How Does Direct Democracy Work?
Besides being dream destinations for immigrants and global centers of finance, Zurich and Los Angeles share the unusual distinction of being de facto capitols of the world’s leading laboratories of direct democracy. As journalist Joe Mathews explained, Switzerland and California use citizens’ initiatives and referenda more often and with more force than anywhere else in the world. Although, he added, “Oregonians have some argument there.” In an event co-presented by the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West and in collaboration with the Consulate General of Switzerland, Mathews joined …
