Thomas Jefferson

In a letter written in 1816, Thomas Jefferson extolled the virtues of a democracy that would be as direct as possible. The idea was that everyone could contribute through town hall meetings. He called it

"the wisest invention ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self-government, and for its preservation."

"... every man is a sharer... and feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs, not merely at an election one day in the year, but every day."
As quoted here.