The Concept of Political Representation

In “Political Representation,” Shapiro et al. (2009) say that “political representation lies at the core of modern politics.” Representation is usually linked to the concept of democracy (Shapiro et al. 2009). The concept of representation is explicitly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution (U.S. Const. art. I, § 1, 2). However, the meaning and appropriate form of “representation” have been debated by political theorists and philosophers for centuries. The definition of representation one chooses to use is influenced by the form of representation one finds most appropriate. Given the different forms of representation, legislators can be responsive in different ways. Representation also operates at two different levels – the national and local level. This answer will explore the concept of “representation,” the different forms it can take, and how it is practiced, as well as the potential for future research on representation.

“Representation” can be defined in many ways. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, representation is “a method or process of enabling a constituency to influence legislation and government policy through deputies chosen by it.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, “representation” is the act of speaking or acting on behalf of someone. Some early philosophers and political theorists who wrote about representation include Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Thomas Hobbes discussed the concept of “implied agreement” in his book, Leviathan, in 1651. He argued that people agreed to give absolute power to a sovereign, who would then be responsible for making and enforcing laws in order to ensure a peaceful society (Hobbes 1996). Hanna Pitkin (1967) stated in her work that Hobbes clarified th...

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...s regarded as important for the job of representative, such as personal integrity, ability to work with other leaders, grasp of the issues, ability to solve problems, ability to keep in touch with the district, and legislative accomplishment, and found that high quality incumbents are rewarded at the polls (Stone et al. 2010).

There are interesting avenues for future research on representation. Researchers could examine Fenno’s circles of constituents more empirically, or examine how responsive representatives are to the different types of constituents. Researchers could also expand Miller and Stokes’ study to look at levels of responsiveness in different issue areas over a longer period of time. In addition, there appear to be inconsistent results on the effect of gerrymandering on representation. This is an important issue that should be explored in more detail.