Pros and Cons of Representative Democracy
Feb 2, 2020 20:25:59 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Feb 2, 2020 20:25:59 GMT -5
Democracy is a general term. It describes a government by the people- the demos. However, within that general term there are various ways in which a democracy can function as outlined in the article on the following website.
www.scienceabc.com/social-science/different-types-democracy-direct-representative-presidential-parliamentary.html
Direct democracy is one in which the citizens vote directly on all issues such as taxation, foreign policy, education, National Health Policies, Employment, etc. In contrast a representative democracy is one in which citizens vote for persons to represent them and vote on their behalf on such issues. Below is an excerpt from a article that describes the pros and the cons of a representative democracy.
www.scienceabc.com/social-science/different-types-democracy-direct-representative-presidential-parliamentary.html
Direct democracy is one in which the citizens vote directly on all issues such as taxation, foreign policy, education, National Health Policies, Employment, etc. In contrast a representative democracy is one in which citizens vote for persons to represent them and vote on their behalf on such issues. Below is an excerpt from a article that describes the pros and the cons of a representative democracy.
Contrasting Direct and Representative Democracy
Pros and Cons of Representative Democracy
Representative democracy is the most prevalent form of government. As such, it has both advantages and disadvantages to the government and the people.
Pros
Efficient: A single elected official represents the desires of a large number of people. In the United States, for example, just two U.S. Senators represent all of the people in their states. By conducting a limited number of national elections, countries with representative democracies save time and money, which can then be devoted to other public needs.
Empowers the People: The people of each of the country’s political subdivisions (state, district, region, etc.) choose the representatives who will make their voices heard by the national government. Should those representatives fail to meet the expectations of their constituents, the voters can replace them in the next election.
Encourages Participation: When people are confident that they have a say in their government's decisions, they are more likely to remain aware of issues affecting their country and to vote as a way of making their opinions on those issues heard.
Cons
Not Always Reliable: The votes of elected officials in a representative democracy may not always reflect the will of the people. The officials are not bound by law to vote the way the people who elected them want them to vote. Unless term limits apply to the official in question, the only options available to dissatisfied constituents are to vote the representative out of office in the next regular election or, in some cases, to demand a recall election.
Can Become Inefficient: Governments shaped by representative democracy may develop into massive bureaucracies, which are notoriously slow to take action, especially on momentous issues.
Can Invite Corruption: Candidates may misrepresent their stances on issues or policy goals in order to achieve political power. In office, politicians may act in the service of personal financial gain rather than for the benefit of their constituents (sometimes to the direct detriment of their constituents).
In final analysis, a representative democracy should truly result in a government that is created “by the people, for the people.” However, its success in doing so depends on the people’s freedom to express their wishes to their representatives and the willingness of those representatives to act accordingly.
www.thoughtco.com/representative-democracy-definition-pros-cons-4589561
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