But I Don’t Want to Get My Hair Wet..
“Hmm its starting to get a bit brisk outside, is that rain? I really should get out and vote, but I also need to keep chipping away at my dissertation.. Oh it’ll be fine, it would defy logic to vote for [insert vulgar or nonsensical candidate, policy or referendum]..” - The Complacent, Educated Citizen of Modern Western Democracies, 2016
If any year has lent merit to the notion of compulsory voting: 2016 would be that year. From the spectacular departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union to the accession of Donald Trump to the throne of the most powerful nation on earth; the complacency, particularly among younger educated citizens that the ‘right’ choice will be made, and that their vote will have little impact, gives credence to the view that the right to vote should be considered a civic duty, dictated by law, much less by voting-day weather conditions. Skeptics of compulsory voting argue that on average those who opt not to vote, are generally less well-informed with respect to politics and public policy, and that by logical extension, their requirement to vote could result in a demonstrably worse outcome.
This theory has sadly held true as an increasingly disillusioned working-class, seen to be emerging in developed democracies the world over, has become intimidated by the forces of globalisation and imbued with nationalistic fervour and a strong desire for cultural conservatism. They have been cajoled and manipulated by populist parties and their leaders, offering powerful yet contradicting narratives, promising to make things “great again” - often with policies that would likely have the opposite effect. The bulk of this portion of society comprise what the skeptics of compulsory voting refer to as those with limited knowledge of politics and public policy, and it is at this point that their argument against compulsory voting paradoxically falls apart.
The historical tendency of the working-class to distance itself from election proceedings has bred complacency among the remainder of the voting population and has resulted in the predicament we now find ourselves in.
The world is undergoing monumental change as technological advances threaten traditional models of modernisation as well as job prospects for the working-class in advanced economies. This has the potential to create even greater fissures in the social fabric of western democracies and must be managed by innovative and measured policy responses which embrace the future, much less an isolationist attitude and a reversion to quasi-protectionist economic policies. The right to vote should not be seen in a begrudging light, there are people risking their lives at this writing in the hope of one day securing that right for themselves and their children, and here we are worried about getting our hair wet.