Pros and cons of Representative democracy

Posted on | By Divya Chauhan

The pros of representative democracy are that It is efficient, allows government agencies to respond quickly, and encourages others to participate. The cons of Representative democracy are that polarization is a frequent occurrence and a system that encourages corruption. So here are the 12 pros and cons of Representative democracy to better understand this topic.

Here are the listed of the top 6 pros of Representative democracy

  1. It is efficient
  2. It allows government agencies to respond quickly
  3. Encourages others to take part
  4. Improves citizen representation
  5. It makes it easier for the government to deal with issues
  6. It allows an area to have its governmental presence

Here are the listed of the top 6 cons of Representative democracy

  1. Polarization is a frequent occurrence
  2. It is a system that encourages corruption
  3. It can encourage representatives to be deceptive
  4. That is misplaced trust
  5. It is targeted at the majority
  6. The election technically ends the people’s voice

Pros of Representative democracy

It is efficient

The most significant advantage this style of democracy may provide is the efficient utilization of an executive-legislative body. Laws and construction normally govern this legislative body, which is in charge of crafting and enacting high-priority policies, legislation, and decisions.

It allows government agencies to respond quickly.

In an emergency, a representative democracy permits the government to respond rapidly to whatever possible threat exists. There is no need to put the rest of the public to the test. Government authorities can assess the issue, choose the best action and then act.

Encourages others to take part

People are more inclined to vote in elections when they believe they can have their voices heard in their administration. When critical decisions are at stake, more people turn out to vote. More than 126 million votes were cast in the 2016 Us presidential election.

Improves citizen representation

With this type of administration, the people elect their legislators, who represent them and express their constituent’s opinions to the parliament. Citizens can express their desires and opinions in this manner. Hence, if they see something unpleasant that is not being done effectively, they may take a position and have their representatives act on it.

It makes it easier for the government to deal with issues

An elected legislative body must be mindful of the people around them. Problems may thus be handled promptly, addressing people’s requirements as soon as possible.

It allows an area to have its governmental presence

There are three levels of governance in the United States: municipal. Regional and national. Each may be arranged so that it meets demands at every level as effectively as feasible.

Cons of Representative democracy

Polarization is a frequent occurrence.

Individuals want to reside in areas where they feel most at ease. Instead of emphasizing variety, the emphasis o preserving the statues. Political polarization develops regularly in a representative democracy due to this process. Individuals will migrate to areas where they may be in the majority, resulting in natural demographic divides across the country.

It is a system that encourages corruption.

The framework of a representative democracy encourages candidates to be coy about their opinions and positions on current events. Once elected, there is little motive for them to keep a campaign pledge or work to improve the economic situation of their home district. Authorities can focus on their careers instead of making personal profits, and such an official might be difficult to stop.

It can encourage representatives to be deceptive.

Once elected, the official may fail to deliver his promise of a brighter future for his citizens. Alternatively, he can operate for his vested interest and personal benefits.

That is misplaced trust.

Opponents of this approach contend that after the election process is over, the public voice in the government is likewise terminated. People only need to have faith and trust in their elected representatives. They will simply have to wait and see if their representative follows through on the promises they made. While there are still politicians who sincerely care about representing the people, some have hidden agendas that benefit them or a select few.

It is targeted at the majority.

The problem with this kind of democracy is that it prioritises the majority while leaving minority groups to handle important issues on their own. People believe their problems are ignored while the majority is always favoured, which causes division in the state.

The election technically ends the people’s voice.

The people’s ability to shape their government is essentially lost once a representative is chosen. Although the public can still write to their elected officials, set up meetings with them, and debate them in town hall meetings, they have no influence over how the vote is conducted.

Thank you for reading this article. If you have any queries regarding our article on the Pros and cons of Representative democracy, then do comment in the comment section below.

Explore more information:

  1. Pros and Cons of Democracy
  2. Pros and Cons of Theocracy
  3. parliamentary democarcy Pros and cons
  4. Pros and Cons of Monarchy
  5. Pros and cons of Aristocracy
  6. Pros and cons of Unitary government
  7. Constitutional monarchy pros and cons

Author Profile

Divya Chauhan
Divya Chauhan is an expert writer with 10+ years of experience as a content writer. They specialize in making complex topics like IT, Health, and general topic easy to understand. Divya has written over thousands of articles to help people with their content. Prior to joining Way2benefits’s editorial team in 2020, Divya worked as a Professor of BCA college and freelancer blogger.

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