The Inherent Flaws of Democracy

Living in the 21 Century, there are innumerable examples of failed democracies. Harsh criticism is constantly directed towards corrupt parties and megalomaniacal leaders; however, what if the problem is not those who are in the position of power? What if the problem is at the heart of the system? What if the problem is the voters themselves?

This style of government - which is literally Greek for “rule by people” - relies completely on the ability of the masses to collectively choose the best, most appropriate leader. The problem starts and ends there. A majority of the voters are poorly qualified. Most of the time, voters have a very surface understanding of economics, diplomacy, military and politics; they make grave and consequential decisions without the necessary basic knowledge. The entire system lays its trust on a population of largely ignorant and ill-informed individuals. Even though the Brexit is not an example of a political party election, it is still a relevant event that highlights the downfalls of misinformed voting. Those who voted were little aware about the momentous and disastrous ramifications of withdrawing the United Kingdom from the European Union and are now forced to bear the brunt of this decision.

Furthermore, not only do voters lack the fundamental understanding, they are also easy to manipulate. Candidates make a series of unrealistic and utopian election promises, tapping into what the masses desire. They assure the poor that they will protect them from rich people, and promise rich that they will bring more benefits for them. They advertise a corruption free system with public services. All this means that the winners of the elections will not necessarily be those that are the best to solve the nation's problems, but they will most often be candidates who say what the voters want to hear.

Keeping in mind these inherent flaws, why not try a system that’s a little less fair but makes good decisions even more often? Estlund coined the more ideal term “epistocracy”, meaning “government by the knowledgeable.” This concept runs parallel to Socrates’ theory to entrust power to carefully educated individuals. Socrates’ view is that voting is a skill, not a last minute decision or a fleeting feeling. And like any skill, it needs to be taught systematically to people.

Now it is true that implementing an epistocracy is a far-fetched idea, especially in countries like India - the largest democracy - where the literacy rate is just about 50%. However, it is the obligation of the privileged and educated masses of this nation, or any nation for that matter, to spread awareness and promote informed decisions. Most of the time, democracy has been projected as this flawless system of governance that will be act as the messiah and bring upon peace and stability. But the reality is quite the contrary. Churchill referred to it as the worst form of government except for all the others. But it is our duty to work with its shortcomings and try our best to improve this system as long as its core institutions further civil rights, guarantee rule of law and are answerable to the people.

---

Written by Nooran Ahluwalia

Edited by Urjashi Laha