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> At best, governments already take the "pulse" of public and expert opinion when setting policy, making referendums futile or redundant. So you're saying a re
by algorias 12y ago
> At best, governments already take the "pulse" of public and expert opinion when setting policy, making referendums futile or redundant.
So you're saying a referendum is futile because it forces the government to (preemptively) do what the people want? That's exactly it's purpose!
- bayesianhorse 12y agoI have not said that, and you deliberately misunderstood me to make a point against practical democracy. In any country with a practical, working, real-world democracy you can see the government mostly following opinion polls. Finding out "what the people want" is extremely hard, at least if you aren't a populist politician or their adherents. The task doesn't get easier if you pose simple yes and no questions. I think it is dangerous that people in western democracies increasingly equate referendums and votes with democracy, leaving out the conditions of the vote, the environment, the institutions and the state of the human rights.