The problem with democracy
If a country (primarily a democracy) faces problems caused by the public’s behaviour and conduct, there are two ways to deal with them. Either change the law or educate the people — or both.
Changing the law will provoke the public if it changes fundamental parts of their life, as seen in France when president Macron raised the taxes on fuel (despite the almost neglectable impact on their life).
Then, if the change is crucial, the government need to regulate and fix the problem everyone is causing, and educate them about it. In these times of populism and ignorance, changing one’s mind can be difficult, especially if it’s against the beliefs of everyone around you. Education might therefore not work, and the populism and opinions one already have will grow stronger.
We are stuck in a paradox. People won’t accept change and telling them to accept it only makes matters worse. Legislating unpopular yet crucial laws fuels the public’s discomfort and irritation towards the current leader. It is in these times of populism a special leader will appear…
“He is usually of the elite but has a nature in tune with the time — given over to random pleasures and whims, feasting on plenty of food and sex, and reveling in the nonjudgment that is democracy’s civil religion. He makes his move by ‘taking over a particularly obedient mob’ and attacking his wealthy peers as corrupt.” — New York Magazine
Leaders like this have started appearing more and more, and some have even succeeded and gained power. Trump, Bolsonaro. Democracies lead to this. It leads to polarization. It always does, and will always do, until there is no democracy left, regardless of how you face the problems you are having. As Plato said more than two thousand years ago:
“Tyranny is probably established from no other regime than democracy” — Plato
His quote shows us that maybe there are flaws in democracy, but hidden away from us who are born in it, not aware of what else there is. However, democracy is great. It adjusts society based on people’s opinions and in most cases eventually makes it more equal. Everyone can be whomever they want, women have the same rights as men, foreigners can migrate and get a better life and you can say and publish whatever you want. This is almost never the case in any other regime than just democracy.
The Ideal scenario would be a society where everyone would feel as their world looked just like they wanted. That is unfortunately impossible, and democracy is the closest we have to that. But if democracies always end up in tyranny, is tyranny what the people want? A simple answer to that is no. It is absolutely not what anyone with a sane mind would want.
Even though democracies seem like the best option, it has another severe issue. If the world is led by the people, what if the people are completely unaware of a big problem? This scenario is currently taking place. It’s about climate change. Let’s take a closer look.
The Capitalist Democracy
Our current world is heavily shaped by Capitalism. Capitalism is an economic system, where people are in control over the market. This allows for full exploiting of our planet’s resources since no higher power can regulate what is being bought and sold. Being successful means, having found a way to exploit the resources of our planet. In this age of overpopulation and climate change, we are still obliged by the system in which we operate, to exploit our planet, and therefore further contribute to climate change. If we were to stop this exploitation we have no other choice than to live a much simpler and “old-fashioned” way.
This is where democracy flaws. Not many people are willing to de-modernize their lifestyle. A leader proposing the removal of what we consider as essentials from our lives would not be popular and not likely to be voted in again. Even if it meant saving earth from the climate crisis.
This shows that it is dangerous to let ordinary people decide everyone’s destiny, especially if they do not know better. However, putting only a few in charge could have equal effects, or even worse.
We have to consider what is best for all, and not just oneself. Otherwise, the problems we have will grow stronger and stronger until there is no turning back.
Freedom and equality come with democracy, but it does not mean it is the only system which can have it.
Jakob Wilmer. June 2019
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