Representative Democracy
Basics of Representative Democracy
- Representative democracy is a type of governance where citizens elect officials to represent their interests within a governing institution.
- This form of democracy stands in contrast to direct democracy where citizens participate directly in law-making.
Representative Democracy in the UK
- In the United Kingdom, representatives are elected into the House of Commons and House of Lords.
- The system operates under majority rule, but minority rights should still be protected.
- A cornerstone of representative democracy is the regular scheduling of elections, which typically occur in the UK every five years.
Roles Within Representative Democracy
- Representatives within a representative democracy fundamentally have two roles, trustees and delegates.
- Trustees follow their own conscience and judgement on what is best for their constituents. This is known as Burkean representation, named after the Irish statesman Edmund Burke.
- Delegates, on the other hand, exactly mirror the desires and wants of their constituents.
Disadvantages and Critiques of Representative Democracy
- Under-representation in a representative democracy can cause tension and lead to civil unrest.
- Critics of representative democracy argue that the system can sometimes lead to the 'tyranny of the majority', where the desires of the majority override the needs and rights of minorities.
- Issues such as lobbying, corporate influence, and political party funding can alter the balance of representative democracy, leading to a situation where certain groups have disproportionate power and influence.
- In the UK, the first-past-the-post voting system is used to determine the representatives in the House of Commons. Critics argue it can distort representation by over-representing the larger parties at the expense of smaller ones.
Advantages and Strengths of Representative Democracy
- Representative democracy gives citizens the chance to participate in the political process, whilst also allowing laws and policies to be made by experienced politicians.
- A strength of representative democracy is the protection it offers against rapid, potentially harmful changes in law or policy that could occur in direct democracies.
- Representative democracy upholds pluralism – meaning a variety of opinions and ideas can flourish, contributing to the health and vitality of a society.
Accountability and Communication in Representative Democracy
- This type of democracy places great importance on accountability. Elected representatives are answerable to their constituents and can be voted out in future elections if they fail to perform or improve their constituents' lives.
- However, the communicative link between representatives and their constituents has been problematic and inconsistent, stirring debates about democratic communication and participation.