Representative system

A representative system is a political system of government in which the people participate in state (political) events solely and exclusively through a representative body ( representation ) chosen by them . The representative body (people's representation) is usually a parliament . The people therefore do not express their will directly, but through an elected representative.

Representative systems exist both in the form of the republic (e.g. as a democratic republic ) and in the monarchy (e.g. as a constitutional monarchy , parliamentary monarchy ). A corresponding monarchy is therefore also referred to as a representative monarchy . A distinction is also made between direct, indirect and representative democracy . The constitution of a state with a representative system is called a representative constitution .

The representative system, in contrast to the corporate representation widespread in the Middle Ages to the early modern period , also describes systems for the formation of a people's representation, according to which only citizenship and not belonging to a social group (e.g. nobility, clergy) of It is important that in this way not only certain social groups, but the entire people are represented.