| The notion of the value of popular opinion in | | | | defines the national interest as the majority |
| government has long remained one of the most | | | | opinion of the nation, then the two concepts of |
| hotly debated issues of public representation since | | | | national interest and public opinion become virtually |
| the inception of representative government. | | | | the same in nature. If one holds the opinion that |
| Though the representatives in a governmental | | | | national interest is defined by the people, then |
| body are undoubtedly there to serve the people | | | | Burke's argument promptly falls to pieces. One |
| they govern, the question remains whether they | | | | cannot separate national interest from personal |
| serve their people better by voting in the pursuit | | | | opinions if they are defined by one another and |
| of the common good or rather they vote toward | | | | thus, ignoring, or rather selectively absorbing public |
| the opinions of their immediate constituents. | | | | opinion actually deprives legislatures of the |
| Edmund Burke argues in favor of a | | | | pertinent information they need regarding the |
| representative government that serves its people | | | | needs of their country. Through this analysis, one |
| through the pursuit of the common good rather | | | | can see that Burke's argument is rather idealistic |
| their constituent opinions, and furthermore, argues | | | | in nature, and requires the representatives to rely |
| that the latter philosophy on representative | | | | on a higher power in order to glean an effective |
| government is not only harmful to the | | | | strategy for government. Where does this |
| effectiveness of a the government as a whole, | | | | wisdom truly come from? If there is no higher |
| but is destructive to the entire governmental | | | | power to guide the representatives, are they not |
| system. In his Speech to the Electors of Bristol, | | | | simply avoiding the obvious truth that they are |
| Burke claims that the representatives in a | | | | there to serve the people, and as a result must |
| government maintain the distinct responsibility to | | | | listen to them? As Burke bases his argument on |
| serve the government and the country, and not | | | | this idealistic notion of a higher power, his |
| be swayed by the whims of the people that | | | | argument falls apart at the definition of national |
| elected them but rather serve them through | | | | interest. |
| service to the country as a whole. This idea | | | | When one applies Edmund Burke's political and |
| stands in direct contrast to the concept of | | | | governmental theory to the modern United |
| populism, and downright debunks this ideology to | | | | States government, one is undoubtedly going to |
| an extent. Burke is correct in his claim that a | | | | find a significant different between the two |
| representative does hold the responsibility to | | | | political philosophies. Though Burke argued that |
| serve his or her country rather than just a small | | | | representative government that pandered to its |
| group of interests, however, in a practical sense, | | | | constituents is destructive and ineffective, the |
| this form of representative government often | | | | United States government does exactly this. |
| alienates the people's interests entirely. The | | | | Representatives of the United States government |
| national interest is a very vague concept | | | | often are forced to pander to their constituents in |
| however, and is more readily defined by the | | | | order to get reelected. Through the institution of |
| majority opinion, rather than through contrary | | | | term limits, the United States has allowed |
| foresight. Burke's argument practically falls apart if | | | | representatives to be checked by their |
| one defines the national interest as a concept | | | | constituents. This virtually limits the freedom of |
| determined by the people as a whole. The current | | | | decision that a legislature would have if it did not |
| system of government in the United States has | | | | have to worry about its job depending on the |
| undoubtedly deviated from Burke's original | | | | opinion of the people it represented. Unfortunately, |
| opinions, centering much more on the opinions of | | | | in the United States, the people define the |
| the people rather than the judgment of the | | | | government as good when it serves them |
| elected officials themselves. This has surely limited | | | | directly. This requires the government to serve |
| the freedom of the representatives and forever | | | | the interests of a variety of political philosophies |
| chained them to their electorate. Through an | | | | and social ideologies. In doing so, the government |
| analysis of Burke's ideologies, it becomes incredibly | | | | not only grossly overextends itself, but it often |
| clear the intention of representative democracy | | | | divides over politically sensitive issues such as |
| as a whole and the original intent of the United | | | | taxes. The people of the United States do not |
| States governmental system. | | | | care whether the government is serving the |
| Edmund Burke argues that the representatives | | | | national interest, in the short term or the long |
| elected to a government have the responsibility | | | | term. The government has become an entirely |
| to vote according to their own judgments in the | | | | results driven institution. If the people do not |
| pursuit of the common good, rather than the | | | | approve of the decisions of a representative, he |
| judgments of the people that elected them. This | | | | or she will lose their job. Through this system, the |
| is surely the ideal manner in which the | | | | government has become incredibly ineffective, as |
| government should conduct itself. It stands to | | | | Burke predicted that it would. The system in |
| sound reason that the government should be | | | | action prevents representatives from serving the |
| impartial in all decisions regarding things that would | | | | country first, and rather forces them to pander |
| be good for the country as a whole, or the | | | | to the minor whims and desires of those who |
| national interest. However, having said this, it is | | | | elected them. In doing so, this has greatly reduced |
| also undeniable that this form of government can | | | | the capacity for action in the Federal government, |
| easily lead to the alienation of the people as | | | | with the debate over petty social issues such as |
| whole, rather than the alienation of public opinion. | | | | abortion ruling the legislative capabilities of |
| It is true that public opinion is incredible volatile in | | | | Congress. With a two party system, the |
| determining policies that would benefit the | | | | government is divided between two entirely |
| country, the absence of the people from the | | | | different sets of interests and goals intended to |
| government could lead to an incredible disaster. | | | | please the very people that put them in office. |
| The government must be familiar with the desires | | | | This system has done exactly what Burke |
| of the people in order to maintain an accurate | | | | predicted that it would, and in doing so, vindicates |
| definition of what the national interest is. Numbers | | | | Burke to some extent in his political philosophy. |
| and facts often do not tell the entire story on the | | | | Regardless of the methods involved, |
| state of the nation as a whole. When the people | | | | representative government is intended to serve |
| are eliminated completely from the decision | | | | the people, whether through the pursuit of the |
| making process of government, the government | | | | national interest or through the placation of a |
| itself ceases to become a representative body of | | | | representative's constituents. As long as man has |
| legislature, and rather becomes a governing body | | | | walked the earth, he has searched for a way to |
| completely out of touch and unfamiliar with the | | | | modify his surroundings in order to better live. |
| people it controls. If the government is unfamiliar | | | | This is precisely the purpose of representative |
| with the people it governs entirely, it cannot | | | | government. However, as Edmund Burke |
| effectively serve those people in any kind of a | | | | describes in his Speech to the Electors of Bristol, |
| meaningful way, and thus, on this level, Burke's | | | | representative government should ideally not be |
| theories on representative government are rather | | | | placed entirely subject to the fickle and often |
| impractical. While it would be incredibly ideal to | | | | selfish whims of the general population. These |
| have representatives in government who know | | | | ideas greatly influenced the political philosophies of |
| exactly what their people need and serve that, | | | | the founding fathers as they created a new |
| rather than what they want, this is not how | | | | government and a new country, the United |
| Burke's system of government functions in a | | | | States of America. Unfortunately, though Burke is |
| large reality such as the United States | | | | correct in theory, the practice of his political |
| government. Such a system often leads to not | | | | ideology often leads to a total alienation of the |
| only unhappy people, but an unhappy, unstable, | | | | people from the governmental process that |
| and ineffective country as a whole. | | | | control them, resulting in an unhappy populace. |
| The national interest is an inseparable part of | | | | Additionally, if one considers the national interest |
| representative democracy, and remains at the | | | | to be defined by the majority of opinion in a |
| very heart of Burke's philosophy regarding | | | | country, then Burke's argument promptly falls |
| governmental responsibility. Though the | | | | apart due to the combination of the two |
| government truly exists to serve the national | | | | distinctions he makes, the national interest and the |
| interest, the question remains whether the | | | | opinions of the constituents. When applied to the |
| national interest exists, or if it is just an ideal | | | | modern governmental system of the United |
| concept intended to illustrate the way | | | | States, one can barely see remnants of Burke's |
| government is supposed to work, rather than | | | | political ideology in Congress. Representatives are |
| how it does work. Burke claims that the national | | | | often slaves and workhorses of the people they |
| interest takes precedence over all kinds of local | | | | represent, living in constant fear that they may |
| interests and public opinion. However, it is | | | | lose their job if they fail to produce what their |
| debatable whether any representative is truly | | | | base considers progress. This governmental |
| aware of the national interest in general. The | | | | system prevents legislatures from acting freely in |
| national interest is the policies and laws that the | | | | their decisions, and somewhat vindicates Burke's |
| country requires to function effectively and to | | | | political theories. However, when examined from a |
| please its people. By this definition however, it | | | | realistic perspective, one must understand that |
| stands to reason that anyone who has knowledge | | | | people must play an active role in their |
| of the national interest possesses incredible | | | | government, not to prevent their representatives |
| foresight regarding the state of the country. | | | | from acting free, but to ensure that those |
| Edmund Burke distinguishes between the national | | | | representing them are connected with a relevant |
| interest and the opinion of the people as two | | | | common good for all. |
| separate entities. Interestingly enough, if one | | | | |