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TimS comments on Please don't vote because democracy is a local optimum - Less Wrong Discussion

-9 [deleted] 05 November 2012 08:09PM

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Comment author: TimS 05 November 2012 08:43:28PM 4 points [-]

What do you mean by 'legitimacy'?

Many political theories express the concept that the perceived "right to rule" of a government effects its efficiency and likelihood of continuing.

Do you disagree that voting reinforces the sense of the populace that the democratically elected government has a "right to rule"?


I mostly agree with your second point, but your first question seems unrelated - as if it exists only to be snarky.

Comment author: quiet 05 November 2012 11:36:23PM *  1 point [-]

but your first question seems unrelated - as if it exists only to be snarky.

Oh, that is unintended. Apologies. The last couple times I've encountered that word used it was a placeholder for "vague feelings of dis/approval", though I should probably give LW more credit. I still have doubts about the usefulness of 'legitimacy' as a metric.

Do you disagree that voting reinforces the sense of the populace that the democratically elected government has a "right to rule"?

No, I agree with that. Though, if the 'sense of the populace' was a reliable, efficient weapon of change then wouldn't democracy be the government of choice?

Also, this is my first post on LW. Hello!