Pilnmēness nogurdinātie - Demokrātija darbībā

The first description of a "direct electronic democracy" I met, was that in Robert Sheckley's "Ticket To Planet Tranai". The Lord Mayor depicted in the science fiction could do whatever he wanted. He could even execute a suspect on the spot without any investigation. He could always delegate the right to kill to any volunteer. But his arbitrary rule was limited with a special device: any citizen, in case he (or she) was disappointed with the Mayor's performance, could push a special button. As soon as the number of pushes became high enough, the medallion on the Mayor's chest - the symbol of his absolute power - exploded and killed the owner. Medallions tended to explode frequently enough to discourage a candidate for the position. For a citizen it was much more convenient to stay at home and push the button from time to time.