Editing Representative democracy (section)

==Powers of representatives==
Representatives are elected by the public, as in national elections for the national legislature.<ref name=":0" /> Elected representatives may hold the power to select other representatives, presidents, or other officers of the government or of the legislature, as the [[prime minister]] in the latter case.

The power of representatives is usually curtailed by a [[constitution]] (as in a [[constitutional democracy]] or a [[constitutional monarchy]]) or other measures to balance representative power:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.civiced.org/resources/publications/resource-materials/390-constitutional-democracy|title=CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY|website=www.civiced.org|access-date=2019-11-18}}</ref>

*An [[independent judiciary]], which may have the power to declare legislative acts unconstitutional (e.g. [[constitutional court]], [[supreme court]]).
*The constitution may also provide for some [[deliberative democracy]] (e.g., [[Royal Commission]]s) or direct popular measures (e.g., [[Popular initiative|initiative]], [[referendum]], [[recall election]]s). However, these are not always binding and usually require some legislative action—legal power usually remains firmly with representatives. {{Where|date=July 2011}}
*In some cases, a [[Bicameralism|bicameral legislature]] may have an "[[upper house]]" that is not directly elected, such as the [[Senate of Canada]], which was in turn modeled on the [[British House of Lords]].

Some political theorists, such as [[Edmund Burke#Representative Democracy|Edmund Burke]], believe that part of the duty of a representative is not simply to follow the wishes of the electorate but also to use their own judgment in the exercise of their powers, even if their views are not reflective of those of a majority of voters.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke. Volume I|location=London|publisher=Henry G. Bohn| year=1854|pages=446–8|quote="Certainly, Gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a Representative, to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the Law and the Constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion."}}</ref> A representative who chooses to execute the wishes of their constituents acts as a delegate. If the representative chooses to use their best judgment and knowledge in making decisions, even when the constituents do not fully agree with the decision, then the representative acts as a trustee.