>Democracy draws its power from the "consent of the governed" OK. I believe I'm arguing for consent. >not from the complacency of the subjects That's a red-h

>Democracy draws its power from the "consent of the governed" OK. I believe I'm arguing for consent. >not from the complacency of the subjects That's a red-herring. It has nothing to do with anything. >and if the people chose to not engage in the process, the government has no legitimate claim by which it can act on the people's behalf. If they choose to not engage because they don't trust the system .. then sure, that's a problem. If they choose to not engage because they are fine with any outcome - I don't see the problem. > Low voter turnout is an indicator of an illegitimate government You can't just say things. Sometimes that may be the case. And sometimes it may not. Typically in western nations, low voter turnout stems from a comfortable, prosperous life. >If people chose to not vote (or engage in other political actions) the question should be "do we need this part of the government" not "how do we get more people to vote in this part of the government" Sure. And I'm not against either.