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When democracy is actually none

Since the fifties of the last century, the world population tripled to 7.5 billion. At the same time, one-tenth of the world’s population owns more than 85% of private wealth. This creates a tension that requires imposing the majority stable. Over the millennia, the rule of the people, democracy, has prevailed as a clever form of reign. It suggests to the masses that they would have the control of the social development. But what happens if, over time, mechanisms and behaviors have emerged that make out of participation an illusion – when democracy is actually none.

The roots of this development could already be seen in the beginning. Over the years, more pragmatic approaches have been added.

  • Only certain people are allowed to vote
    Already in the cradle of democracy not all people were allowed to vote, but only full citizens – only about 10% of the population. Women and slaves were even not considered. Today, voters are also excluded if, for example, they have not yet reached a certain age, or because they belong to a minority, or by deleting them from the voter’s list, or by exclusion of certain groups of the population due to their physical and mental conditions, or through intimidation, or through misinformation, or even by direct buying of votes.
  • Missing selection of candidates
    If there is only one candidate available, voters have no choice – like in Singapore or Haiti. This can also happen due to competitors without chances, as in Russia or Egypt. An interesting variant is the election of a party, without any candidates, as in Kazakhstan.
  • Preselection of candidates
    As soon as the candidates need admittance for the election, nobody can speak of a free choice. Thus, in Iran, the candidates must be at first approved by the Guardian Council. In Russia, candidates must be over 35 years, not convicted, and nonpartisans need 300,000 signatures to participate at all. A preselection also takes place, if not all candidates make it to the election, because they are intimidated or detained by physical violence.
  • The winner takes all
    In the American electoral system, the president is elected indirectly by so-called electoral delegates. Each state has a certain number. The voters decide by their vote, which party wins the federal state and after the majority vote the winner gets then all electoral delegates. This distorts the election result in a bizarre way. Of the 232 million eligible voters, 123 million actually voted. With 46.9%, the non-voters actually won the election. The current president was able to win the presidency with 59 million or 25.5% of the voters, because of the higher number of electoral delegates, although his counter-candidate was able to bring in 2 million more voters with 25.6%.
  • Unelected coalitions
    The political landscape is fragmented into more and more cultural parallel societies, which moreover open up their own sociotope. In Germany, the former popular parties are no longer able to assemble majorities. The Christian Union has only a slight lead due to an artificial structure that apart from a C has nothing in common. And even that is not enough for an absolute majority. Therefore, after the election, coalitions are decided over the heads of voters. Based on the coalition agreement, the parties determine among themselves, without voters, what they want to achieve together – but the will is not enough to get statements done and more cannot be expected, since it is not agreed. Political discussion will only take place to a limited extent in the following legislative term, since everything has already been decided in advance. Noteworthy is the fact that although only 76.2% of voters have voted, the mandates rose from 631 to 709.

Bottom line: The speed at which some countries, such as China, are moving in an alternative political leadership style should make our hesitant political thinkers think. What does the Western model of democracy, which got stuck in routines and overregulation, need? More participation? Less career politicians? What? If only certain people are allowed to vote, if there is no choice, if candidates are preselected, if uncoordinated coalitions emerge afterwards, or if the procedures of counting votes lead to a distorted expression of the voters will, then, the democratic routines are obsolete. First of all, it takes an idea for how to do it differently. At least a transfer of the „best“ political system to an actual representation of the will of the majority is necessary, so that democracy is actually one.

It’s not always a problem – for everybody

The crucial question is not whether conspicuities are a problem, but for whom and from when. The starting point for solving a problem is the moment when someone turns a circumstance into a problem. The example of the clever handling of problems has become well-known with the production system of Toyota. There, employees can stop the production line, if they recognize an error that can not be solved immediately. Of course, this requires a corresponding understanding of what a mistake is and the fact that the deviation is perceived and the employees consider themselves responsible. It already starts with small things. Although a broken pencil is not complete anymore, it still works. Not everybody bothers with the flaw, as long as they can write with it. And even if an issue is seen as a problem that does not mean that someone feels responsible and takes care of it. It’s simply not always a problem – for everybody.

At first a problem must cross the perceptual threshold of the people involved before they can take care of it. The level depends on commonly known mechanisms.

  • Influence of stereotypes
    General metrics should normally allow the early detection of problems. However, the processing of the parameters is distorted by supplemental information, such as vivid stereotypes, so that they get more weight than the objective measurements. If someone, who has an unreliable reputation, delivers the figures, they are recognized less than if they come from a respected person. Accordingly, not all problems become problems.
  • Influence of moods
    Experiences are deeply engraved into our subconscious mind. Every time something is repeating, the related emotional anchor is strengthened without us realizing. If we encounter a similar situation, these feelings are activated and influence our assessment. If a specific situation has already occurred more often without any damage, this can lead to the fact that the situation is not recognized as a problem. Accordingly, not all problems become problems.
  • Influence of similar circumstances
    An assessment never takes place solely on the basis of the current case. It automatically takes into account similar situations. The resemblance is a matter of the content, the acting people and the other context. Once you have found your benchmarks, you align yourself with the conclusions and results of these comparative cases. If a thousand times nothing has happened, when the signals went red, then also nothing will happen this time. Accordingly, not all problems become problems.
  • Influence of convictions
    The consideration of a situation is also naturally shaped by one’s own beliefs and mental patterns. It is very unlikely that people question their own values ​​and conclusions with an opposite assessment. As a result, you do not use the visible but conflicting information in order to show a problem just because they do not fit your worldview. The reliable friend does not suddenly become unreliable. Accordingly, not all problems become problems.
  • Influence of other filters
    Our attention is limited by many additional filters. For example, the latest information has more impact than older ones; or obvious arguments are more important than not so obvious ones; or negative are affecting more than positive ones. When an opinion has formed, it will be difficult to change it again. The whole culminates in what is generally called prejudice. The technician is then unable to understand the customer and the sales person lacks the understanding of the technology – which means that their remarks are not taken into account. Accordingly, not all problems become problems.

Bottom line: Problems are the result of a subjective consideration of striking circumstances, which are only considered delicate, when they exceed the perception threshold of the people. The necessary attention is influenced by stereotypes, moods, views of the world and many other filters. Only when these factors are overcome and a problem becomes, what it is, only then we can take care of solving the problem. It’s simply not always a problem – for everybody.