Scream Loudly

In ancient Athens and Rome, the central notion of democracy was that people express their opinions, debate and challenge their fellow citizens, and eventually come to a conclusion. The decision was always by a majority or super-majority, which amounts to the civilized application of the law of the jungle, 'might makes right.' What's different about voting instead of combat is that the result depends upon brain, not brawn.

That ancient idea was extended into the modern world by the Enlightenment philosophes, and their revolutionary followers and descendants. Not much has changed since the French and American revolutions brought modern republican, democracy into existence. The basics of democracy are still what they always were.

Democracy does not work if people do not participate. When people leave the debate and decision to their leaders, whether out of laziness, ignorance or fear, they destroy democracy. That is the beginning, middle and end of the matter.

The clear consequence of the democratic system is that every citizen who believes in it and supports it is thereby obliged to engage in debate and decision making. There is no valid excuse, other than being comatose or dead, for avoiding participation. This imposes the further, positive duty on citizens to become aware of the issues, their meaning and public consequences. Thomas Jefferson correctly pointed out that democracy was founded on educated citizenry. I think all the Founding Fathers and the French Revolutionaries were well aware of this obvious truism, which is probably why mandatory publicly supported schooling for all was an early feature of modern democracies.

Where is this leading?

In a democracy, citizens should clamor to be heard. Conversely, people should be penalized who do not fully participate. The simplest way to invoke a penalty for shirking one's political duties is to fine those who do not register to vote and those who fail to vote. Failure to participate should be a misdemeanor, in the same way that employers penalize workers for being late or not reporting without notice. The penalty should be sufficiently large that no one would lightly avoid voting. As with traffic tickets, vote shirkers should be sent to Civics School to learn about their government and their duties. Repeat offenders should be publicly shamed.

Some European countries already impose fines on non-voters, based on considerations similar to those given here.

What justifies these measures?

It is generally held that societies have a right to defend themselves. Those who refuse to vote or otherwise participate in a democratic society are subverting it. They are actually helping to bring back the authoritarian forms democracy intends to replace.

The troubles now besetting the United States are arguably the result of citizen indifference to, or withdrawal from, politics. This is shown in the stunning schizophrenia of the polls compared to the reality of government. A solid majority of the public favors Roe v Wade, but we have government determined to undermine it. A solid majority favors environmental protection, but the government acts to destroy it. It is the same with Iraq, outsourcing and a large number of other issues. The public has one opinion, but acquiesces in a government that does the opposite, or even acts against the public interest.

An informed and active citizenry would not allow any of that to happen.