The Problem with Egalitarian Universal Franchise and Some Other Political Ideals

Ely Harman

September 30 at 5:41 PM

In any actually existing system there is going to be some unequal but non unitary distribution of *actual* power (strength, weapons, numbers, resources, wealth, charisma, influence, etc…)

So I just think it’s best if the *procedural* distribution of power (voting protocols or whatever) matches that as closely as possible.

If your civic religion says we’re all equal and our votes count the same, or we’re all subordinate to an absolute and unquestionable führer, neither of those things is that close to being true, and so there will be huge incentives for someone with the ability, to disrupt, upset, ignore or overthrow the established procedures and institute ones more beneficial to them.

It’s fundamentally unstable to structure institutions around false articles of faith or sacred cows. In exact proportion to their falsehood; It’s merely an invitation for chaos…