The referendum and other essays on constitutional politics

"Until recently, referendums were little used and discussed, particularly in the political landscape of the United Kingdom. After the seismic impact of the Brexit referendum, they have come to the fore as a mechanism with the potential to disrupt the status quo and radically change political direction. This book looks at the historical development of the referendum, its use in different jurisdictions, and the types of constitutional questions it seeks to address. Written in an engaging style, this offers a clear, objective overview of this important political and constitutional tool"---Bloomsbury Publishing

Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- PART I: REFERENDUM -- 1. The Referendum: Non basta più -- 2. The World History of Referendums 1400-2018 -- I. Introduction -- II. The Earlier History of the Referendum -- III. Democracy in America 1776-87 -- IV. The Referendum 1789-1920 -- V. The Referendum in Switzerland in the Nineteenth Century -- VI. The Referendums After the First World War -- VII. The Referendum in the 20th Century -- VIII. The Use of Referendums After 1945 -- IX. The Referendum in the Age of Dealignment -- X. Conclusion -- 3. Plebiscites in Dictatorships - Voting as a Signifiant of Total Control -- I. The Paucity of Plebiscite Research in Dictatorships -- II. The Plebiscite as a Signifiant of Total Control -- III. The Plebiscite as a Signifiant -- IV. Qualitative Evidence of the Plebiscite as a Signifiant of Total Control -- V. Conclusion -- 4. The Law and Politics of Independence Referendums -- I. Once Upon a Time in Norway… -- II. The Context and Development of Independence Referendums -- III. Legal Recognition -- IV. The Legal Argument -- V. When are Referendums on Independence Recognised? -- VI. Statistical Analysis -- VII. Conclusion -- Appendix A: Independence Referendums 1980-2017 -- 5. Consociationalism and Direct Democracy: The Paradox of Direct Democracy and Elite Accommodation -- I. Introduction -- II. Pouvoir Constituant Referendums and Consociationalism -- III. The Referendum in Switzerland -- IV. Optional Referendums and Consociational Democracy -- V. The Period of Radicalism 1848-1919 -- VI. The Referendum After 1919 -- VII. Conclusion -- 6. The Stupidity of the People or the Wisdom of Common Folks? Can Referendums Make Societies Richer and More Equal - or the Opposite? -- I. Introduction -- II. The Evidence -- III. Summing Up -- 7. Prediction or Prophecy: Forecasting the Outcome of EU Referendums -- I. Introduction.