Edmund Burke : Politician What Burke Teaches Us About Defining Representation

Edmund Burke was a politician, not a traditional, canonical political theorist. His long, statesman’s career included a single term as an elected representative of Bristol. Burke developed the oft-cited “Burkean” (or trustee) model of representation from his own experiences as a legislator. Burke failed to secure re-election to the Bristol seat, and his difficulties there serve as a caution to modern-day elected officials who choose to emulate Burke’s trustee approach. Modern-day Burkeans must take care not to be perceived as aloof and unengaged in the affairs of the district. As for scholars, Burke’s choice to eschew metaphysics and imaginary hypothetical scenarios in favor of learning from experience, direct us toward more respect for the wisdom that comes from experience, and ultimately, toward more practical and usable theories of representation.