Is Democracy Deceiving the Masses?

The universal vote in general elections: is it truly the form of democracy our societies need? When the masses lack the necessary skills to make appropriate decisions, a more efficient alternative becomes imperative.

If we accept that democracy is based on the principle that the best way to govern a country is through general elections, then this assumption deserves to be challenged. Now more than ever, it is becoming clear that this foundational belief undermines the effective development of human societies on a global scale. Universal suffrage, in the context of state governance, contains a measure of hypocrisy and constitutes a form of deception towards citizens. It enables the rise of populism, which is exploited by despots seeking power to establish authoritarian regimes.

What is under discussion here is democracy in its primary sense—power exercised by the people through voting. This critique does not imply a renunciation of fundamental values such as civil rights, freedom of expression, individual liberties, equality before the law, ethical principles, or progress. Nor does it advocate the abolition of the separation of powers, disregard for vulnerable communities, or the neglect of altruism. What is being questioned is the prevailing convention that the optimal way to govern a country requires each citizen to express an opinion through a ballot. That ballot is an illusion. Political parties feed us illusory perceptions through striking billboards. Carefully edited portraits of political candidates, paired with slogans crafted by clever advertisers, are the essence of their message. These images and slogans do not appeal to our reason, but to our primal instincts. They infiltrate our subconscious without our awareness, rendering our electoral choices irrational. What, then, do these elements have to do with the rational and competent management of a state?

In practice, we are called upon to elect a tribal leader. The tribe into which we were randomly born often determines our voting orientation. This tribal affiliation resembles the emotional bond that ties fans to a sports team. Elections serve to promote the specific interests of each tribe. As a result, the democratic system reinforces particular community interests at the expense of the common good. Each tribe expresses itself through a political party, which openly disregards global needs. Those in need who do not belong to the tribe are of no interest to the party. Such partisan tribalism gravely undermines state governance, as it favors particular interests over the general interest.

The fundamental question we must ask is this: is electoral voting truly the most relevant mode of governance? In practice, this system has failed. Democracy allows a minority to impose its will on the majority. It proves incapable of neutralizing interest groups that wield power for personal gain. World history reminds us that some of the most oppressive regimes in human history rose to power through democratic means—that is, through direct appeals to universal suffrage. Thus, dictatorship, oligarchy, and monarchy are not necessarily opposites of democracy. Contrary to the widespread cliché, democracy is not, in my view, “the lesser evil,” but rather a harmful force in society.

Contrary to the dominant narrative, ancient Greece did not know true democracy. In Athens, women, the poor, and slaves were excluded from voting rights. Only a minority of citizens participated in public affairs. Small groups can operate effectively and make decisions equitably, as in committees within small businesses where everyone knows each other, understands the issues, and votes knowledgeably. The same holds for any autonomous citizens’ assembly. But if the group is too large or too small, the risk of decision-making distortion becomes inevitable. Millions of individuals cannot govern together. They cannot ensure a fair consideration of the collective interest. The distortion inherent in voting is unavoidable. The Athenians, aware of these limitations, even adopted sortition—a mode of selection based on random drawing. The Sages of the Talmud also used it to appoint rabbis, in order to prevent wealth from buying office. In the Age of Enlightenment, thinkers such as Montesquieu and Voltaire supported this idea.

Humanity has recently experienced one of its greatest scientific revolutions: the democratization of knowledge. Access to knowledge has become largely egalitarian thanks to simple technological tools. Knowledge quickly became accessible to vast swaths of the population, no longer reserved for a scholarly elite. This undeniable progress fosters the emancipation of peoples. However, the proliferation of information proves toxic, especially when manipulated. We often ignore the dangers this data overflow entails, as well as the means of protecting ourselves from it. Malicious forces can shape our consciousness without our knowledge, influencing the behavior of millions. Crowd intelligence supersedes competence and meritocracy. The masses outweigh the scientific elite. Specialists in democratic politics exploit populism to govern the masses. And when democracy degenerates into populism, it must be resisted.

Democracy presents a global problem. All governments deceive their citizens by instilling the illusion that their vote contributes to fair governance. Populism is thriving more than ever, fueled by the explosion of social networks and the uncontrolled proliferation of information. Superficial reforms of voting systems proposed here and there will not offer any structural solutions. States cannot be better governed by popular intelligence. The masses suffer from inherent limitations. A lack of knowledge and specialization prevents crowds from managing complex systems. A state must be governed by experts, each within their field of competence. No individual can claim universal expertise. Only a radical break from the current system will allow for intellectual liberation and the envisioning of suitable solutions.

Yet how can we explain that the dysfunctions of democracy do not hinder humanity’s progress? In truth, it is moral, cultural, and scientific elites that ensure such progress. They constitute the vital forces guiding each society. The masses need an enlightened elite to advance the common interest. The most essential systems for human life function without recourse to voting. They rely on professional competence. Such is the case in the most critical sectors of our existence: health, education, and security. Scientific controversies are not resolved by popular vote. The same applies in academia. Art, literature, music, and poetry require no elections but are rooted in qualities that serve as models to emulate. It is professionalism—not general elections—that enables progress.

A state cannot be governed by an amorphous mass, but by specialists. Certainly, experts can make mistakes, and they vary in competence, but their know-how remains a guarantee of success. The higher their level of expertise, the better for human society. The more these experts are upright and free from authoritarian ambition, the greater the benefit to society. The abolition of democracy alone does not guarantee the eradication of corruption. The thirst for power, greed, and the temptation to dominate will not vanish spontaneously. Those appointed by professional committees must be subject to independent and effective oversight bodies. Even the most competent individuals must step down at the right time, and their mandate must be strictly limited. The means to prevent criminality and abuse of power are limitless.

Thus, as we have seen, democracy misleads the masses by assigning them a responsibility for which they are unprepared. We must endeavor to design a model of the state without elections. We must imagine a state structure governed efficiently by experts, as is the case in science, academia, the military, or medicine. In a globalized world marked by the democratization of knowledge, unconventional solutions must be adopted. This is the path to human progress.

Yigal Bin-Nun is a historian. In 2023, he published the book When Did We Become Jews? And How the Monotheistic Religions Were Born.