Crisis and mutation in the institutions of representation in 'real-existing' democracies

Abstract

'Real-existing Democracies' (REDs) seem to be in real trouble. Academics and practitioners tend to agree on this and both can produce long lists of negative trends to illustrate it. The one thread that connects all of these symptoms is representation and, even more specifically, the extent to which citizen representation through political parties competing in 'free and fair' elections within territorial constituencies is capable of keeping rulers accountable and ensuring their legitimacy. Could it be that what are no longer working as they used to and, therefore, generating most of the disaffection among citizens are the partisan channels for articulating, aggregating, deliberating and deciding among competing interests and passions?