To Vote or Not to Vote

The Swedish election is still far away, but the news bombardment about the Presidential election in the United States has got me thinking about democracy and the act of voting. In the newspaper the other day, two American women were asked which candidate they supported and why. One of the women said that personality wise, she thought that Obama was the best, but although she didn't agree with Romney and the Republican party on many issues, she still believed that she shared more common ground with the Republican party than with the Democratic party, so she had decided to vote Republican in this election. This makes sense, and most rational people would look at the arguments of both parties, weigh them against each other and vote for the party whose values and ideas best fit their own.

Many state that to refrain from voting is being lazy, not caring about one's future and to deny oneself of the opportunity to make a difference because, as they say, “every vote counts”. Politicians seem very concerned when only a small proportion of the population hit the ballot-box. They hire good-looking actors to convince people to vote, “to make a difference”.

But is it really so? Is it not possible that sometimes choosing not to vote is a completely rational choice based on one's values and beliefs or on an understanding that one's vote really doesn't make a difference?

I have reflected over this issue for some time now and I have found that I have been able to think of many arguments against voting.

Going back to the lady who said that she would vote for Romney even though she didn't agree with him on many issues. What this exemplifies is the fact that a politician or a political party can never represent anyone. There will always be issues were the voter will disagree and be forced to compromise. Even politicians within a political party cannot just do as they wish; they have to follow the party line. So even a politician can't really represent a party. Yet, we are being asked to sign on to the idea that “we” are being represented, and that our personal values, are represented by politicians. I and only I represent myself. Period.

Furthermore, in an age where politics was based on clear ideologies, it was easy to pick sides. Nowadays, in an attempt to attract as many voters as possible, political parties have all moved towards the centre, where ideologies have become extinct and where politicians say whatever they think the average voter would like to hear. So the voter tries to figure out who to vote for by listening to the politicians debating, and the politicians base what they are saying on what they think the voter wants to hear. Politicians can't win votes by standing up for what they believe in, even if it would be in the interest of society as a whole. 

Finally, the people cast their votes and a party wins and get to rule the country for a number of years. People realize that the party doesn't live up to their promises and when it is time for a new election, the people want change.So they decide to cast their votes on the other party. Well, you know what, the opposite is not better. The new party can't keep their promises, and so it continues.

Big government also leads to inefficiency and corruption.Where there is government, there are people who want special advantages that only the government can give to them. In a free society, with free competition, all companies have to compete under the same conditions, but with a government, companies can bribe the government to give them special advantages at the expense of other companies and consumers. When people think they are protesting against capitalism what they are really against is most likely fascist corporatism, the merger of state and corporate power. Big government inevitably leads to corporatism, which is corrupt and inefficient, since it denies consumers the right to get the best quality of goods to a competitive price.

http://www.geke.us/Corporatism.html

In conclusion, I deem it to be a rational choice not to vote for a system one does not have faith in. If I find that a party is willing to stand up and protect my personal liberty and fight big government (that is paradoxically it's own power) I will vote. If not, I choose to do something better with my Sunday afternoon, like going to the mall. Because as a consumer, I can have a greater influence on the development on the country and economy than I can ever have by voting for something I do not believe in.