Representative Democracy versus Government by Opinion

Manifesting the revolutionary people: The Yellow Vest Movement and popular sovereignty

“…Spontaneous (or pretending to be thus) popular demonstrations and assemblies can be seen as claims to exercise popular sovereignty, understood in this way: Since "the power of the populace remains separate from the power of those elected, even after they have elected them," it is possible for the people to "continue to contest the conditions and results of elections as well as the actions of elected officials" (Butler, 2018, p. 162), by protesting through non-institutional means. This is different from the usual idea that representatives should be responsive to the expression of the wishes of the represented (Pitkin, 1972) or should listen to public opinion (Ghins, 2022): The voice of the sovereign people is not just something that the government has to take into account to make a good decision, but an order, which requires immediate action. This also differs from the imperative mandate, where elected representatives are constrained in their actions by the promises made at the time of election-which is simply an institutionalization of promissory representation (Mansbridge, 2003).…”