Does a country's leader always represent the wishes of his constituents?

Question

Does a country's leader always represent the wishes of his constituents?

Answer 1

No way!

First of all, in order to know for sure what the constituents want, you'd have to hold an election for each and every move that the government takes. That's not really practical after the population exceeds 100,000 or less.

Secondly, the constituents sometimes wish for things from their hearts instead of from their heads. That's why we have a Republic in the U.S. instead of a Democracy. The citizens wishes determine who becomes the government and then those individuals make the decisions. Of course, they still have to consider the wishes of the citizens if they want to get re-elected.

For example, 52% of the American people have wanted to bomb Iran in several polls for about a year now. If Bush went by our wishes, we'd have done so. But is that the right move? If so, why hasn't trigger happy Bush done it? Would 52% still want to bomb if they knew that the Iranians could drive gas prices up another couple dollars per gallon simply by turning off their wells? Or that most Iranians actually like Americans and want to be our friends?

We should all want people to make such decisions who know ALL the facts and spend the time necessary to make the right decision. We don't want the decision to be something like, "Iran bad .... Kill Iranians". Obviously, when the citizens are split nearly 50/50 on a subject like that, it may be one that requires more analysis than the average citizen would give.

And if the politicians make too many bad decisions, vote their tails out of office and give someone else a try. It's not a perfect system, but it's probably the best, including being better than Democracy where everyone votes on everything.

Answer 2

They are leaders. Minus black.

Answer 3

He/she represents enough to get elected.  Obviously the leader cannot represent all of the wishes as the wishes are different, i.e. pro-choice, pro-life.

Answer 4

We are living in a Judas, Lobbies Democracy with all present senate,  congress and administrations involved .  There is no return to the socialist democracy from the 40's  & 60's.   A US of America non partisan party must emerge.  

         Goggles requires appox. 170 IQ for an app. only accepting 25 out of a 1000 app.  We need a tests that is derrived from all  American's views,  l

      An Board of Goggles, Micrsoft, etc,include public television,   that inclued all the phyical, mental, and moral, evaluation.   Proceed with  40,000 qualified applicants for the Political arena.  The top 5000 can enter the above arena.  

   Eventually  this test should be administer to all present polititians.  If not passed, job goes up for re-election immediatey.

    We need to build leaders to present fully to America, and not from the scrap pile.  We may need the Treason Law administered in the mean time to many in office.

    We have to change all our present polititians, but first we have people ready to take there place.  Experience means Judas at his hieght.  We no longer can accept this.

Answer 5

no, but you choose the one you think is better and is going to do the most for the country you live in.

Answer 6

Yes, certainly true for people like Hitler, Stalin, Edi Amin and others of their ilk.

Answer 7

Obviously not.

Answer 8

You should change "always" to "ever."

Answer 9

Not always and I would even say not in the majority of cases when you look at all the screwed up countries in the world like Zimbabwe and North Korea etc

Answer 10

whatever makes more money.