The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

You have a right
to seek leaders for
yourself, but you have
no right to impose
rulers on others.
Extract from
Jonathan’s Guiding
Principles
Too often, in recent
times, the name of
democracy has been
misused to describe
situations where a
vote is taken without
free and fair debate
beforehand, and
where those who have
won 51% of the vote
claim the right to ride
rough-shod over the
other 49%
Kofi Annan at
the closing of the
Organisation of
African Unity in
Durban, July 2002
Chapter 25 • The Applausometer
Brainstorming
• Why would a political party say, “We believe
what you believe”?
• Is it logical to decide morality, power,
wealth, and rights by the enthusiasm of
applause?
• Is it logical to decide these things by the
numbers of votes?
• What is the best basis for determining these?
• Examples?
• Ethical issues?
Commentary
A voter’s only power over a ruling party is the
vote he or she gets once every four or fi ve years.
Even at that time, the ruling party still has the
upper hand as it will adapt the voting methods
to suit itself. The stronger the party the more
it can manipulate voting regulations. Election
commissions are often set up to organise the
voting. Although these commissions are meant
to be independent, they have to contend with a
great deal of pressure from those in power.
There are a variety of ways voting can be
structured. Many variables may be shifted
to benefi t those in power. The commission
determines who is allowed to vote. For instance,
they might, or might not, allow citizens
temporarily staying outside the country to
vote. The physical boundaries of the voting
constituencies may be re-drawn or combined to
include more voters of the favoured party into an
area known to be less supportive.
The result of the voting leads to various
interpretations. A 51% majority means that 49%
do not want to be represented by that person or
party. Should the 51% be allowed to implement
laws over the beliefs, morals, ethics, family,
and property of the remaining 49%? At times
fewer than half the population go to cast their
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