Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Voting	chekhovToo	05/12/04
Should voting be compulsory or not?
Clarification/Follow-up by picassocat on 05/15/04 3:58 pm: Sure, compulsory voting could be seen as an infringement of liberty. The state does not have the right to compel a person to vote for a candidate with whom he does not agree or in whom he does not believe in. However, on the other hand, democratic government means majority rule and the expression of an opinion by a majority of electors. Further, voting is alalogous to other duties society requires of citizens, such as giving evidence in court proceedings, paying rates, compulsory education etc. Compulsion would encourage political education and the franchise had been fought for, and therefore should be used. You could also argue that as individuals' liberty consists in exemption from legal control, so political liberty consists in participation in legal control. Furthermore, the quality of legislation coming from legislatures elected by a minority vote would deteriorate, whereas 'the fact that legislation was considered my members representing a greater number of people hitherto would have a good effect on the community". There are arguments on both sides, I'm not sure which way I swing at the moment.
Answered By		Answered On
picassocat		05/15/04
Sure, compulsory voting could be seen as an infringement of liberty. The state does not have the right to compel a person to vote for a candidate with whom he does not agree or in whom he does not believe in. However, on the other hand, democratic government means majority rule and the expression of an opinion by a majority of electors. Further, voting is alalogous to other duties society requires of citizens, such as giving evidence in court proceedings, paying rates, compulsory education etc. Compulsion would encourage political education and the franchise had been fought for, and therefore should be used. You could also argue that as individuals' liberty consists in exemption from legal control, so political liberty consists in participation in legal control. Furthermore, the quality of legislation coming from legislatures elected by a minority vote would deteriorate, whereas 'the fact that legislation was considered my members representing a greater number of people hitherto would have a good effect on the community". There are arguments on both sides, I'm not sure which way I swing at the moment.

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