An Argument for Representative Democracy

A conversion of our governmental system to an Athenian model would be not only foolish but potentially dangerous to the future of our country as well. It has been suggested that the representative form of government was chosen because of the logistical problems of counting votes in an era with no computers or FedEx. However, in doing research and listening to the biographies of several men present at the Philadelphia convention, it seems clear that the decision was reached with great thought and wisdom.
One advantage of electing an individual to represent a large group of people (and hence several socio-economic groups) is that the representative is beholden to the entire body. Because the representative depends upon the approval of a majority for his continuation in office it is difficult for him/her to favor one faction to the detriment of the others without risk of losing his position. In this way equilibrium is attained in which no group completely dominates another and no minorit...