RE: Chris "Tory concept of voluntary elections"

[abc170@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

There is a significant issue here.  Marxism is silent on
the specific issue of voluntary/compulsory elections.

However Marxism recognises the vital role of Universal Suffrage - and Marx even
thought such a principle would effect revolution.

I totally oppose voluntary elections because in modern civilisation they lead 
us away
from practical universal suffrage.

I do not think one should couterpose voluntary elections with "compulsory 
voting".
This is a bourgeois scare - nasty, "compulsion".

Australia does not have compulsory voting.  The requirement is for every 
citizen to
deal with their right to vote so noone else can impersonate them.

ie - you can get your name crossed off on polling day and return a folded blank 
paper
with no vote.

if you cannot get to a booth on polling day, you can do the above at 
alternative sites
for at least a week before the poll.

Conscientious objectioin is provided for.

If you cannot do the above you can post a blank paper in.  The import 
requirement is
you get your name crossed of the list of voters.  This is vital because 
Australia does
not have ID cards etc.

If Cuba has voluntary voting, and I am not aware of the facts here, then that 
is a
fatal flaw which will be exploited in the future by Murdoch et al.

What is the voting system in Russia and Austria, or Amerika.


To my mind - modern Marxism must recognise and strucually implement true 
Universal
suffrage, not the bourgeios 'equal opportunity to vote' or any other such 
concept.



Chris W


On Wed, 09 February 2000, Paul.Benedek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

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> Subject: RE: Chris "Tory concept of voluntary elections"
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> Chris:
> [...]
> >Anarchists are now 'far and few between' although I did have the misfortune 
> >>to
>hear the latest crop of anarchist youngsters prattle-on over radio 2XX >last
>wednesday(?) preaching the Tory concept of voluntary elections.  They >said 
>precisely
>-
>
> >"If democracy is so wonderful - why don't they make it voluntary"
>
> >This is pure Liberal crap (eg Senator Minchin -sp?).
> [...]
>
> I don't think anarchists have a monopoly on "preaching the Tory concept of 
> voluntary
>elections". The way I figure it, Marxists support the extension of democratic 
>rights,
>and oppose State compulsion to vote.
>
> In Cuba, voting is not compulsory yet some 90+% of Cubans turn out to vote - 
> that's
>because they are politicised, they enact, through the various levels of 
>organisation,
>people's power, they have control. Having compulsory voting would be an
>administrative measure which would not take on politically the task of 
>convincing
>people of their responsibility in determining the revolutions path.
>
> In the US, voting is not compulsory, and around 44% vote. Most are 
> (justifiably)
>dissillusioned with US electoral politics, the two-party no choice etc.
>
> In Aust, voting is compulsory. Still, many tens of thousands don't vote, 
> similarly
>dissillusioned with the farce. But most are compelled by the State's threat 
>against
>those who don't vote. In a couple of famous cases, one guy went to jail for
>advocation people write "none of the above" (or something like that) on 
>ballots.
>Although its legal to write that (informal vote), its illegal to advocate 
>people make
>an informal vote! In another, a women went to jail for refusing to pay her 
>non-voting
>fine because "I did not support any of the candidates". Of course she 
>shouldn't be
>forced to vote for someone she doesn't support.
>
> Marxists oppose State attacks on our democratic rights, including the 
> democratic
>right not to vote. If we could win the right for voting to be voluntary (in 
>AUst),
>the ruling class would find it far harder to prop up their democratic show 
>when the
>majority are so totally pissed-off with it.
>
> Interested to hear what others have to say re compulsory Vs voluntary voting.
>
> Cheers,
> Paul

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