(10-13-2019, 08:33 PM)jgsz Wrote:(10-13-2019, 08:19 PM)jwilliamson Wrote: An independent representative is a representative who isn't in a political party. They still represent their constituents, they just don't have formal ties to other representatives. I'm not sure why that is somehow inimical to representative democracy.
But their constituents are not a monolithic block. They have various diverse and conflicting views. Which constitutes would the independent represent?
All of them. That’s how it is supposed to work.
And an independent can do a better job of that than a party member. Not just is it not inimical, it’s actually better for representative democracy to have independent representatives. Right now we don’t really (de facto) vote for representatives — we just vote for somebody to do what their party leader tells them. Not quite, because sometimes MPs and MPPs have a spark of independence, sometimes even with consequences, but overall there is way too much of just doing what the party says. Remember, Parliament is supposed to hold the government (cabinet) to account. How often does that happen when there is a majority government?