direct representation

(noun)

Direct representation is a proposed form of representative democracy where each representative's vote is weighted in proportion to the number of citizens who have chosen that candidate to represent them.

Related Terms

Examples of direct representation in the following topics:

  • Government in the English Colonies

    • While it did have virtual representation over the entire empire, the colonists believed Parliament had no such right as the colonists had no direct representation in Parliament .

  • Mobilizing Public Opinion

    • In 1953, following a lawsuit that included a congressional resolution that authorized a governmental committee to investigate "all lobbying activities intended to influence, encourage, promote, or retard legislation," the Supreme Court narrowly construed "lobbying activities" to mean only "direct" lobbying.
    • The Court defined this "direct" method of lobbying as "representations made directly to the Congress, its members, or its committees".

  • Amending the Constitution

    • In part, the agreement defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the US Constitution.
    • It called for a bicameral legislature along with proportional representation in the lower house, but required the upper house to be weighted equally between the states.This agreement led to the Three-Fifths Compromise, which meant less populous Southern states were allowed to count three-fifths of all non-free people toward population counts and allocations.
    • Thus, Article V of the US Constitution, ratified in 1788, prohibited any constitutional amendments before 1808 which would affect the foreign slave trade, the tax on slave trade, or the direct taxation on provisions of the constitution.
    • Also, no amendment may affect the equal representation of states in the Senate without a state's consent.

  • The 17th Amendment

    • The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote.
    • With direct election, each vote represented equally, the Democrats retained control of the Senate.
    • When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

  • The 23rd Amendment

    • The 23rd Amendment would have been repealed by the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, which proposed to give the District full representation in the United States Congress, full representation in the Electoral College system, and full participation in the process by which the U.S.
    • The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

  • Electoral Districts

    • In the executive model the election commission is directed by a cabinet minister as part of the executive branch of government, and may include local government authorities acting as agents of the central body.
    • Proportional representation voting systems inherently require multi-member districts, and the larger the district magnitude the more proportional a system tends to be.
    • Under proportional representation systems, district magnitude is an important determinant of the makeup of the elected body.
    • The geographic distribution of minorities also affects their representation — an unpopular nationwide minority can still secure a seat if they are concentrated in a particular district.

  • Taxation Without Representation

    • "No Taxation without Representation" was the rallying cry of the colonists who were forced to pay the stamp, sugar, and tea taxes.
    • "No taxation without representation," a slogan originating during the 1750s and 1760s that summarized a primary grievance of the British Colonists in the 13 colonies, was one of the major causes of the American Revolution .
    • However, during the time of the American Revolution, only 1 in 20 British citizens had representation in parliament, none of whom were part of the colonies.

  • Termination

    • In other words, a government administrative unit that carries out the decisions of the legislature or democratically-elected representation of a state.
    • A government is defined as: "the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; direction of the affairs of a state, community, etc."
    • Civil service reform is a deliberate action to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, professionalism, representation and democratic character of a bureaucracy, with a view to promoting better delivery of public goods and services, with increased accountability.

  • Winning an Election: Majority, Plurality, and Proportional Representation

    • Common voting systems are majority rule, proportional representation, or plurality voting with a number of criteria for the winner.
    • Common voting systems are majority rule, proportional representation, or plurality voting with a number of variations and methods such as first-past-the-post or preferential voting.
    • Proportional representation (PR) is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council.
    • Proportional representation means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received .
    • Compare and contrast the voting systems of majority rule, proportional representation and plurality voting

  • British Taxes and Colonial Grievances

    • Grenville thought that if profits from smuggled goods could be directed towards Britain, the money could help pay off debts.
    • The Declaratory Act stated that Great Britain retained the power to tax the colonists without substantive representation.