Between Political Theory and Biology: the Crisis of Political Representation

Abstract

The idea that political representation is in crisis is very widespread, and can be linked to the wider crisis of the very concept of representation, to the identity crisis of the representatives, or to other reasons. Several proposals have been made to overcome this crisis, such as moving from a representative body of citizens to a single representative, or various forms of direct democracy. Being based on the principle of the division of labor, and constituting a mechanism of control and regulation, political representation has clear analogies with biology. In particular, biological regulation is at the very roots of life, thanks to homeostasis and negative feedback. However, care must be taken in overestimating the value of the analogies between biology and politics. In fact, when it comes to human freedom and responsibility, biology must withdraw, leaving room for other sciences that deal with the new ontological level of the human being.