One Man One Vote Is Bad For Development
2nd December 2016
All votes are not equal. Democracy gives room for the unwise majority to cancel the views of the wise minority and dominate them.
Even in real life, the views of people are not deemed equal. The view of the CEO is never the same as the gate man. The father's view is never the same as his son. Why do we think that when we equate the views of the knowledgeable to the not so knowledgeable, the wise to the not so wise we will elect the best person?
Why do we think that making that junky's vote equal to the political science lecturer's will help us choose the best leader? I am not measuring people by their education, some of the most unwise people I have seen in this country happen to have spent many years in the classroom. I am comparing the gap in knowledge and wisdom of the people who vote and why one man one votes is not as wise as we make it appear to be.
Humans are not equal. Even God didn't make us to be equal. He made one a king another the King's servant. Every system that makes people equal is problematic.
If we can agree that all hands are not equal and that all heads are not equal, then the votes of the man who only likes a candidate because they are from the same area or because he was born into the party can never be said to be equal to the one who votes based on issues and superior policies
Until our people are informed and our current education system which largely seeks to make people pass their exams is replaced with one that really makes people knowledgeable and critical thinkers, we can never vote for the most competent leader.
The west didn't begin universal adult suffrage until they felt majority had the capacity to make wise and sound judgment. If we want to learn from them, why don't we start from where they started? Why did we start from where they have reached and still trying so hard to compete with them when their current system works better for the developed?
When people vote with their hearts and not their heads, there's a problem with the choice. We must prepare people to use their heads more in voting if we want to end up with the right person. This is why analysts deem the US election result a backward one. This is how we have voted each year.
In Ghana we have more unwise people compared to the wise. Unfortunately, on man one vote makes wisdom and knowledge valueless in voting
After the 2012 elections, I went to Prince Amoabeng's office to seek his views on the 2012 elections, his response was simple and I haven't forgotten it since: " my vote is equal to one other person who can be anything but wise and informed" this is the shortest interview I've conducted in my 7 years professional life as a journalist. It remains the most memorable
Someone is voting because Mahama is handsome, another because Nana Addo has suffered for the position. It may interest you to know that even university graduates vote this way
In Ghana, those who don't understand the issues outnumber those who understand the issues.
To every Prince Amoabeng, there are 1000s who don't know a thing about governance
On 7th December, we are going to vote for the most popular president. Whoever gets the love of the majority of the not so knowledgeable will be President of Ghana. We are better off casting a lot to choose a leader than voting.
This is why we have a parliament full of people who don't even deserve to be presiding members of a District Assembly. Some win because they are from the Volta Region and contested on the ticket of the NDC. Same can be said about most of the NPP MPs in Ashanti Region too.
Put a donkey on the ticket of the NDC or NPP, he will do better than Papa Kwesi Nduom
What a way to develop
Isaac Kyei Andoh
isaackyeiandoh@yahoo.com