Plebiscite

We explain what a plebiscite is, its origin, what it is for and various examples from history. Also, differences with a referendum.

What is a plebiscite?

A plebiscite It is a political event for popular consultation in which a given matter is submitted to the decision of the majority through a public voting event. It is a mechanism of political participation common in democratic governments (and, occasionally, in non-democratic ones), whose purpose is to provide the people with the opportunity to express their opinion on a matter of collective importance.

The origin of this word goes back to the Latin term plebiscitewhich could be translated as “decree approved by the plebs”. To understand what that means, we must remember that in Rome in the 8th century BC. C. free citizens were divided into two categories: the patricians, who enjoyed full rights of political participation, and the plebeians (plebeii) foreigners stripped of political rights.

The latter were called that because they formed “the mass” or “the majority” (plebsin Latin), and only around the 5th century BC. C. began to have greater political rights in the management of the Roman State, through their own political assemblies (the conciliate plebis or plebeian councils), whose decrees came to have the force of law and became known as plebiscites (plebiscite), to distinguish them from the patrician laws (leges).

But from the 3rd century BC. C. legal equality between plebeians and patricians was achieved in Rome, thus transforming the concept of plebiscite. The latter was rescued by modern democracy with its new meaning of “consultation”, practically synonymous with that of referendum.

What is a plebiscite for?

In modern democracy, plebiscites are part of the mechanisms of consultation with the people, in which sovereignty resides of the State. That is to say, these are ways of consulting the opinion of the majority regarding an event of a public nature that, given its importance, its significance or its whatever nature, deserves to be decided by the majority and not simply by the political representatives of the public powers.

However, the plebiscites are not always definitive or binding but many times they are merely advisory: public powers seek the opinion of the people on a matter to guide themselves and know where to direct their steps, without the popular vote representing a final decision taken, but rather a guideline issued by the majority.

Thus, what things can or cannot be submitted to a plebiscite, in what way and under what terms, will always depend on the local or national legal framework, that is, on what the laws and the Constitution establish.

Examples of plebiscites

Some famous plebiscites in history were the following:

• The Chilean independence plebiscite of 1817. This was the first plebiscite in Latin American history, which took place on November 15 of that year and submitted to the popular will the ratification (or not) of Chilean independence, defended by Commander Bernardo O'Higgins (1778-1842). . The results were favorable to independence from Spain and it was formally proclaimed in December.
• The Schleswig Plebiscites of 1920. This is the name given to two popular consultations that, following what was established by the Treaty of Versailles that ended the First World War (1914-1918), consulted the people regarding the establishment of the border between Germany and Denmark. Its name came from the fact that the consultation involved the inhabitants of the former Duchy of Schleswig.
• The Uruguayan Constitutional Plebiscite of 1980. On November 30 of that year, he submitted a constitutional reform to a majority vote that would allow the civil-military dictatorship to remain in power. However, 57.20% of voters preferred the “no” option, thus laying the foundations for the coming transition to democracy, with the free elections of 1984.
• The National Plebiscite of Chile of October 5, 1988. Occurring during the terrible mandate of General Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006), who had ruled the country with an iron fist since 1974, it was the event that marked the end of the dictatorship, when 54.71% of Chileans voted “no.” ” to the continuity of the military government for a new period of eight years.

Differences between plebiscite and referendum

Both terms refer to democratic consultation mechanisms that is, consulting the majority of the people so that they can express themselves regarding a sensitive matter, between which there is no clear and explicit differentiation. In fact, the growing tendency is to use them interchangeably, as synonyms.

However, in some legislations and legal bodies Referendums are considered to be more formal consultations and which therefore can refer to constitutional and legislative matters, of great importance and hierarchy, thus establishing formal decisions taken by the majority. On the other hand, plebiscites would be informal consultations on territorial or community issues.

This difference, it is worth repeating, is relative and will always depend on the legal framework taken into consideration.

References

• “Referendum” on Wikipedia.
• “Plebiscite” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
• “Plebiscite” in the Legislative Information System of the Government of Mexico.
• “Plebiscite” in Banrepcultural, Cultural Network of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia.
• “Yes or no?: 5 referendums, plebiscites and consultations that have made history in Latin America” on BBC News Mundo.