Finally doesn't forcing people into service in order to vote show a distrust in the very system you want people to serve? I mean you want people to serve a system you wouldn't trust people to use naturally. That doesn't seem crazy to you?
In any case, community service is cool and all but the way I see it is: do it because you want to, not because you think you have to. Otherwise this forced service for a basic right like suffrage seems very unindividualisc and very unamerican.
Because whatever system you implement, it is prone to misuse and corruption by the wrong people. Democracy as it is now has been admitted to be flawed by most, if not every competent politician since the beginning of the last century. There is definitely a need for change in the system and you have to strike a balance.
In the current situation democracy allows every individual to vote once they turn the legal age in their respective country. As idealistic as it sounds and being in line with the basic principles of western society that every man and woman should be able to have their say, nothing is actually done to educate the populace on the matter of governance.
The manner in which a country should be governed is a very complex subject. Generally without any knowledge in this area, many people, as we know, appear to be extremely gullible and uninformed when it comes to important issues playing in their respective countries. Personally the majority of people that I speak to on the subject of politics seem completely unable to form an opinion backed up with solid arguments.
The right person can manipulate this lack of understanding and/or knowledge easily to garner support - to devastating effects. It also allows for people who have the intellectual capacity of a granite rock but the camera appeal of George Clooney to easily enter into the world of politics and do as they please. This sort of person is definitely something you wish to avoid climbing to a position of power. It makes the right to vote for every individual a dangerous tool.
As such, I believe there should be a subject added to almost every level of education (at least from the moment that a child enters high school) that discusses topics relevant to their country of residence / the world at that moment in time, and tries to make them engage in discussion about it - also teaching how to build an argument. (Considering you are also taught some of this in philosophy I would strongly advocate making that a mandatory subject such as math.)
I do realise that it would be extremely difficult to make a test in this subject as the teacher would have to throw his own opinions away and judge students solely based on their arguments. We all know this is an impossibility. I would propose making the tests consist completely out of oral examinations in the form of debates with
at least two teachers with opposing views on society judge them.
The result would (hopefully) be a generally more educated population and better politicians. I don't believe a test in political competence should be a necessity after this, besides that would be a complete disaster anyway. (on paper you would only be able to test simple factual information which really doesn't help anyone
understand politics). I do however approve of the idea doing 2 years of public service before being given the right to vote. Those who do not wish to serve their country in even the simplest of tasks should have no say in it's governance. I wouldn't go as far as making public service mandatory though - but you would have to live without being able to vote.
Now, I would like to hear from you why you believe voting to be a basic right. Considering what sort of tool it actually is, why should it be?
Last edited by dayarath (2010-09-11 13:08:31)
