# Can the Western form of government really be called representative democracy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-western-form-of-government-really-be-called-representative-democracy/604373>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 28, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-western-form-of-government-really-be-called-representative-democracy/604373 "2011-11-28T20:40:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-western-form-of-government-really-be-called-representative-democracy/604373/21 "2011-11-30T04:08:43Z")

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> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#):
>
> If that’s so, then would switching to that “pollster” option make things better or worse?

Worse. Our elected representatives are a little smarter than the average citizen, but the problem is that half our citizens are below average.

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**Author:** ![Untoward\_Parable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Untoward\_Parable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Untoward_Parable)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-western-form-of-government-really-be-called-representative-democracy/604373/22 "2011-11-30T04:27:24Z")

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No, not if you use the implied meaning of the words, if you define representative democracy by the groups that call themselves such, than sure. By that standard Saddam was freedom loving though so take it in context.

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