📘 Book Summary – Direct Democracy: From Stage to People

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Direct Democracy: From Stage to People is a satirical and thought-provoking journey through the absurd theatre of modern representative politics — and a bold call to bring power back to where it belongs: the people.

Francisco Gonçalves blends humour, civic poetry and biting critique to expose the cracks in traditional party systems, the emptiness of electoral promises, and the distant rituals of institutions that no longer listen. But this is not a book of complaint — it is a manual for transformation.

Through 15 vibrant chapters and a poetic epilogue, the reader is invited to explore:

• Why today’s democracy feels more like a scripted show than true governance;
• How citizens can reclaim their role not just as voters, but as co-authors of decisions;
• What lessons we can draw from ancient Athens, Swiss referenda, and digital tools of the future;
• How memes, AI, and children’s assemblies all have something to teach us about freedom.

It’s a book that laughs — but never lets go of seriousness. That criticises — but also proposes. That dreams — but with a wrench in hand and instructions for assembly.

For those who believe democracy is more than casting a vote and waiting four years,
this book is a spark. A guide. A reminder that the power of the people isn’t an idea.
It’s a tool, ready to be used.

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Francisco Gonçalves

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Download the PDF version of the ebook here: