[Election-Methods] Partisan Politics

[Juho]

On Mar 10, 2008, at 1:59 , Fred Gohlke wrote:

> re: "The point is just that although I assume that the 'willing'  
> people
> might be more responsible and as efficient leaders as the 'seeking'  
> ones
> also the seeking ones may in some cases work quite well.)"
>
> I suspect our views on this are similar because, as you say, "...  
> people
> have many kind of drivers."  Even so, you may not share my confidence
> that my peers will evaluate those they are grouped with and select the
> person best equipped to serve the public interest.

I think I share your understanding that in small groups the close  
contacts between the members (and the ability to spend some time  
together) do help in making better judgement on other members of the  
group. I may feel that in the long chained process some of the  
benefits may be lost, and that the small groups have also some small  
group related problems (like e.g. ability to exercise some personal  
level pressure (unlike in closed elections) on the other group members).

> When we can be swayed by mass merchandising
> techniques, when we can be convinced it is proper to perform an act  
> for
> which we condemn others, we need to be aware the trait can be  
> dangerous
> for society and seek a means of restricting its adverse effects.

It may be that in some time periods the "science of and skills in  
marketing" evolves faster than the "individual level understanding of  
these concepts and their impact on one's life". This would be  
unfortunate (if true for our time) since it would e.g. weaken the  
basis of democracy, voters that have sufficient understanding to  
steer the society.

Juho





	
	
		
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