INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL

THEORY IA
GROUP ASSESSMENT

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TABLE OF CONTENT
[Link]
[Link] of concept
[Link] democracy
[Link] principles of representative democracy
[Link] of representative democracy
[Link] and disadvantages of representative democracy
[Link]
[Link]/sources
DISCUSSING A SPECIFIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT, ALSO
DISCUSSING THE TYPE OF RULE USING VARIOUS
EXAMPLES.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY

1. Introduction
According to: Longley R, “Nearly 60 percent of the world’s countries employ a form
of government based on representative democracy, including the U.S. as a
democratic republic, the UK as a constitutional monarchy, and France as a unitary
state”. Therefor we look at Representative Democracy as a system of governance in
which citizens elect politicians to make decisions on their behalf. Divided into various
sections, definition of representative democracy, pros and cons, and conclusion.

2. What is democracy
A form of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state,
typically through elected representatives.
 3. What is meant by Representative Democracy?
Representative Democracy also known as indirect democracy, is a type of
democracy where elected officials create and vote on laws, regulations and other
government matters in contrast to direct democracy. As said, representative
democracy is thus the polar opposite of direct democracy. In which citizens vote on
every law or policy proposed at every level of government and it is generally used in
larger countries where direct democracy would be impossible to operate because to
the large amount of people engaged. Representative democracy contrasts sharply
with types of administration such as totalitarianism, authoritarianism and fascism,
which provide little to no elected representation to the people.

Our federal government of Republic of South Africa is a representative democracy.

The people elect the President, members of the cabinet and all those who will
represent particular positions. Citizens elect their governor and legislatures, this
means that our government is selected by citizens.

The primary point of representative democracy is that people's wishes are carried
out through representative bodies chosen (elected) directly by them. It has become
absolutely necessary in democracies where citizens can make decisions quickly.
That is what gave rise to the concept of power sharing, in which the legislature
(parliament), the executive (administration), and the judiciary (courts of law) must be
divided and have the ability to control each other.
Representative Democracy is fulfilled by three basic institutions, follows.

-Electorate
-The representative body
-The centre of political decision-making
The bearer of sovereign power, as this power cannot be exercised directly, and it
elects its representatives who constitutes the representative body-parliament. This
representative body from the electoral body is charged with the mandate and
responsibility of governing the state within a certain period of time. The role of the
electorate in the system of parliamentary democracy is twofold: it elects the
representative bodies, empowering them with the mandate and responsibility for
governing the state, and exercises political control over their work through elections
(BAJRAM, 2005, p 40). So the people delegate to them:
1. The power to issue normative acts,
2. The right to design governing policies (EMA, 2009, p 10)

4. Basic Principles of Representative Democracy.

Representative Democracy is based on many complex principles, as follows.
-Equality of all citizens before the law.
-The legitimacy of state power.
-Fulfilment of popular sovereignty
-Participation in public life.
-Majority rule and majority rights.
-Protection and respect for human rights.
-Political pluralism.
-Free and fair election.
-Separation and restriction of power.

5. Examples of Representative Democracies.

-United states: People elect president, member of the house of representative and
member of the state.
-United Kingdom: The prime minister is elected, as are the member of the house of
common.
-Canada: People elect the member of parliament (MPs) who serve in the house of
common.
-Australia: The county is led by a prime minister who is elected by the citizens.
-New Zealand: Their constitution republic is similar with the people electing the prime
minister.
-India: People elect both president and a prime minister.

6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Representative Democracy

The most common type of government is representative democracy. As a results it
has both advantages and disadvantages for both the government and the people.

i. Advantages
-Its effective: A single elected person reflects a big number of people’s wishes.
-Its empowering: Citizens in each of the country’s political units (states, districts,
regions and so on) elect representatives to represent them in the national
government.
-It encourages participation: When people believe they have a say in how their
government makes choices, they are more inclined to be informed about problems
that affect their country and vote to have their voices heard on such topics.

ii. Disadvantages
-It’s not always reliable: Elected officials’ votes may not always reflect the desire of
the people’
-It can become inefficient: Representative Democracy-based governments can grow
into large bureaucracies that are famously slow to act especially on major matters.
-It may encourage corruption: Candidates may misrepresent their positions in order
to get power.

7. Conclusion
In the end, a representative democracy should produce a government that is really
“of, by, and for the people.” However, the people’s freedom to voice their
preferences to their representatives, as well as the willingness of those
representatives to act in accordance with those wishes, are critical to its success. It
is very important to have representative democracy because the laws and the rules
which are followed by an entire country is a tedious process. It demands the
knowledge of well-educated and experienced faculties.
 8. References/Sources
Desilver, Drew. “Despite global concerns about democracy, more than half of
countries are democratic.” Pew Research Center, 14 May 2019,
[Link]
democratic/.Kateb

George. “The Moral Distinctiveness of Representative Democracy.” Institute of

Education Sciences, 3 September 1979, [Link]

The Importance of Representative Democracy.” Unicam Focus, Nebraska

Legislature, 2020, [Link]

Baliqi, Bekim (2017). Politikat publike dhe qeverisja-PrishtinëlPublic

Policy and Governance-Pristina. Fondacioni Konrad-Adenauer, (pp. 85-
90).

Berisha, Fejzulla (2011). Hlyrje në të drejtën/ntroduction to the right.

Prishtinë, (p. 110-114).

Bufi, Ylli (2010). Tempulli I demokracisë/Temple of Democracy. Tiranë:

OMBRA GVG, (p. 79 84).

Donatella Della Porta (2006). Bazat e Shkencës Politike/Basics of

Political Science. Prishtinë, (p. 67).

European Movement in Albania (2009). Guidae votuesve të rinjë/Young

Voters Guide. Tiranë, (p. 10).

Guy S. Goodwin -Gill (1994). Fair and Free Elections. Înternational

Law and Practice. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Geneva, (p. 25-32).

Haxhiu, Sadik & Arbresha, Meha (2019). Legal Gaps in the

Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo in Chapteer on the President of
The Republic. Acta Universitatis Danubus. Juridica 15.3.

Haxhiu, Sadik & Meha, A. (2019). ILegal Gaps in the Constitution of the
Republic of Kosovo in Chapter on the President of the Republic. Acta
Universitatis Danubius. Juridica, Vol 15, No 3.