ABSTRACT
During the Revolution, legislators, administrators, and judges were elected indirectly by departmental and district electoral assemblies (until the districts were suppressed in 1795). Both were composed of electors named by the primary assemblies. By contrast, British MPs were elected directly, whereas in the United States, only Congressmen were elected directly. America’s Founding Fathers thus emulated France. In both countries, indirect elections were adopted as a means to filter out the popular elements and vest power in the hands of an affluent, educated, and experienced political elite.
