What do you want and what do voters want?

July 3, 2024

Chances are that what you want in life is more or less what every other human also wants. You want power, order, wealth, enjoyment, relationships, salvation (POWERS) and more. That is roughly what every human desires as proxies of what they truly seek, which is pain relief (PR). 

Creatix -> a sales matrix 

Creatix sells ideas for profit. Ideas that may help you profit in life. Ideas that may help you succeed in business life and in the business of life. Creatix publishes free content on Medium, Blogger, and Linkedin. Consulting is offered via email and text. As with all ideas, many won't work, but sometimes you only need one that clicks with you and lift you up. You never know. Read along. 

What do humans want in life?

Most humans want the POWERS mentioned above. Power as the omnipotence and omniscience attributed to God although most humans would never admit that they would like to be gods if possible. Order to beat entropy, decay, and disorder. Wealth, including physical wealth (health), financial wealth (money), and social wealth (status). Relationships, including rewarding connections with significant others, relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Salvation as in spiritual enlightenment and connection to supernatural mythical forces to transcend mortal life. 

Humans want all the POWERS above and more. Humans want everything that is pleasant and convenient. Ultimately, human desires are controlled by the pain / pleasure mechanism of life. Humans, like all other animals on Earth, inherited genetic programming that makes them avoid pain and seek pleasure or at least pain relief (PR). 

Political Power

Below is a brief discussion about one specific type of power sought by some humans, political power (power over people). Many humans are attracted to political power although apparently some are more attracted to politics than others. 

Political power, or power over people, derives from physical power, individual or collective. Primates choose strong leaders and form coalitions for collective strength.  

In human societies. before the advent of democracy and democratic elections, political power was typically obtained through non-electoral means including: fights and wars; alliances and marriages; hereditary monarchies; military conquests; religious authorities; aristocracies and oligarchies; and bureaucracies. 

Fights and Wars

• Fighters and Warriors: In tribal societies, political leaders often emerged based on their abilities as fighters, warriors, and hunters able to command loyalty and inspire followers.
• Charismatic Prophets: Some leaders claimed to have divine visions or supernatural abilities, which they used to garner followers and establish authority.

Alliances and Marriages

• Feudal Alliances: Lords and vassals formed alliances based on mutual obligations of service and protection. These relationships were central to the political structure in medieval Europe.
• Political Marriages: Marriages were used as tools to secure alliances and consolidate power among noble families and royal houses.

Hereditary Monarchies

• Dynastic Succession: Power was often passed down through families, with kings, queens, emperors, and other nobles inheriting their titles from their parents. This form of succession was common in many ancient and medieval societies.
• Feudal System: In medieval Europe, the feudal system structured society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor. Nobles had significant power and ruled over lands granted to them by the monarch.

Military Conquests 

• Conquests: Military leaders and conquerors, such as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and various Roman emperors, obtained power by conquering territories and establishing control over them.
• Military Dictatorships: In some cases, military leaders seized power through coups and ruled as dictators. This was seen in various historical periods and regions, such as ancient Rome under the rule of generals like Julius Caesar.

Religious Authorities

• Theocracy: In some societies, religious leaders held political power, claiming divine right or religious legitimacy. Examples include the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, who were considered gods, and the Caliphs in Islamic empires, who were both religious and political leaders.
• Divine Right of Kings: Many European monarchs claimed that their right to rule was granted by God, thus making their authority unquestionable. This doctrine was particularly influential during the medieval and early modern periods.

Aristocracies and Oligarchies

• Noble Classes: In many societies, a small, privileged class of nobles or aristocrats held political power. They often governed through councils or assemblies made up of elite members.
• Oligarchies: Political power was concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy and influential individuals or families. This was seen in ancient Greek city-states like Sparta.

Bureaucracies

• Civil Service: In some ancient civilizations, such as China during various dynasties, power was exercised through a bureaucratic system. Officials were often appointed based on merit (as determined by exams) and loyalty to the ruler.
• Imperial Administration: Empires like Rome and Byzantium had complex administrative systems with appointed governors and officials who managed different regions of the empire.

These methods of obtaining political power often led to centralized and autocratic forms of governance, where power was held by a single individual or a small group, and ordinary people had little to no say in how they were governed. The transition to democratic systems introduced the idea of political power derived from the consent of the governed, fundamentally changing the nature of political authority and legitimacy. 

Along came democracy

Democracy recognizes that the collective is stronger than the individual, and that voting is less deadly and less costly than war. Democracy is an alternative to war. The history of democracy is a fascinating journey that spans thousands of years and includes various forms and practices across different cultures and societies. 

5th century before Christian era (BCE) 

• Ancient Greece. Athens is often considered the birthplace of democracy. Athens introduced a direct form of democracy where citizens participated directly in political decision-making. The Assembly (Ekklesia) and the Council of 500 (Boule) were key institutions. Greek citizens (excluding women, slaves, and foreigners) could speak and vote on laws and policies.

Ancient Rome (509 BCE - 27 BCE)

• Roman Republic: The Roman Republic had a complex system with elements of democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy. The Senate, made up of elites, played a significant role, while the Assemblies allowed citizens to vote on laws and elect magistrates. As in Ancient Greece, voting rights were limited to male citizens.

Middle Ages and Renaissance

Medieval Europe (5th - 15th centuries)

• Feudalism dominated, with limited democratic elements. However, some communal movements and town charters in places like Italy and the Low Countries allowed for local self-governance and election of officials.

Magna Carta (1215)

• In England, the Magna Carta was signed by King John, which limited the power of the monarch and established certain legal rights for subjects. It is often seen as a precursor to constitutional democracy.

Early Modern Period

England (17th century)

• English Civil War (1642-1651): Conflict between the monarchy and Parliament led to increased parliamentary power.
• Glorious Revolution (1688): Established constitutional monarchy and affirmed the supremacy of Parliament through the Bill of Rights (1689).

America (18th century)

• American Revolution (1775-1783): Led to the creation of the United States and its democratic institutions. The U.S. Constitution (1787) established a federal republic with elected representatives and a system of checks and balances. It is the oldest standing constitution in the world. 

France (18th century)

• French Revolution (1789-1799): Overthrew the monarchy and established a republic, emphasizing liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) was a foundational document for democratic principles.

19th and Early 20th Centuries

• Expansion of Voting Rights (Suffrage). The 19th century saw significant expansion of voting rights in many countries. For example, the United Kingdom gradually extended the franchise through a series of Reform Acts. The movement for women’s voting rights gained momentum, leading to the first successes in places like New Zealand (1893), Australia (1902), and the United States (1920, with the 19th Amendment).

Mid to Late 20th Century. Post-World War II

• Decolonization: Many former colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean gained independence and established democratic governments.
• Cold War: The ideological battle between democracy (led by the United States and Western Europe) and communism (led by the Soviet Union) influenced global politics.
• Civil Rights Movements. Significant strides in civil rights and democratic participation, especially in the United States with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, which aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination.

Late 20th to Early 21st Century: Third Wave of Democracy (1974-1990s)

• A surge of democratization in Southern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Notable examples include the end of military dictatorships in Latin America, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

21st Century 

Democracy continues to evolve, but its core principles remain rooted in the idea of government by the people, for the people and typically include the following elements: 

• Free and Fair Elections: Citizens have the right to vote and run for office.
• Rule of Law: Legal frameworks ensure equality and justice.
• Separation of Powers: Distinct branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) with checks and balances.
• Protection of Rights: Fundamental rights and freedoms (speech, assembly, religion) are protected.

Democracy is currently facing significant challenges including political polarization and populism exacerbated by social media, gradual erosion of democratic norms, and gradual rise of authoritarianism. Communism in Russia and China, and authoritarian regimes all across the globe present serious challenges to democracy and democratic institutions. Global warming is coming and so is World War III. The future has not been created yet. Get ready. It will get interesting. Bring out the popcorn.

If you are into politics and would like to become a political leader, realize that at any level or election voters will support you only if they believe that they will benefit and be better off choosing you over the competition. That is, it's not about you; it's about them! They will want to elect the leader that they expect will bring the most amount of pain relief (PR), privileges, and POWERS to them. What are you offering people in consideration for their support and vote? What are you selling? Are they buying it? 

www.creatix.one