Which of the following best describes a disadvantage of a representative democracy compared to a direct democracy?
Elections are unnecessary because birth and political party determine the officials.
Elected officials may not always act in the best interests of those they represent.
People are able to vote directly on issues that they care about.
Decision-making is often slower because more people are involved in making the decisions.
I think it is B
I agree.
You are correct, option B: "Elected officials may not always act in the best interests of those they represent" best describes a disadvantage of a representative democracy compared to a direct democracy. To arrive at this answer, let's analyze the other options as well.
Option A: "Elections are unnecessary because birth and political party determine the officials." This option describes a characteristic of an undemocratic system rather than a disadvantage of a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, elections are essential for the selection of officials who will represent the interests of the people.
Option C: "People are able to vote directly on issues that they care about." This option describes a characteristic of a direct democracy rather than a disadvantage of a representative democracy. In a direct democracy, citizens have the ability to directly participate in decision-making by voting on specific issues they care about.
Option D: "Decision-making is often slower because more people are involved in making the decisions." This option highlights a potential downside of representative democracy compared to direct democracy. In a direct democracy, decisions can be made more quickly as citizens can directly vote on issues. In a representative democracy, decisions might take more time as elected officials need to gather and consider the opinions and interests of their constituents before making a decision.
Therefore, option B is the most accurate answer as it addresses a disadvantage specific to representative democracy.