Polls no panacea
Re: "The perils of too much democracy", (Editorial, Feb 10).
Elections are a fundamental aspect of a democracy, but they alone are not enough. To have a thriving democracy, we need educated and engaged citizens, as well as a healthy civil society. Regular elections are not the panacea, as demonstrated by many Asian countries, including Thailand.
In today's world of instant communication, voters are more aware of social issues, and candidates must understand and address their constituents' problems. The failure of civil society to uphold its responsibilities can have dangerous consequences, such as disregarding the votes and preferences of the people.
In Pakistan's elections, the strategic use of social media and AI-generated gatherings gave the imprisoned Imran Khan significant advantages. Similarly, the MFP in Thailand exploited social media to win the elections by a landslide. However, countries that deny winning parties the opportunity to form their own government are indicative of a dysfunctional political system.
Too much of anything is bad for any society, whether it be religion, blind faith, freedom, authoritarianism, communism, social media, or democracy. The strength of democracy lies in its institutions, and countries that pride themselves on being democracies must abide by their civic responsibilities, including the rule of law, freedom, fair elections, human rights, and justice.
Whether it is the UK, US, India, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, or Thailand, governance based on majority vote and abiding by the constitution and rule of law are the strengths of a vibrant democracy. As Thomas Jefferson, the founding father of the US, once said, "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."