representative government
Voters choose leaders
Representative government is a political system in which citizens elect officials to make decisions and laws on their behalf, rather than participating directly in governance themselves.
The elected representatives are accountable to voters and typically serve for fixed terms before facing reelection.
Most modern democracies operate as representative governments, with legislatures like parliaments or congresses serving as the primary decision-making bodies.
The founders designed a representative government to balance popular sovereignty with practical governance.
National legislative assembly
- senateLegislative governing body
- assemblyConstructing from components
- republicState with elected leaders
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
federalism · suffrage · voting · referendum · ballot · majority · plurality · coalition
Those who cast ballots
- constituencyElectoral district's voters
- electorateEligible voting body
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- enfranchisementGranting citizenship rights
polling · precincts · turnout · campaigns · candidates · nominees · platforms · primaries
Chosen representatives or assigns
- representativesThose acting for others
- elected officialsLeaders chosen by vote
- parliamentariansLegislative body members
- senatorsUpper legislative body members
congresspersons · legislators · councillors · deputies · backbenchers · whips · speaker · majority leader
Crafting enforceable rules
- statutesFormally enacted laws
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- actsDeeds or play sections
- ordinancesLocal government rules
bills · resolutions · committees · caucus · quorum · sessions · hearings · debates
parliament
National legislative assembly
- senateLegislative governing body
- assemblyConstructing from components
- republicState with elected leaders
constitution · federalism · suffrage · voting · referendum · ballot · majority · plurality · coalition · citizenship
voters
Those who cast ballots
- constituencyElectoral district's voters
- electorateEligible voting body
- franchiseLicensed business operation
enfranchisement · polling · precincts · turnout · campaigns · candidates · nominees · platforms · primaries · districts
delegates
Chosen representatives or assigns
- representativesThose acting for others
- elected officialsLeaders chosen by vote
- parliamentariansLegislative body members
senators · congresspersons · legislators · councillors · deputies · backbenchers · whips · speaker · majority leader · minority leader
lawmaking
Crafting enforceable rules
- statutesFormally enacted laws
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- actsDeeds or play sections
bills · ordinances · resolutions · committees · caucus · quorum · sessions · hearings · debates · amendments
- ConstitutionBill of Rights, preamble, articles, U.S. Constitution, Article I
- enlightenmentVoltaire, Rousseau, Locke, Kant, Montesquieu
- Founding Principlesinalienable rights, unalienable rights, natural rights, popular sovereignty, separation of powers
- liberal democracyliberal democracy, civil liberties, individual rights, rule of law, separation of powers
- Liberalismindividual liberty, individual rights, civil liberties, classical liberalism, free market
- Newfoundland HistorySt. John's, Avalon, Labrador, outports, British rule
representative governmentautocracy
Rule by one
dictatorship · absolute monarchy · tyranny · despotism · authoritarianism
representative governmentdirect democracy
Voters decide policy personally
pure democracy · autocracy · participatory democracy · Athenian democracy · disenfranchisement
representative, government, represent, govern, representation, representations, representational, represented, representing