why are elections necessary?

Question

The main instrument of a democracy is election.
But why are elections so necessary?

Answer 1

To prevent dictatorships. Would you really like Bush to rule indefinitely?

Answer 2

I don't know why they're "necessary," but when the French Aristocracy had their heads lopped off in 1789 (the same year our constitution was signed), democracies became popular. But the United States is not really a democracy, since our elected officials, democratic and republican alike, are privately funded. That means hidden entities choose the candidates we eventually vote on in elections. Sure, you can VOTE for anyone you like, but the CANDIDATES are "chosen" for you in an undemocratic process.

That said, I believe ONE reason have elections is as a diversion from the entire political process.

Answer 3

Elections are ideally based on the exercise of free will and rational choice. Electors are in an environment of freedom and the government they choose will only function on principles of basic free choice viz., information, rationality, concerns for the electorate. All other modes of choosing a government would be either motivated or based on violence and duress. It is good that the asker recognizes elections as the main instrument of a democracy. Looks to be a big democrat!

Answer 4

I think elections are seen as necessary, because the only other possibilities that people can think of are worse - dictatorships etc.

But ther are a few other possibilities - one suggestion that some people are really into is that everyone is involved in a neighbourhood group that discusses the local issues. One person is chosen from each neighbourhood group to go to the regional group, and one from each regional group to the next bigger group etc. until you end up with a national parliament that is made up of a representative chosen from each of the state committees.

Another suggestion i like comes from star trek. Everyone is tested in school for what they are good at and what they like doing. They are then sent to the appropriate school where they learn to do it, and then given a job doing it. In this system the children who show natural leadership and wisdom would be trained to be leaders, and make up the parliaments.

Answer 5

Beacuse we live in a Democracy. Democracies believe in Government for the people and of the people and by the people. More importantly, the basic principle is that there shall be no taxation without representation.

If we lived in a communist country, or under a dictatorship, we would not need those pesky elections!

Answer 6

They are not necessary. The USA is a representative republic. As an example, state Representatives choose the people(electoral collage) to vote for our president. It just so happens that we vote, but our vote is not binding. The state can change the laws and have our representatives be the local collage football team. The team would pick our choice for president every four years and the team could be appointed by the state government and not us.

So voting is just a tool to keep us involved in our government. Let us pick just one maniac for president and see how fast our choice is over turned by the electoral college. Our founding fathers set it up that way because they believed the public was not smart enough to make wise choices.

Answer 7

In a representative Government, the idea is that a group of people pick someone to speak and act for them. The way the person gets chosen is elections. If the people didn't have the right to choose who would speak/act for them, it would not be a representative Government.

Answer 8

There is no democracy without elections. How could it possibly work if the people don't elect their government officials?

Answer 9

So that the entire objective of democracy can be achieved, i.e. everyone has their say in how the government is run. Without this countries would be run the way a minority wants it to be run, with no equality or fairness.

Answer 10

To ensure that the people (or so I'm told) have a say in who is governing their country.

Think of it this way - leaders that were not elected are normally called Dictators. . .

Answer 11

election is necessary for only politicians. they show them as a hero in their black money. they praise themselves to the public only in election time. some one ready to praise the candidate for their money. opposite party have a good opportunity to scold them also. So now days election means "make the black money to WHITE". thats all