How does activist non-participation accomplish anything when it looks no different from apathy to an outsider? Any medium you might use to spread your message can be used regardless of if you vote or not. You might as well vote for a lesser evil while claiming non-participation, unless you think a possible greater evil will be somehow more likely to dissolve its own power.
but your first question seems unrelated—as if it exists only to be snarky.
Oh, that is unintended. Apologies. The last couple times I’ve encountered that word used it was a placeholder for “vague feelings of dis/approval”, though I should probably give LW more credit. I still have doubts about the usefulness of ‘legitimacy’ as a metric.
Do you disagree that voting reinforces the sense of the populace that the democratically elected government has a “right to rule”?
No, I agree with that. Though, if the ‘sense of the populace’ was a reliable, efficient weapon of change then wouldn’t democracy be the government of choice?
How does activist non-participation accomplish anything when it looks no different from apathy to an outsider?
Indeed. From me to not show up in the polling place is as strong evidence that I don’t endorse democracy as is evidence that I can’t be bothered to because I don’t care either way/I’m a selfish CDTist and think my vote is too unlikely to change anything/I’d rather go shopping or something. The way to show that you don’t endorse democracy is to go to the polling place and spoil the ballot.
The same way any marginal change accomplishes things. There are hundreds of vegan/vegetarian food options out there now because each of those people is willing to spend money to purchase them, even though each person is a tiny marginal difference. You don’t need to march in the streets or donate money to soy hotdog research to help accomplish change. The fewer people vote the more and more obvious the problems with voting become.
What do you mean by ‘legitimacy’?
How does activist non-participation accomplish anything when it looks no different from apathy to an outsider? Any medium you might use to spread your message can be used regardless of if you vote or not. You might as well vote for a lesser evil while claiming non-participation, unless you think a possible greater evil will be somehow more likely to dissolve its own power.
Many political theories express the concept that the perceived “right to rule” of a government effects its efficiency and likelihood of continuing.
Do you disagree that voting reinforces the sense of the populace that the democratically elected government has a “right to rule”?
I mostly agree with your second point, but your first question seems unrelated—as if it exists only to be snarky.
Oh, that is unintended. Apologies. The last couple times I’ve encountered that word used it was a placeholder for “vague feelings of dis/approval”, though I should probably give LW more credit. I still have doubts about the usefulness of ‘legitimacy’ as a metric.
No, I agree with that. Though, if the ‘sense of the populace’ was a reliable, efficient weapon of change then wouldn’t democracy be the government of choice?
Also, this is my first post on LW. Hello!
Indeed. From me to not show up in the polling place is as strong evidence that I don’t endorse democracy as is evidence that I can’t be bothered to because I don’t care either way/I’m a selfish CDTist and think my vote is too unlikely to change anything/I’d rather go shopping or something. The way to show that you don’t endorse democracy is to go to the polling place and spoil the ballot.
The same way any marginal change accomplishes things. There are hundreds of vegan/vegetarian food options out there now because each of those people is willing to spend money to purchase them, even though each person is a tiny marginal difference. You don’t need to march in the streets or donate money to soy hotdog research to help accomplish change. The fewer people vote the more and more obvious the problems with voting become.