Is direct democracy compatible with representative democracy?


	Is direct democracy compatible with representative democracy?
	Advantages Elected representatives often enjoy lengthy terms in office. Referendums and recalls make them more directly accountable between elections thereby enhancing representative democracy Many MPs simply toe the party line and do as the whips tell them, rather than thinking for themselves and/or representing the interests or their constituents Conventional representative democracy limits the opportunities for meaningful participation between elections. Traditional representative democracy has a tendency towards elitism, where those returned to legislature are drawn from a narrow range of social backgrounds and those from different backgrounds or with less centrist views are not properly heard	Disadvantages Those elected to office are given a mandate to act on behalf of voters, along the lines set out in their election manifestos. Representative should not feels pressured into going back to the people in order to seek approval for specific policies Elected representatives are often better informed than the general public. Representative democracy allows parliament to implement policies that are necessary but unpopular Representative government also allows for 'joined-up government' where individual policies are decided not in isolation but with full consideration of potential knock-on effects for other areas of policy
	Evaluation

Elected representatives often enjoy lengthy terms in office. Referendums and recalls make them more directly accountable between elections thereby enhancing representative democracy
Many MPs simply toe the party line and do as the whips tell them, rather than thinking for themselves and/or representing the interests or their constituents
Conventional representative democracy limits the opportunities for meaningful participation between elections.
Traditional representative democracy has a tendency towards elitism, where those returned to legislature are drawn from a narrow range of social backgrounds and those from different backgrounds or with less centrist views are not properly heard

Those elected to office are given a mandate to act on behalf of voters, along the lines set out in their election manifestos. Representative should not feels pressured into going back to the people in order to seek approval for specific policies
Elected representatives are often better informed than the general public.
Representative democracy allows parliament to implement policies that are necessary but unpopular
Representative government also allows for 'joined-up government' where individual policies are decided not in isolation but with full consideration of potential knock-on effects for other areas of policy

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