• In representative democracy, citizens choose their leaders through elections.election in the netherlands image by araraadt from Fotolia.com
  
  In representative democracy, citizens control the government through their elected representatives, who act on their behalf. Voters select the persons who will represent them in regular elections. Representative democracy may be the best form of government to protect individual rights and give citizens a voice in the government. Various elements of this form of government exist in the United States and other nations of the world. However, representative democracy has its disadvantages.
  
  

"Tyranny of the Majority"

• Because majority rule is a central characteristic of democracy, the danger always exists that a majority, free of restrictions on its power, will oppress members of the minority. This so-called "tyranny of the majority," as Alexis de Tocqueville called it in his book, "Democracy in America," is the greatest disadvantage of representative democracy. James Madison, in The Federalist Papers, also recognized the dangers of democracy, when he noted that democracy cannot control for the problem of factions. The U.S. Constitution avoided this drawback of representative democracy with a series of measures and safeguards designed to protect the rights of those not in the majority. These include two houses of Congress, the presidential veto and the protections in the Bill of Rights.
  
  

Short-Term Focus

• Citizens in a representative democracy elect their leaders for fixed terms of office and have the right to change them by choosing others in the next election. In the United States, members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms; Senators, six years; and presidents, four years. In addition, there are state and local elections in which voters elect governors, state legislators, city mayors, city council members and other elected leaders. Regular elections encourage short-term thinking by elected officials, causing them to focus on the next election at the expense of what is best for the citizenry. This discourages the development of long-term public policy solutions to existing problems. Further, the frequent elections--at national, state and local levels--may cause voter fatigue.
  
  

Local Interest vs. National Interest

• Voters choose elected representatives from their communities, and those representatives act on behalf of their constituents. In the U.S. House of Representatives, for example, members reside in and represent the people of their districts. Serving constituent needs and interests in a representative democracy often leads elected officials to favor local interests over policies that benefit the nation as a whole. The controversy over congressional earmarks reflects this issue, as many elected officials steer federal money and projects to their districts, benefiting their constituents. This may serve a legislator's reelection prospects, but the projects and money may hold no benefit for the nation as a whole.