Democracy has achieved some incredible things, making our societies more equal and just. But in recent years rather than being an efficient mechanism for collective decision-making and progress, democracy seems to be fueling discord, division, and distrust of the other side. Do away with elections and democracy itself might be saved, argues Alexander Guerrero.  

Elections are not magical, but they can seem that way.  The last 200 years have seen electoral democracy as the ascendant, most successful kind of political system the world over.  Electoral systems have improved internally as slavery, colonialism, racist and sexist discrimination, and disenfranchisement have gradually if not entirely been challenged and eradicated.  But we are starting to see new trouble.  In many democratic political communities, the leading story is one of division, rage, and irrationality.  It is hard to imagine a path together, forward, in response to the urgent challenges we face.  Elections are not magical.  They don’t automatically make everything better.  They only work well under specific social conditions.  And if those conditions do not obtain, elections can actually make things worse.