We only have a partial democracy in the UK amd in the EU too. If enough people wanted it changed, a party pushing for total democracy would get voted in. So why has that never happened? Because there is no will for it. A majority of people prefer it how it is now even though they moan sometimes.

Tom.

You have to understand that democracy does not exist so that our opinion is heard and carried out, it exists because we the people are far too stupid to make sensible decisions ourselves. To fill this void we are able to vote in a party and their leaders to make these oh-so-difficult decisions for us. Luckily, there are really only two parties to choose from as most of us cannot count upto three. These wonderful guardians of our nation also make it easy for us to choose by making the parties almost exactly the same, meaning that no matter what box we end up scibbling our crayon on, the same sort of wonderous people are left in charge.
The Irish are a naughty nation who seem to think that they know better than their elders. As you do with a naughty child, when you think they are lying to you, you ask them the same question, but this time in a STERNER VOICE, so that the truth is illicited.
Afraid that the British will copy their friend's naughty behaviour, our guardians won't ask us what we think about the EU, safe in the knowledge that they know what is best for us and that we are like a flock of bleating lost sheep, looking for a shepherd to give us safe passage through the gate and into the abattoir.

I'm ashamed to say, but I've no idea what the Lisbon Treaty contains and why it upset the Irish people so much...I know I should read it but there's so much of it!! I guess if we'd been asked to vote on it, I would have read the literature on it or listened to those for or against, but since we didn't have a vote, I haven't done anything about it...Also, not entirely sure what a party pushing for total democracy mentioned by Tom entails...and is our current political system able to include such a party...also you would need a particularly charismatic leader of it to rouse people to vote for him or her...don't know anybody at the moment capable of assuming that role...

"The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment" Robert M. Hutchins

Apathy has been bred into the people by the constant barrage of propaganda and advertising. On the evening news, all five channels front the same three stories. All five! Big Brother takes the place of political thought. The public did not cry out for it, it was thrust at them incessantly until it is all they can see and hear.

Football, Britney Spears and the rest of the trash take front place in the headlines, over issues like the referendum. This is no mistake. They want apathetic society so they can press agenda without resistance. Just enough of a vote to make it seem as though democracy is being practiced, not enough to spoil the plot.