4.c.12 – To vote or not to vote: is it a false problem?
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To vote or not to vote: is it a false problem?
The importance of exercising one’s right to vote is due to the fact that it allows the democratic participation of citizens; however, if as we have just discovered, it loses this feature, not only becomes totally useless, but makes the citizen think of living in a state of democracy pushing him to legitimize a ruling class. Then when we think that to vote is equivalent to support democracy because this would entitle the system, in reality we are doing the exact opposite.
Sometimes we are afraid that not voting means giving up to care for our interests, but if we are induced to vote someone who doesn’t represent us, we even go against our interests. In so doing, we show also the politicians that it is not necessary to represent us to be voted and they will be less and less concerned to play their role in the representation of the citizen.
It is not necessarily true that those who decide not to vote are doing it because of disinterest or because they surrender and give up their fundamental rights: they probably do so because they understand that these rights have already been denied. Furthermore, even voting with the illusion of having done our part, in order to clear our conscience, is a way to surrender, as it means to give up searching alternative solutions.
Often people is aware of voting politicians who do not represent them, but considering the other even worse, think of limiting the damage. But to limit which damage it is worth to sacrifice the democracy? How would we do later, without democracy, to limit any damage from our politicians, authorized to not represent us? The logic of the “least worst” is certainly one of the most dangerous for cultural democracy, because it feeds a selection of the worst, gradually lowering the level of our politicians.
We can conclude that the abstention from voting is not a solution, but may be a first step for seeking one. Instead, to participate in a democratic vote certainly contributes to the progressive degeneration of the political system by preparing the ground to the advent of dictatorial regimes. This is what has happened in recent times in Germany with the rise of Nazism.
Therefore, to discuss whether it is necessary to vote or not vote to give our contribution is a false problem, since none of the two options allows to achieve a true democracy in the current system.
ROYAL BOX
ROBERT ALAN DAHL
