I agree that the statement doesn’t require direct democracy but that seems like the most likely way to answer the question “do people want this”.
Here’s a brief list of things that were unpopular and broadly opposed that I nonetheless think were clearly good:
smallpox vaccine
seatbelts, and then seatbelt laws
cars
unleaded gasoline
microwaves (the oven, not the radiation)
Generally I feel like people sometimes oppose things that seem disruptive and can be swayed by demagogues. There’s a reason that representative democracy works better than direct democracy. (Though it has obvious issues as well.)
As another whole class of examples, I think people instinctively dislike free speech, immigration, and free markets. We have those things because elites took a strong stance based on better understanding of the world.
I support democractic input, and especially understanding people’s fears and being responsive to them. But I don’t support only doing things that people want to happen. If we had followed that rule for the past few centuries I think the world would be massively worse off.
I agree that the statement doesn’t require direct democracy but that seems like the most likely way to answer the question “do people want this”.
Here’s a brief list of things that were unpopular and broadly opposed that I nonetheless think were clearly good:
smallpox vaccine
seatbelts, and then seatbelt laws
cars
unleaded gasoline
microwaves (the oven, not the radiation)
Generally I feel like people sometimes oppose things that seem disruptive and can be swayed by demagogues. There’s a reason that representative democracy works better than direct democracy. (Though it has obvious issues as well.)
As another whole class of examples, I think people instinctively dislike free speech, immigration, and free markets. We have those things because elites took a strong stance based on better understanding of the world.
I support democractic input, and especially understanding people’s fears and being responsive to them. But I don’t support only doing things that people want to happen. If we had followed that rule for the past few centuries I think the world would be massively worse off.