Democracy is Overrated

“Democracy would it seem

reflection, I have to say that I savored our discussion about the

democratization of the Philippine country. It was not as pretty as most of people think. It was a
grueling process. Learning its historical background made me understand why our country is the
way it is now. There are still lots to be done. I just think that democracy is not for everyone. I
used to worship democracy as the ultimate government among all. I thought of it as the end of
every governing procedures. But upon learning more about it, and getting exposed to the perils it
carries, my poorly constructed perspective was totally shifted in such a dramatic manner.
Democracy is a double-edged sword. It might sound favorable, but in reality, it is inherently
flawed. It is not favorable to countries with a weak and vulnerable state. This is why I believe
that democracy should just be viewed as a means, and not an end itself. For example, voting is
not the absolute solution. People here in the country votes just for the sake of voting. They vote
because they think that they should, mainly because they are living in a democratic country.
They vote irrespective of their knowledge which I think is very problematic since it puts the
country in peril and jeopardy. I really do believe that we should practice pragmatism first, and
decide on what’s best for the country even if that would mean sacrificing democracy. Even
Socrates expressed his aversion and skepticism when democracy was at its infancy. If a country
is to be placed in the hands of an incompetent and uninformed individual, then it would
definitely wreak havoc in the entire organization of the nation. Consequently, this would
encourage random people to run for government positions with a brain as gullible and naïve as a
3-year old. This is why I think that the right to suffrage is not for everyone. Uninformed voters
think that they are contributing to the development of the country by just voting, thinking that it
is an exercise of progress and advancement. But an uninformed vote only makes it worse. One
might counter that not giving people the right to suffrage would result into further
marginalization, but really, in the hands of the wrong leaders, they would most probably be
furthered marginalized. I think that we need to fix a multitude of things in the country first before
properly settling for a democratic governance. In the Philippines, the education system is an ugly
truth. How are we going to produce informed, well-versed, and adept voters without educating
them properly? Education is one of the many things that we need to fix. Along with that comes
with the economy, and ultimately cleaning and purging the government of foul and foolish
“leaders”. When everything is stabilized, the country can then practice democracy not as end but
as a means. If the means does not work, then it is time to consider other possible and more
plausible courses.