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Yet direct democracy does not always give power to the people. Sometimes, says Mr Altman, it can “give people to the powerful”. Referendums in democratic countries may now far outnumber the sham plebiscites beloved of autocratic rulers. Yet heavy-handed rulers continue to hijack the fashion for direct democracy to quell dissent or circumvent parliamentary limitations on their power. In November Andry Rajoelina, a 36-year-old former disc-jockey who took power in Madagascar after a military coup, called a plebiscite to approve a new constitution—and keep him in control. In 2009 Hugo Chávez, who says his goal is to rule Venezuela until at least 2030, used a popular vote to abolish the term limit on his presidency. Authoritarian rulers rarely lose such votes.
The genie of direct democracy is hard to rebottle when released, even if the results prove dysfunctional or perverse. Mr Altman says that once empowered to pass legislation, electorates rarely initiate votes that might limit their own power. In that respect, politicians and the people have much in common.

A. 어휘
the powerful 권력이 있는 사람들. sham 가짜, 허위의.
plebiscites 국민투표. beloved of ...의하여 애용되는.
autocratic 독재적인. heavy-handed 압제적인, 고압적인, 서툰.
quell 억누르다, 진압하다. dissent 반대. circumvent 우회하다, 선수를 치다.
parliamentary 의회의. military coup 군사쿠데타.
popular vote 대중투표. abolish 廢棄(폐기)하다. term limit 임기제한.
Authoritarian 권위주의적인. genie 아라비안나이트의 귀신.
rebottle 병에 다시 집어넣다. dysfunctional 기능장애의.
perverse 잘못된, 심술궂은. empower 권력을 주다, 능력을 주다.
electorates 유권자, 선거구민. initiate 발의하다, 솔선하다.
In that respect 그런 점에서.