Although this idea was not new to philosophers, it remained for the sojourners in North America to discover its reality, demonstrate its practicality and thereby popularize its value. Such recognition was instrumental in breaking the back of earlier divine-right rule and other primitive despotisms. So it was not participatory government but the absence of government regimentation that was responsible for enlightening the world as to the possibilities for real democracy. However, in spite of this progressive development, the participatory political government that followed the American Revolution retained many of the reactionary features of the earlier despotisms. This result should be a matter of great curiosity.
Popular voting is the distinguishing feature of any participatory government.
Voting signifies that an election is taking place in which votes are cast and tallied for one or another proposition offered on a ballot prepared by the government. Although the ballots used in such elections are free for the taking, the taker must have proven himself qualified by citizenship. It is otherwise for the propositions. They appear on the ballots at great expense to their sponsors who pay the government for the privilege of entering the game. In this sense, the ballot box is like a toll booth and the tolls collected by the government are the price of admission charged those who want to play the game.