What this lesson teaches
I can explain what a representative democracy is and how its government has functions and roles.
Syllabus K336, Issue 1, Guiding Question 2. Functions and roles of government in a representative democracy
Make a guess
Singapore has millions of voters. How do you think they take part in deciding the country's laws?
- They vote directly on every new law in a national poll.
- They have little say, because ministers decide the laws by themselves.
- They elect MPs, who debate and vote on new laws on their behalf.
Show the answer
They elect MPs, who debate and vote on new laws on their behalf.
This is representative democracy. Citizens choose representatives, and those MPs make the day-to-day decisions in Parliament.
Citizens elect Members of Parliament to make decisions for them. MPs raise concerns, debate laws and question ministers.
In a representative democracy, citizens do not vote on every decision. They elect representatives to decide for them.
In Singapore, voters in each constituency, or electoral area, elect Members of Parliament (MPs). Parliament also has Non-Constituency MPs and Nominated MPs, so not every MP represents an area. MPs debate new laws, raise public concerns and question ministers about policies and spending. A policy is a plan for dealing with a public issue.
The Cabinet is the team of ministers led by the Prime Minister. It directs government policy and daily administration. The President is the head of state, while the Prime Minister heads the government. The President appoints as Prime Minister the MP most likely to have the support, or confidence, of most MPs.
The Cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament. This means the whole team must answer to Parliament for its policies and actions. Ministers are also MPs, so the same people can have different roles in different institutions.
A political party is an organisation that contests elections and tries to influence decisions. Its members may form the government. But Parliament, the courts and public agencies are not part of any party. They serve the public. People can question a policy or support a different party and still be citizens with a stake in the country.
- MP
- Member of Parliament: elected to represent a constituency.
- Cabinet
- Ministers led by the Prime Minister; runs the government and answers to Parliament.
- President
- Head of state; appoints the Prime Minister.
Real examples to use
Group Representation Constituencies
Since 1988, each team standing in a GRC must include at least one candidate from a minority race. This ensures Parliament includes minority MPs.
Worked example: From a resident's concern to Parliament
Residents tell their MP that a financial help form is hard to fill in. The MP asks the minister in Parliament what help is available and how the form will be improved.
- The MP passes residents' concerns to decision-makers.
- The minister, who leads a part of the executive (the branch that carries out policy), must explain in Parliament what is being done.
- This is how representatives hold the government to account. But the MP cannot personally approve each application or guarantee the change residents want.
Watch out for this
The government and the ruling political party are the same thing.
Members of the winning party may become ministers, but the party and public institutions are different. Government bodies, Parliament and the courts have legal duties to serve all citizens.
Check your understanding
What do MPs do in a representative democracy?
- Raise residents' concerns, debate proposed laws and question ministers.
- Decide court cases that involve people in their constituency.
- Run government ministries and the services they provide to residents.
Show the answer
Raise residents' concerns, debate proposed laws and question ministers.
Right. MPs represent voters and hold the government to account.