Extract
[...] Emmanuel Macron has political power only by virtue of his function as President of the Republic. In this sense, no individual can command in his own name. When deputies vote on a law, they do so only in the name and on behalf of the political community. B. The participation of citizens in power in these two theories This theoretical difference between democracy and representation will allow us to establish a distinction in the political condition of the represented. In fact, we started from the postulate that in popular sovereignty, the condition of democracy is expressed in the fact that each citizen has a share of sovereignty. [...]
[...] This is called representative democracy; it is the link between national and popular sovereignty. In addition, in representative democracy it sometimes happens that it is the people who exercise political power directly. In fact, this is the case of the referendum, which allows the people to intervene on legislative questions. For example, this was the case on September at the initiative of Jacques Chirac, on the question of reducing the presidential mandate to five years. However, the low use of this type of practice gives rise to many popular demands for citizens to be solicited more through referendums. [...]
[...] Thus, first of all, direct democracy faces a practical obstacle. However, this popular ideal is also criticized by Plato on a moral level. In fact, the latter considers that the people, as a whole, are ignorant. This can give rise to inconsistencies, for example, the people might easily think that the people would vote in favor of increasing salaries, and at the same time for reducing taxes. Another example, on a legal level, certainly one of the first reforms if the people were to vote would be the rehabilitation of the death penalty. [...]
[...] In other words, the Nation does not exist materially, it is an abstract entity. It is in this that we can see a difference with the principle of popular sovereignty, which is illustrated by the fact that each citizen exercises a share of sovereignty. However, in national sovereignty, it is said that no individual can exercise power. Thus, representatives are needed to exercise it, a representative supposes an enabling function in the exercise of said power. For example, we distinguish the National Assembly from the 500 deputies who compose it. [...]
[...] For this reason, representatives represent the Nation, the political community, they have no responsibility towards the citizens. This being the case, it is legitimate to ask what is the link between representativeness and democracy? II. Democracy and representation, complementary notions A. The limits of direct democracy or popular sovereignty However, Rousseau's social contract theory remains only a philosophical ideal. In fact, he himself will admit that this type of popular sovereignty is only achievable in states with a reduced population. [...]
