Final answer:
An ideal representative democracy requires informed citizens, protected rights including freedom of expression, a separation of powers, multiple political party choices, and engaged participation with the aim of benefiting the populace.
Step-by-step explanation:
To create an ideal representative democracy, several key conditions must be present. These include a well-informed citizenry, freedom of speech and the press, a functioning system of checks and balances, a legal framework protecting individual rights, and free, fair, and frequent elections. An ideal representative democracy must also have multiple differentiated political parties to provide citizens with clear choices, aligning with various interests and ideologies. This variety ensures that citizens can elect representatives who closely mirror their preferences, enhancing democratic legitimacy and accountability.
In addition to these mechanisms, participation by an active, engaged electorate is crucial. Citizens should have the ability to influence their government through voting and other forms of participation, sending clear signals about their policy preferences and holding elected officials accountable. Moreover, the operation of a representative democracy over time should produce beneficial outcomes for its citizens, fulfilling the instrumental defense of democracy that asserts its moral legitimacy due to its capacity to produce better consequences for the populace than other forms of governance.