Democracy is a difficult system of exercising power. Democracy is still a very imperfect system of exercising power. Democracy is like marriage, in Winston Churchill’s words. “Marriage,” this distinguished British statesman once wrote, “is a very bad idea, but no one has yet come up with a better one.”
And that is how it is with democracy. Let me recall the simplest definition of democracy: democracy (Greek: rule of the people)—a political system in which the source of power is the will of the majority of citizens. So, quite simply—power exercised by the majority…
We all know what power exercised by the majority looks like in everyday life. Some part of the citizens entitled to vote (still not particularly impressive in number) goes on a designated day to a designated place, where it carries out what is known as the act of voting. The election results are then announced. The fortunate elect—or, if you prefer, the fortunate elected—delegated for a strictly specified period to perform a strictly specified function by the aforementioned majority, begin to govern. Then what usually happens is that those who elected their representatives to govern for them or rather on their behalf—begin to complain, and eventually stop liking altogether those whom they had, after all, elected themselves. This can still be accepted and understood somehow, because it often happens that those who presented themselves so beautifully and wisely before the elections no longer present themselves so beautifully and wisely afterward. But this is about something else. It is about the fact that those who did not make this choice at all—briefly speaking, those who did not go to the polls—join very actively in the widespread criticism to which the democratically elected representatives of the nation are subjected. And that is not right.
For more than a dozen years, ever since we too, here in Poland, have had this marvel called “democracy,” I have been trying to explain one simple principle to people: “You voted—you have every right to criticize. You did not vote—keep quiet; you have no right to grumble and complain.” Someone will answer me: surely the decision not to go and vote is also a form of voting—only a vote for “no.” Well, I will respond with a few numbers. In my electoral district, where I am running for the District Council (this district covers “only” three municipalities in one county!), “only” 77 candidates are running in this year’s local elections. Six seats are available for these three municipalities, which gives an average of… almost 13 candidates for each council seat! I do not know what the situation is in other districts, or what it looks like in elections to city or municipal councils; it is probably similar.
And let someone now tell me that there is no one to choose from! Seventy-seven candidates from, I believe, seven electoral committees, “every color and variety to choose from”: candidates of all sorts of colors and shades, young men and old men, beautiful ladies and somewhat less beautiful gentlemen. All equipped with wonderful platforms, all smiling, all ready for self-sacrificing work. Without joking now, speaking entirely seriously: I do not believe that among the 77 people who for over a month (some for longer) have been running around like mad, “hanging themselves” wherever and however they can, trying in all sorts of ways to persuade voters to support them… well, I do not believe that among these 77 people a citizen cannot choose one (literally: one!) person who will exercise “power” on their behalf, for example, in Bolesławiec County.
Why am I writing about all this? For one simple reason. I want to convince those who are still unconvinced to go to the polls on November 21! What is more, I want to persuade them, before November 21, to find out whom they can vote for in their district (the lists are posted on all the poles in all the localities), and also—equally importantly—how they will vote (and it is not so simple at all, unfortunately).
And, in addition, where they can vote, because more than one voter still does not know that either. Here too, I refer you to the poles or—as some prefer—to the appropriate website.
I appeal especially to young people—those who spend a lot of time in front of a computer, “sitting” on the Internet—and who also often express their very critical opinions about those currently governing at various levels. You are 18, you are registered somewhere—then next Sunday, tear yourself away from the computer for a moment, step out into the real world and—make a real choice.
Attention! Practical information for people studying extramurally, for whom this Sunday, November 21, will be another day of classes and therefore will mean leaving their place of residence. This time polling stations will be open until 10:00 p.m.! (and not, as before, until 8:00 p.m.) So there will still be time to return home from classes and vote.
I will end on a very pompous note: Fellow citizens—go to the polls and choose as wisely as you can! Because, as I mentioned at the beginning, no one has yet come up with a better way of exercising power. Vote, and then… we shall see. Will things be better and wiser, or will it once again end in frustration and complaining...
Robert Rosiński