Democracy within, justice without: The duties of informal political representatives ¹

Informal political representation can be a lifeline, particularly for oppressed and marginalized groups. Such give these groups some say, however mediate, partial, imperfect, in how things go them. Coeval with the goods such offers are its particular dangers to Mindful of dangers, skeptics challenge practice being, inter alia, unaccountable, unauthorized, inegalitarian, oppressive. These challenges provide strong pro tanto reasons think morally impermissible. This paper considers question: On what conditions is informal permissible? By responding skeptics’ challenges, I develop systematic account moral constraints that, if adopted, would make permissible. The that emerges shows representatives (IPRs) must aim fulfill two sets sometimes conflicting duties represented: democracy within duties, which concern representative treats relates represented, justice without representative's actions advance aims representation.