Devices such as initiatives, referendums, and other types of direct votes llave increased in use throughout the world over tbe past two decades. Switzerland utilizes referendums as an integral par of its process of government, and Australia and Ireland use them to effect constitutional changes. Initiative and referendum devices are al so widely employed in many American states. In Canada, tbere is increasing discussion at alllevels of government about the use of referendums to foster greater "democratization" of political life. Considering its growing popularity among many political reformers, the referendum remains much understudied. This book aims to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date survey of direct democratic institutions and devices as they bave developed both in the thinking of modern political theorists and in actual political practice in the world's major democratic nations. Among the cases specifically considered are the California and Swiss models, the two Quebec sovereignty referendums, the 1999 Australian referendum on the monarchy, the 2000 Danish referendum on the Euro, Irish referendums on divorce and abortion, and the votes in Sweden on nuclear energy and European Union membership