Overview: The Power Of Elections

Here's what most people get completely wrong about elections. You look at all the dirty tricks, the nasty allegations, and the 'factionalism' tearing up your neighborhood, and you think: 'Political competition is a disaster! We need pure, selfless leaders.' Nonsense! Our system isn't built for a fantasy world of saints; it's built for reality. Think about your local shopkeeper. He probably doesn't care about you personally—he just wants to make a profit. But because the guy across the street is also trying to make a profit, your shopkeeper is forced to smile, stock the best goods, and treat you well, or else you'll walk right over to his rival. Politicians are exactly the same! They might only care about advancing their own careers and grabbing power. But regular electoral competition means the only way they can keep that power is by actually doing what the people want. We've essentially weaponized their selfishness to serve the public. So, if the whole system relies on this incentive of politicians being 'greedy' for votes, what do you think happens to a country when there is no political competition at all?