Don’t Vote!

We are always being told that we must vote. A politician, known for his blue eyes and honesty, will look into the camera and tell us that it’s not so important if we vote for him, what matters is that we vote for someone. We must vote no matter what. And they all seem to say that.

How unselfish they are! How devoted to their noble principles! Right? They are being honest, aren’t they? Yes, as a matter of fact they are. But that is not because of their selflessness and idealism. They mean it because it is in their interest.

The leaders of a stable democracy, both the ones who are currently in office and those who formally belong to the opposition, are all integral parts of the existing order. A stable state is a united organism, and the main goal of any organism is simply to continue its existence. Therefore it’s in the interest of those who are deeply involved in its structure to keep it alive and strong.

In a stable democracy very little is ever changed from the voting booth. The political order has long since been establish, and now its purpose is mainly to uphold its static comfort. That means there is not much real confrontation. Well, seemingly the political actors quarrel among themselves, but their disagreement is never about the fundamentals of the state. They have gathered in a cozy middle ground where all really controversial issues are avoided. Therefore a vote for one of them is also a vote for them all, and they prefer this indirect support to no support at all.

So why do you want to vote? You want to have an influence on politics however small, you say. You want to use that tiny strength of yours to push the country in your favorite direction. Sorry, by voting you’re not doing that. The only thing your vote expresses is that you are generally satisfied with things as they are. Maybe you want some very minor changes, but in general you are content, and your leaders are happy to receive your confirmation. Whenever you vote, and whoever you vote for, you vote for the establishment. You vote for status quo.

Why are you making this effort? The status quo doesn’t need your support to remain. By voting you show active obedience to forces that are beyond your control. Why do you have to show your approval of the miserable state of politics? Or if you think everything is fine with the world, why do you bother to actively applaud it. Voting was supposed to show the power of the people, wasn’t it, not their submission.

True, by not voting you are not showing any great strength either and you are easily confused with those who abstain because of laziness, but at least you can keep your integrity and independence. You refuse to actively obey the forces you have to submit to anyway.