CONCEPTUALIZING PURE DEMOCRACY: THE REPRESENTATIONAL OXYMORON IN MODERN POLITICAL ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the theoretical and structural incompatibilities inherent in the concept of "representative democracy." Grounded in the architectural principles of Direct Participatory Systems, this study argues that representation and democracy are fundamentally antinomic concepts rather than complementary mechanisms. By delegating sovereign power to intermediaries, representative systems dismantle the core premise of democratic legitimacy: the direct, unmediated expression of popular will. Through a critical examination of institutional delegation, agency failure, and civic alienation, this work demonstrates why the synthesis of representation and democracy constitutes a conceptual oxymoron. Finally, it outlines the imperative for transitioning toward Direct Participatory Democracy as an ethically grounded and structurally coherent alternative for contemporary governance.