetic towards government if they were given more chances to participate; apathy is not inherent in human nature. To achieve this, supporters call for the reform of political, social, and economic institutions. Participatory Democrats feel that citizens should have a voice not only in government but also in corporations, unions, schools, churches and other institutions that have a direct impact on their lives. Participatory theorists note that the lack of opportunities for citizens to voice their opinions in the workplace, the school, and other institutions prevent citizens from influencing the decisions that shape their lives. Also, theorists believe citizens cannot be expected to participate well in government if they are subject to authoritative rule in other areas of their lives. Groups such as Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) have espoused various forms of participatory democracies. Citizen involvement is the focus of the Participatory model (Lewis).

A More Perfect Union was created by ThinkQuest Team 26466: Eric Barr, Taylor Rankin, and John Baird.
This website is a ThinkQuest entry focusing on the various facets of American democracy.
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