Ideas of Edmund Burke, by Theme

[Irish, 1729 - 1797, Member of Parliament in London.]

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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
Your representative owes you his judgement, and betrays you if he gives your opinion instead
     Full Idea: Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion
     From: Edmund Burke (Address to the Voters of Bristol [1774]), quoted by Adam Swift - Political Philosophy (3rd ed)
     A reaction: Nice rhetoric, but I'm not sure about the logic of it. Do I betray you if I give my stupid judgement rather than your wise one? Am I so arrogant as to think my judgement is always preferable? His audience was entirely of property owners.