subject: Edmund Burke & His Views on Representative Government [print this page] Regardless of the methods involved, representative government is intended to serve the people, whether through the pursuit of the national interest or through the placation of a representative's constituents. As long as man has walked the earth, he has searched for a way to modify his surroundings in order to better live. This is precisely the purpose of representative government. However, as Edmund Burke describes in his Speech to the Electors of Bristol, representative government should ideally not be placed entirely subject to the fickle and often selfish whims of the general population. These ideas greatly influenced the political philosophies of the founding fathers as they created a new government and a new country, the United States of America. Unfortunately, though Burke is correct in theory, the practice of his political ideology often leads to a total alienation of the people from the governmental process that control them, resulting in an unhappy populace. Additionally, if one considers the national interest to be defined by the majority of opinion in a country, then Burke's argument promptly falls apart due to the combination of the two distinctions he makes, the national interest and the opinions of the constituents. When applied to the modern governmental system of the United States, one can barely see remnants of Burke's political ideology in Congress. Representatives are often slaves and workhorses of the people they represent, living in constant fear that they may lose their job if they fail to produce what their base considers progress. This governmental system prevents legislatures from acting freely in their decisions, and somewhat vindicates Burke's political theories. However, when examined from a realistic perspective, one must understand that people must play an active role in their government, not to prevent their representatives from acting free, but to ensure that those representing them are connected with a relevant common good for all.
Edmund Burke & His Views on Representative Government
