What are the strengths and weaknesses of representative democracy?

Representative democracy allows for complex decisions to be made by a small, educated elected group at an efficient pace making it the only practical democratic system in a modern state. It also allows for the interests of minority groups to be better protected, reducing the risk of a "tyranny of the majority" that can be caused by direct democratic systems.Representative democracy, may also be considered a flawed system as it decreases the democratic legitimacy of decisions made by parliament as they are not being made directly by the people. It also creates opportunities for elected politicians to choose career advantages and lobbying benefits over the interests of their electorate.