REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

Political science project By: lopamudra mandal B.A. llb (h) roll: 23 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, ORISSA

Content:
Synoptic biography Introduction Thematic review Extracts Evaluation Bibliography

Synoptic biography:
John Stuart mill (20 may 1806 - 8may 1873)
He was born in Rodney street, Pentonville in London to James mill a Scottish who himself was a philosopher, economist and senior official in East India company. Mill was educated by his father by the help Jeremy Bentham and Francis place. He was a very fast learner, at age of three he learnt Gree k, by the age eight he had read all great English works and was well t rained in arithmetic also. He was an influential liberal thinker and his work on liberty justified freedom of individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He married Harriet Tayl or in 1851, after 21 years of intimate friendship. She was a big influence in his works both during friendship and marriage. He also cites her influence in his final work of liberty and also responsible for his work for womens rights. While discussing his biography it is very important to mention the mental crisis which he faced during (1826-1827) after which he diverted a bit from utilitarianism of Bentham by humanizing it and also giving it an idealistic theme. He belonged to the positivist school of jurisprudence. Some of his major publications were -On liberty (1859), considerations on representative government (1861), utilitarianism (1863), August Comte and positivism (1865).These were among some of his well known books. Mill was also interested in active politics and won the seat of Westminster without any kind of campaigning for his candidature as he believed it was not the right way to influence people by his political thought process. After a successful political career in parliament and a life f ull of convincing people on political and philosophical thought process he passed away on may 6

1873,bringing an end to a great political philosopher,economist ,writer.

Introduction:
To begin with to know what representative government is we have to first understand what government is. The concept varies from person to person. According to some it is a practical art to make sure of proper functioning of the society in a total orderly and functional manner. Secondly we need to know the purpose of the government and then to know which type of government is best suited for the people after we know the answer of the first two questions then we can come to the conclusion that any government which does the best for people and very less evil. Some political philosophers consider it as a spontaneous product and part of natural history; they are not the matter of choice of people but must be accepted as they are found whereas some say they are grown not found. Government consists of the acts done by human beings and people chosen by them are mere masses of ignorance, prejudice, stupidity then total functioning of government will go wrong on the other hand if people chosen are intellectual then it will help public in longer run. The most important aspect of good governance is intelligence of the masses in that particular community and the work of that particular government should be to promote the excellence of these people. The government which does this best will be good in other aspects of governance.

Thematic review:
The main theme of the book is representative government and different aspects of it. The book describes the relation between choice and form of governments and what are the basic requirements for a good government. It elaborates upon if representative government is the best form of government or not. The ideal social conditions under which representative government will not be applicable, it also speaks about how the proper working of representative government helps in proper functioning of government. The dangers to which representative government is liable for. Its relation with democracy and proper representation of majority and minorities. It also gives us an insight about role of executives relation of nationality and representative government and federal representatives.

Extracts:
Government is conceived as strictly a practical art, giving rise to no questions but those of means and an end. Forms of government are assimilated to any other expedients for the attainment of human objects. They are regarded as wholly an affair of invention and contrivance. Being made by man, it is assumed that man has the choice either to make them or not, and how or on what pattern they shall be made. Government, according to this conception, is a problem, to be worked like any other question of business. The first step is to define the purposes which governments are required to promote. The next, is to inquire what form of government is best fitted to fulfill those purposes. Having satisfied ourselves on these two points, and ascertained the form of government which combines the greatest amount of good with the least of evil, what further remains is to obtain the concurrence of our countrymen, or those for whom the institutions are intended, in the opinion which we have privately arrived at. Governments cannot be constructed by premeditated design. They "are not made, but grown."[.] what are the proper functions of government; in the first place, the proper functions of a government are not a fixed thing, but different in different states of society; much more extensive in a backward than in an advanced state. And, secondly, the character of a government or set of political institutions cannot be sufficiently estimated while we confine our attention to the legitimate sphere of governmental functions. For though the goodness of a government is necessarily circumscribed within that sphere, its badness unhappily is not.[]The ideally best form of government, it is scarcely necessary to say, does not mean one which is practicable or eligible in all states of civilization, but the one which, in the circumstances in which it is practicable and eligible, is attended with the greatest amount of beneficial consequences, immediate and prospective. A completely popular government is the only polity which can make out any claim to this character. It is pre-eminent in both the departments between which the excellence of a political constitution is divided. It is both more favorable to present good government, and promotes a better and higher form of national character, than any other polity whatsoever.[]For the adaptation of a people to representative government does not depend so much upon the place they occupy in the general scale of humanity as upon the degree in which they possess certain special requisites; requisites, however, so closely connected with their degree of general advancement, that any

variation between the two is rather the exception than the rule.[] Representative, like any other government, must be unsuitable in any case in which it cannot permanently subsist i.e. in which it does not fulfill the three fundamental conditions enumerated in the first chapter. These were 1. That the people should be willing to receive it. 2. That they should be willing and able to do what is necessary for its preservation. 3. That they should be willing and able to fulfill the duties and discharge the functions which it imposes on them.[] The willingness of the people to accept representative government only becomes a practical question when an enlightened ruler, or a foreign nation or nations who have gained power over the country, are disposed to offer it the boon. To individual reformers the question is almost irrelevant, since, if no other objection can be made to their enterprise than that the opinion of the nation is not yet on their side, they have the ready and proper answer, that to bring it over to their side is the very end they aim at. When opinion is really adverse, its hostility is usually to the fact of change, rather than to representative government in itself.[] The meaning of representative government is, that the whole people, or some numerous portion of them, exercise through deputies periodically elected by themselves the ultimate controlling power, which, in every constitution, must reside somewhere. This ultimate power they must possess in all its completeness.[] It is essential to representative government that the practical supremacy in the state should reside in the representatives of the people, it is an open question what actual functions, what precise part in the machinery of government, shall be directly and personally discharged by the representative body.[] Compared with simple monarchy, representative government is in these respects at no disadvantage. Except in a rude age, hereditary monarchy, when it is really such, and not aristocracy in disguise, far surpasses democracy in all the forms of incapacity supposed to be characteristic of the last.[] The natural tendency of representative government, as of modern civilization, is towards collective mediocrity: and this tendency is increased by all reductions and extensions of the franchise, their effect being to place the principal power in the hands of classes more and more below the highest level of instruction in the community. But though the superior intellects and characters will necessarily be outnumbered, it makes a great difference whether or not they are heard.

EVALUATION:
This book by J.S mill speaks about representative government and its various functions. Mill has been pretty straight forward in his views about topics like what constitutes of good government, societys role in functioning of government and how intelligent and intellectual representative help in better functioning of the society. We can relate a lot to positivist school of philosophy in his work. But as you go through the book you will realize that he stresses a lot on the political machinary.His views at times contradict from proof and philosophical authority and brings about a certain sense of arrogance in his views. He stressed a lot on importance of higher minds in the society which sound a bit unfair on the people with average intelligence or medicors.He cites less of moral instances which shows he isnt inclined to moral and social conditions that much. On the good side he has clearly analyzed the total governing process and how governance by the right people can benefit us. He speaks about a government which combines more of good and less of evil for the benefit of people is the best government. He rightly clarifies that governments are not found but constructed and grown. He tells how the action of people of society helps or affects the government. At times his view become too much poltics centric and whole together ignores the importance of general people, but it is a very good book to read to know all about representative government though there are some portions I couldnt relate to but it was a good read.

Bibliography:
CONSIDERATIONS ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT JOHN STUART MILL INTERNET SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA