I DON’T believe in democracy, but if we must have it then it’s better to have direct democracy rather than the representative version.
With the 2019 senatorial elections only a month or so away, it’s a good time to talk about the value of democracies and elections.
Democracy is a form of government that is based on the assumption that governments and political participation are best carried out through voting. Critics of democracy argue that this form of argument caters to mob rule and appeals to the lowest common denominator. Moreover, representative democracy, which is the most common form of democracy today, eventually leads to oligarchies, political dynasties and monopolist rule.
To those who consider this state of affairs unacceptable, direct democracy offers a reasonable alternative. In this form of government, the country may or may not be ruled by elected officials but all major policy decisions are decide either by referenda and plebiscites.
Do people want to increase or decrease taxes? Let the people vote. Do people want to pass a controversial law? Let’s vote on it. Do people want to prioritize certain programs? Let’s vote on that too.
Smaller issues and concerns may still be handled by politicians and bureaucrats, but the big decisions, the ones that people feel most strongly about are voted upon.
Direct democracy is not without its flaws, of course, and I can name a few off the top of my head. However, it is more authentic compared to representative democracy. Under this system, government leaders may still be blamed for incompetence and corruption but they cannot set any agenda because practically everything is decided by the people.
The best example of direct democracy was the controversial Brexit vote. A slim majority of Brits voted to leave the EU, and that is where the UK seems to be headed, despite opposition from various interest groups in the country. The vote has divided the UK in more ways than one, but that’s a feature of all democracies and not just direct democracy.
Ultimately, democracy is a headcount, and the ones with the most heads that show up win while the ones who lose seethe in anger and resentment. And if people insist on democracy then let’s go with the more direct and more accountable version: Direct Democracy. This way, people get the governments that they deserve.
Direct democracy will also (most likely) weaken oligarchs because they cannot bribe enough people to vote for their pet candidates. They can still manipulate public opinion, but the choice ultimately comes down to the voter and his or her vote.
As I said, I don’t believe in democracy, but if we have to have democracy then let’s have the version of democracy that best reflects the will of the people./PN
