I've always thought it sort of odd that a living condition floor isn't taken as a functional requirement for systems of self government where by definition the

I've always thought it sort of odd that a living condition floor isn't taken as a functional requirement for systems of self government where by definition the voting population needs enough leasure time to be informed and participating. On the other hand I've never been particularly surprised by self interested actors being more than happy to have many citizens subsisting at a level that precludes such functional participation.