Political Representation: Not a Simple Matter

We all remember learning the cry of American Colonials: "No taxation without representation!"

But what exactly is representation? This certainly is the basic question in a representative democracy.

We decided early in our history that the basis for representation and voting was geographic. That is, you had to live in the particular locality or district of the elected official to be able to vote.

To us, this seems obvious. But it isn't obvious to everyone. The British Parliament in 1776 believed they represented all the people in the empire, no matter where they lived. The thirteen American colonies disputed this.

Geographic propinquity also wasn't the principal of the French parliament. There, representation was by social and economic class: the three estates. The first estate was the [catholic] clergy; the second estate was the nobility; the third estate was commoners, mainly the more privileged towns.

In modern Lebanon, representation is apportioned by religion.

So there are other schemes.

But ours is geography. And since, unlike most European countries, we have no national gendarmerie and no internal passports, the mechanism for determining eligibility to vote in a particular district is voter registration.

As we enter a new political season, everyone should make sure his or her voter registration is up to date.