From the Readers

Where's true democracy?

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-17 08:26

Comment on "Democracy is not an end in itself" (China Daily, May 13).

Democracy as a theory cannot really be criticized. But democracies in most of the countries today are a choice between two or three main parties which reflect the views of their members and power bodies such as business. People who are members of political parties in these countries are but a small percentage of the population.

The average voter has to choose one from two or three parties' policies over which he/she has very little say. So voters often have to accept policies they don't agree with, and end up voting for a party for its name or because one or two of its policies differ from the others. People in the West like to think they have a say but they all know they don't.

Paul, on China Daily website

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(China Daily 05/17/2010 page9