Democracy is broken... discuss!
- ‘will of the people’
- voting in dictatorships
- coalition governments
- young people not voting
What do we mean by democracy?
- representative democracy
- how reps are elected - first past the post or PR
- end up with odd things - Germany in 2018 with Bundestag - 709
Your vote only counts if:
- you vote for the winning party - or in the coalition
- and your person needs to be in govt
- then senior enough position
- but have to do what the party wants and not your constituents (of which only a small % actually voted for you….)
But who is allowed to vote?
- age limits
- resident v citizen
- non resident citizens
- criminal record
Big issue
- young people do not vote
What are people voting for?
- party?
- rep for the area?
- penalties for lying - none - either do not get in power...
Representing an area - constituency problem
- may only be voted in by a tiny majority, and not 51% - do you represent everyone or just the ones who voted for you
Coalition
- no one voted for the coalition - or its policies - what on earth did people vote for
King for the period - even if the context changes, have the right to rule
- can kill the king…. on the election cycle
Temptation to stay in office
- big benefits if run things
- if tempted to cheat, then even more tempted to stay in power
- those who come in next would have big incentive to investigate and show your past wrong-doing,.. and then do the same with the same incentive
