In this essay, my argument would be based on the controversial assertion that compulsory voting is core to the achievement of a perfect democracy. Compulsory voting is being practiced in various countries including Australia, Argentina, and Belgium. In compulsory voting, it is mandatory for every citizen who is registered as a voter to vote failure to which the government imposes penalties which may be in the form of fines or some cases restricted access to government resources. This essay would determine whether compulsory voting has enhanced the reflection or the will of the people in regards to selecting their leaders.
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I will now present the best single argument supporting the claim that compulsory voting is key to democracy. Firstly, democracy is all about the majority will of the people, the principles of democracy are entrenched in the fact that a leader comes from the people, and the best way to determine the people’s choice is through a popular vote which is definitely the majority vote. Compulsory voting leads to voter satisfaction, this is because it leads to an increase in voter turnout, therefore, many citizens will be satisfied with the results as it is a reflection of the majority of valid voters. When citizens are satisfied with election results there are always minimal cases of election petitions as well as violence which is common in the countries which practice voluntary voting, for example, most countries in Africa such as Ivory Coast, Kenya, Gambia, Uganda, and even the DRC Congo. The voter turnout in these countries is usually low meaning the majority do not vote, and unexpected results eventually lead to election violence, a tragedy which could have easily been avoided if the voting was compulsory.
In my opinion, the best and most singular objection towards the argument that holds a substantial basis is compulsory voting is a key to democracy. Compulsory voting can be viewed as a major form of dictatorship as well as infringement of a citizen’s freedom of expression which is documented within the Bill of Rights. Citizens may decide to express themselves or demonstrate their level of dissatisfaction by either having the electoral preparation or the leaders vying for the seats by, or by simply making the decision not to vote. Furthermore, compulsory voting instills fear in the citizens, whereby citizens will only turn up to avoid the penalties rather than actually taking the exercise as a civic duty, this in itself is a poison to democracy. Democracy and freedom to write an essay that explores this topic of Buddhist thought. This can be any form of expression that goes hand in hand, one cannot override the other.
Nevertheless, as a response to the previous objection to the claim presented in the previous section. For one to be a valid voter of a nation, he or she has to have attained an age where he is considered an adult, of sound mind and be an individual who has the ability to make the right decisions and at the same time take responsibility for his or her actions. By imposing the law that makes it compulsory for them to vote it doesn’t change the fact that a larger percentage of them already have a favorite candidate and they often have their mind set on the leader they are going to elect even before Election Day, compulsory voting, therefore, eliminates the obstacles and excuses that the citizens use for not voting, and offer them a mandatory chance to elect their leaders. Compulsory voting brings a sense of belonging and patriotism, which makes leaders have the interest of the country at heart which is part of the fruits of democracy.
In light of the consideration discussed in this essay, I can conclude that compulsory voting is a key to democracy. Democracy is about numbers, and compulsory voting brings the numbers to the polling stations. The number of leaders with more numbers becomes the leader and this stands as the basic foundation of democracy.
Work cited
Singer, Peter. Ethics in the Real World: 82 Brief Essays on Things That Matter; with a New Afterword by the Author. , 2017. Print.
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