DEMOCRACY?
"Millions stand behind me" - satirical collage by anti-Nazi artist John Heartfield, 1932. Source: www.metmuseum.org
Most people living in so-called democratic nations participate in the electoral system while grumbling about the politicians and their policies. They accept it. In America they revere their system and believe themselves to be a bastion of freedom. In other countries, such as Australia, you are actually compelled by law to participate in the democratic process.
I had an jarring epiphany concerning this the other day. I was listening to a podcast about Byzantium when an academic being interviewed began comparing the Eastern Roman political system with the modern American one. He calmly stated that every member of the US Senate is a millionaire. I already realised that America's political system is corrupt, and that to be a president you had to be a member of the wealthy elite, but this statement shocked me.
Why do people tolerate this blatant hypocrisy? Why do they allow themselves to be represented by rich elites who do not have their own interests at heart? Are they not aware that, to all intents and purposes, nothing has changed since the days of Ancient Rome when admittance to the senate was based solely on wealth? Yes, you now have universal suffrage, but all this gets you today is the right to choose between several different millionaires. Having vast wealth is clearly not an indicator of intelligence, wisdom and suitability for office.
This state of affairs isn't confined to the United States, although that is perhaps the most glaring example of the real nature of western democracy. Japan, where I live, is the same, with leaders belonging to moneyed elites who often follow their antecedents into office. The west loves to brand Russia as being run by a corrupt oligarchy, but the other developed nations aren't much better.
The Senate House (Curia Iulia), Rome, dating from 44BC. Source: me!
The fact of the matter is, the world is run by rich old men, as it almost always has been throughout history. We are fooling ourselves if we believe it to be otherwise. But why do we tolerate this?
Perhaps Americans think their system is free and democratic because although you need to be a millionaire to participate in the upper levels of government, America is the kind of place where anyone can get rich if they apply themselves. Yes, that must be it.
So what can be done about this? My own solution is one which many people will gasp at: I simply don't vote. This may seem negative, but you have to ask yourself this question: do you think any of the people on the ballot can adequately represent you and your values? If the answer is no, then don't vote. Choosing the lesser of evils is a cop out which just gives tacit approval to the whole corrupt system. This will go against the advice of many who try to encourage voting, but it must be understood that there is a huge difference between not going to the polling station out of apathy and ignorance, and making an informed decision not to participate.
One tactic I adopted (when I lived in a country where I actually had political representation), was to spoil my ballot paper by writing on the slip something like "I don't believe that any of these candidates can adequately represent me." At that time, any defaced ballot papers had to be reviewed, so it was a way to to show dissatisfaction with the whole process.
The point is to be fully aware of the true state of things before giving your assent, and if you find the prospect of being ruled by an oligarchy repugnant, maintain an internal opposition to it. Occupy in your mind the moral high ground that those in office all to often withdraw from.