Building Institutions for Democracy

Over at CIPE:

Elections are a key component of democracy. Without democratic institutions to operate between voting periods, however, elections will only produce the shell of democracy without the benefits of a truly accountable government.Institutions such as representation systems, consultation committees, and comment-and-notice periods ensure that policymakers must confer with their citizens and other elected officials before making policy. Without these institutions and practices, elected lawmakers can behave like dictators, enacting and implementing policies as they see fit.