Final answer:
In American society, representatives in a representative government must act rationally on behalf of the people, guided by Enlightenment principles and the philosophies of Edmund Burke.
Step-by-step explanation:
In American society, based on the principle of representative government, representatives must act rationally on behalf of the people. This principle is rooted in the philosophy of the Enlightenment, which influenced the founding fathers. These representatives operate within a framework that includes the ideas of Edmund Burke, who argued that legislators could act as either delegates, conveying the direct wishes of their constituents, or as trustees, using their judgment to determine the best interests of the people.