Social Sciences and History / Unit 8 SSH 0705 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Delegate, Trustee, Politico: Classifying a Legislator's Choice
The idea
The exam describes a legislator's choice and asks which model of representation it fits, and the anchor names three. The delegate model: representatives feel compelled to act on the specific stated wishes of their constituents. The trustee model: representatives feel at liberty to act as they believe is best for their constituents. The politico model: members act as delegate or trustee by rational calculation of who is best served, the constituency or the nation. Most representatives combine the approaches as circumstances demand. Two more senses: descriptive representation, how far the body mirrors constituents in race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class; collective representation, whether Congress as an institution represents the people as a whole.
In practice
Given "she voted against the bill because the district's mail ran nine to one against it", delegate. Given "he voted for it, believing the district would be better off despite the mail", trustee. Given "she follows the district on local matters and her judgment on foreign policy", politico. Given "the chamber has more women than ever", descriptive. Given "Congress rarely wins approval above forty percent", collective, and the anchor's characterization rather than a dated figure.
Where people slip
The trap is treating the politico as indecision; the anchor defines it as calculation. The second trap is pork-barrel spending: bringing home favorable allocations was fidelity to constituents before it was reinterpreted as corruption.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it