more from this thinker     |     more from this text

Single Idea 7251

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy ]

Full Idea

The English people believes itself to be free; it is gravely mistaken; it is free only during the election of Members of Parliament; as soon as the Members are elected, the people is enslaved.

Gist of Idea

The English are actually slaves in between elections

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], III.15)

Book Ref

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.198

A Reaction

Rousseau seems to be hoping for some sort of direct democracy. We could probably set up a direct democracy, by implementing regular voting over the internet, but I doubt if Rousseau would like that either. I certainly wouldn't.

The 20 ideas with the same theme [the people chose a small group to govern]:

22533 If the people are equal in nature, then they should all share in ruling [Aristotle]
2817 It is wrong that a worthy officer of state should seek the office [Aristotle]
22576 No office is permanent in a democracy [Aristotle]
7254 If you try to get elected, you should be permanently barred from seeking office [More,T]
19998 If deputies represent people, they are accountable, but less so if they represent places [Montesquieu]
7251 The English are actually slaves in between elections [Rousseau]
20558 Your representative owes you his judgement, and betrays you if he gives your opinion instead [Burke]
22041 Representatives by region ignores whether they care about the national interest [Hegel, by Pinkard]
20504 People can only participate in decisions in small communities, so representatives are needed [Mill]
16009 When we seek our own 'freedom' we are just trying to avoid responsibility [Kierkegaard]
22682 Universal suffrage is no guarantee of wise choices [Tocqueville]
7976 People like democracy because it means they can avoid power [Baudrillard]
22264 Modern liberal rights in democracies protect individuals against the majority [Sandel]
23260 A cap on time of service would restrict party control and career ambitions [Grayling]
7477 Modern democracy is actually elective oligarchy [Watson]
20093 In the 18th century democratic lots lost out to elections, that gave us a non-hereditary aristocracy [Reybrouck]
20091 Representative elections were developed in order to avoid democracy [Reybrouck]
21126 Representative should be either obedient, or sensible, or typical [Shorten]
21128 There is 'mirror representation' when the institution statistically reflects the population [Shorten]
21127 In a changed situation a Mandated Representative can't keep promises and fight for constituents [Shorten]