Elections bring out the worse in citizens

Words or phrases like democracy, self determination and the “will of the people” have a ring about them that appeal to the emotions of much of the electorate. How nice it would be to think that your one vote has meaning. When you cast your ballot, we are told, you are a responsible citizen. Well, is this a factual reality or is this nothing more than a fairy tale? Doesn’t the entire argument for legitimacy rest upon the claim that State authority is created through the consent of the voter? Forget about policy differences, for the moment. What matters is that government officials are bestowed authority because YOU give them that privilege. This concept is more than just a theory, it is the central maxim that underpins the entire legitimate rule of any government. 

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