Faced with the variety and complexity of the forms that direct democracy takes today, this book pays attention first to the main stages in which direct democracy has historically evolved, and then considers at greater length the systems currently in place in different countries. The first chapter provides historical background. The two following chapters are devoted to Europe and to the Americas, where direct democracy is most developed. The analysis of the different forms that direct democracy has historically taken and those that characterize contemporary systems should allow a more balanced judgment for or against direct democracy, both in general and in specific contexts.