Write a 6 pages paper on descriptive and symbolic representation in everyday life. While descriptive representation is evident, for instance, in politics, ethnicity, or gender, symbolic representation attached to religion, monarchy, or the presidency. In this paper, I will discuss how the chances of a politician winning an election depend on being viewed as a descriptive representative.

A politician as a descriptive representative

In the contemporary society where democracy prevails, a politician’s chances of being elected to a political office depend on how he or she resonates with the electorates. As stated by Pitkin “every person in the modern world searches for some form of representation, whether it is the government or any other institution”. Thus, for a politician to win an election, he or she has to carry out a needs assessment to understand what his or her constituents want. In most democracies, campaigns during elections mark a period when those vying for political office have to go back to their constituents to present their case. The campaign period is an opportune time for politicians to gauge their popularity on the grounds. Those on the ground are often eager to elect a person who can safeguard their interests while in office. Whether this view is plausible depends on a politician being seen to have similar or sharing common interests with their representatives.