ABSTRACT
An exclusively representative government is to many of them a perfectly satisfactory form of democratic political organization. A thoroughly representative government is essentially government by men rather than by Law. A purely representative system, such as that of the United Kingdom, seeks to accomplish the fundamental objects of government by a method opposed to that of the traditional American system. Legalism and purely representative government are unsuited to the needs of a thoroughgoing democracy, because their method of organization depends on popular obedience rather than popular education. The industrial and social program of a democracy can, in their opinion, be accomplished with less friction and delay through the agency of an authoritative representative body. The mechanism of direct government has, consequently, an essential function to perform in the organization of a social democracy. Many sincere social democrats in the country, as well as in England or France, regard any such dependence upon direct government with the utmost repugnance.
