Someone once told me universities were microcosms of our society as a whole. A large group of individuals with varying interests work, live and play under the same banner — in this case UF — and even get the opportunity to govern themselves. However, at UF it raises a fascinating question. If our little society is representative of society as a whole, why is it that we have such a difficult time with the concept of democracy?
As we approach Student Government elections, I marvel at the stories gracing the pages of the Alligator and wonder why, after all these years, democracy still can’t flourish at UF.
Sure, we have elections. But when you have one-party rule year after year, that’s not a democracy — it’s a sham.
Members of the Swamp Party would probably boast that we have a strong democracy in SG that represents the best interests of UF students, and it has the best plan to make sure UF remains an incredible place for its students. In some cases, that is probably very right, but let’s not kid ourselves; SG still doesn’t resemble a functioning democracy.
In an episode from Netflix’s wildly popular show “House of Cards,” main character Frank Underwood proudly states, “Democracy is so overrated.”
Given the current state of SG, it appears Underwood’s statement holds some truth.
While under the Unite Party banner — let’s be real, Swamp and Unite are the same party — we saw voter intimidation tactics, a member caught throwing Alligators away following a major endorsement for the opposition, and now the party doesn’t even have a slate competing against it.
Why even hold elections when those elections will feel about as competitive as those so-called democratic elections held in third-world countries?
Criticism on the inability to manage democracy should not be directed solely at those in charge, but also those in the minority who couldn’t manage to slate candidates for the election. For a truly democratic election, voters need at least two options, and sadly the Students Party was unable to meet that goal this year.
The result is that Swamp gets to once again hold the reins of SG for another term with little to no consequences for its one-party rule.
Can you imagine how quickly the U.S. government would diminish if only one party — with few representatives from the minority party — had complete control over the government?
Sure, some Democrats and Republicans would marvel at the idea of controlling everything without having to worry about the other party interfering, but it would put the American democracy into a tailspin, leading us down the inevitable path of a dictatorship.
Despite its difficulties, compromise and competition is what makes our form of government strong and why it’s still standing after 238 years. Democratic institutions — even those as small as SG — should take that into account. Competition and compromise will make Swamp, Students and even Taco Libre better parties and better representatives for UF students.
For those currently serving in SG who think this is the way politics, governing and elections operate in our larger society, in some cases, you may be right, and in others, you may be wrong. But don’t let it stop you from wanting to uphold the democratic principles that define this country.
Stop just for a moment and consider whether one-party rule is healthy and truly representative of our society. If you agree, your society might be more representative of Vladimir Putin’s Russia, not American democracy. If you disagree, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work repairing an institution.
For the sake of our little society, I hope we can all work to improve our so-called democracy.
[Joel Mendelson is a UF grad student in political campaigning. His columns appear on Mondays. A version of this column ran on page 6 on 2/17/2014 under the headline "SG barely resembles a working democracy"]
