Democratic Mechanisms

Democracy is a word primarily associated with politics. Every so often we get to choose between two pre-selected candidates who get to rule over us for a term of years. However, this is far from the most effective democratic mechanism, and this is becoming clearer by the day.

People vote with their feet. When our rulers start ganging up on certain people, they leave. The reason I'm living in Portugal rather than Norway is that Portugal is a better place to live for people in my situation. My decision to move was based on a simple value proposition. It was clear that life in Portugal would be better for both me and my immediate family.

With political democracy in decline, voting with our feet is becoming increasingly popular. People all over the world are moving to places they find less oppressive and generally more pleasant than where they grew up. A large number of people are on the move for economic and political reasons.

But moving out is not an option for all. Most people would rather endure hardships hoisted upon them by bad policies than have to move. It's therefore good to know that there is another democratic option that requires nothing but a critical sense of value.

Every time we buy a product or service, we endorse the company or institution that produce this good. If we don't like the values the company or institution promotes, we can simply withhold our money. If you don't like Bud Light's values, don't buy it. If you don't think little boys should be told that they can be girls, don't buy stuff at Target.

This mechanism can be extended towards government institutions as well. I realized many years ago that taxes on cars and real-estate were big drains on my earnings. I therefore sought ways to avoid these taxes, and I saved myself a lot of money in the process.

A focus on value for money is key to a better society. Paying careful attention to the values supported by the institutions we support has the dual benefit of enhancing our own economic situation while at the same time starving those who don't support our values.

Politicians and corporate leaders don't like this, so they will try to fence us in and have us show our ID wherever we go. They will also seek to subsidize companies that suffer from consumer boycotts. Most of all, they want to get control of our consumer habits. Hence their drive towards centralized digital payment systems. However, none of this will work. They cannot in the end force us to endorse values that we don't support.

People voting with their feet

By the Providence Lithograph Company - http://thebiblerevival.com/clipart/1907/ex14.jpg, Public Domain, Link