Member-only story
Character and behavior and values matter so much more than the forms and systems. People who are good and sensible and kind will violate any cruel and insane rules and systems regardless of their self-proclaimed legitimacy.
If a representative government, with the support of the public, passes a law to destroy the Earth, is that law really legitimate? Should everyone put aside their differences because “the people have spoken”?
I don’t think so. I’d like to believe that YOU don’t think so.
So, yeah, maybe we’d be better off with ranked voting, and removing corporate money from politics, and a million other reasonable, even necessary systemic reforms. I believe that our systems (and systems everywhere) are corrupted and desperately need serious reform. But let’s not over-value these things.
What we really want is a better, more humane and sensible world. We want to live more fully, and for others to live more fully. We want to experience and enjoy life. And the deepest desires of sane, caring people of genuine good will won’t bend to the desires of any majority.
A majority cannot turn the reality of climate destruction into a hoax. A majority cannot make a guilty man innocent or turn a lie into truth.
So, yeah, a proper form for representative government would be an improvement. But…
