What is representative democracy, and can you give examples of it?

Representative democracy, also referred to as liberal democracy, refers to a democratic system where citizens elect politicians to make decisions for them on their behalf. Representative democracy differs from direct democracy, as in direct democracy citizens vote directly on policy creation rather than have a representative do this for them. Representative democracy can be seen as more advantageous then direct democracy to citizens, as the electorate often do not have the political interest or time to make direct policy decisions. Having a representative to make decisions for the electorate also means that a wide-range of citizen’s views are aggregated through a singular politician in a coherent manner. However, there are no clear instructions on how a politician elected under a representative democratic system should respond to their constituents’ policy views. Some argue that those that are elected to represent should simply be a delegate and a mouthpiece of their constituents. Others argue from the ‘trustee representative’ perspective of Edmund Burke. This refers to representatives using their own autonomous judgement to better the nation, meaning they can therefore act against the short-term interests of individuals that elected them. One key example of a representative democracy would be the United Kingdom. Citizens within the United Kingdom vote for who they want to represent their constituency in Parliament. This voting occurs every five years during general elections. This means that those who have been elected can be held accountable for their decisions, as they can be voted out of power. The Members of Parliament that have been elected to represent citizens make voting decisions within the House of Commons, where country-wide policy legislation is partly decided. They also make decisions on local issues within their constituency. Representative democracy is also used within the Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, and European Parliaments. Moreover, it is used within local council elections that take place in the United Kingdom. Representative democracy is additionally used within the United States. Citizens elect members of Congress from each individual state, and elect the President, to pass laws upon their behalf.