As every Adelaide schoolchild knows, colonial South Australia had no convicts, had lots of churches, and was “the first electorate in the world to give equal political rights to both men and women” (to quote the National Museum of Australia on the topic). Luckily for them, two out of three right answers makes for a credit in Australia. But a distinction-worthy student would know that South Australia was not, in fact, the world leader in women’s suffrage. That particular title goes to the Wyoming Territory, precursor to the current US state. Wyoming gave women the vote in 1869, a quarter-century before South Australia and half a century before the rest of the United States. Just don’t write that in an HSC essay. It’s best to stick to the party line.
Famous for Devil’s Tower, the Old Faithful geyser, and Federal Reserve Bank retreats, Wyoming is the smallest US state by population. At 50.9 per cent male, it is also the most manly state in the union. The state’s official seal features a cowboy and a miner, with banners that proclaim the state’s muscular industries: livestock, mines, grain and oil. You can almost smell the sweat. But the dominant figure on the seal is a woman holding a streamer that reads “equal rights”. That is, indeed, the Wyoming state motto, and it represents equal rights for women. The territory’s 1869 voting statute assured every woman that “her rights to the elective franchise and to hold office shall be the same under the election laws of the territory, as those of electors”—that is, men.
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The electors could afford to be generous. In those frontier days, there were six adult men for every woman in the territory. Fast forward to 2021, and there are only 106 adult men for every 100 women in Wyoming. The men must be running scared. A mere 106–100 electoral margin is well within the danger zone; the electoral margin of error, if you will. It means that female ascendancy is possible within a generational blink of the eye. Where men and women share similar concerns about jobs, taxes and healthcare, it probably doesn’t matter much if one sex is in the majority. But in those rare cases when a democratic vote turns into a straight-out battle of the sexes, universal suffrage can be a risky indulgence. The first referendum ever held divided on the gender line, and it almost turned out to be the last.
We owe our democratic ideals to the Greeks, and the most ancient of Greeks were the Athenians (if they did say so themselves). The city now known as Athens is so old that it existed before the gods descended from Mount Olympus to demand offerings and mate with everything in sight, perhaps even before the Greeks arrived in Greece. Latter-day Australians might assume that Athena got the naming rights to this particular piece of pre-Hellenic real estate by making a major donation or demanding a redress of the historical under-representation of female deities, but the real story is much more democratic. Athens was named in a referendum. Not a weasel-out postal survey, but a genuine plebiscite. And everyone got to vote.
We have it from no less an authority than Saint Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of Grace, that an olive tree and a saltwater spring appeared one day on the slopes of the Acropolis. Observing these prodigies, King Cecrops (pre-Athens was a constitutional monarchy) naturally sent to the oracle at Delphi to ask what they meant. The oracle answered—in an unusually straightforward fashion—that “the olive signified Athena, the water Poseidon, and the citizens had it in their power to name their city as they chose, after either of these two gods whose signs these were”. So the king called on “all the citizens of either sex to give their vote, for it was then the custom in those parts for the women also to take part in public deliberations”. It seems a three-line whip was enforced on both sides, with the result that “the men gave their votes for Poseidon, the women for Athena; and as the women had a majority of one, Athena conquered”. Vox populi, vox dei.
A highland city might reasonably take its chances with the goddess of wisdom, but a port city that lives off shipping and trade should think twice about crossing the Lord of the Seas. On hearing that the referendum results favoured his least-favoured niece, Poseidon promptly sent a tidal wave (it seems anatopistic to call it a tsunami) to destroy the newly named city of Athens. Thus the real “first electorate in the world to give equal political rights to both men and women” lived to regret it. To appease the angry god, the surviving Athenians stripped women of the vote, restricted citizenship to men, and decreed that children should henceforth bear only their fathers’ family names.
“Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile” is the oldest rule in politics, predating “politics is the art of the possible” by three thousand years and “if you want a friend in the agora, get a dog” by a century or more. The overly permissive men who allowed a vote on Poseidontown (Poseidonville? Poseidonopolis?) learned that the hard way. You can’t give people a vote unless you can be sure that they’ll vote correctly. The European Union understands this well, and sensibly restricts popular participation in politics to the bare minimum needed to prop up its democratic facade. China is sensible enough not to bother with a facade at all. Australia, too, is a class act in limited democracy. Its electoral system is so complicated that voters need how-to-vote cards, from which they can select only party-approved candidates.
The sad fact is that voters can’t be trusted, whether male, female, or even Australia’s new gender “X”. The Democrats who gave women the vote in Wyoming were outraged when most of them turned around and voted Republican. That’s gratitude for you. If women insist on making up their own minds, they’re no better than their male counterparts, who have hardly gotten a thing right since Poseidonopolis. Not for nothing did Aristotle consider democracy a “degenerate” form of governance. It was the one thing he and Plato could agree on. Aristotle, Plato, and … Australia’s premier public policy think-tank, the Grattan Institute.
The government-funded Grattan Institute is “independent, practical and rigorous”, and so authoritative that it has a .edu internet address. Among its many self-advertised accomplishments are convincing the government to “shut down hard and fast to eliminate community transmission” of the coronavirus (thank you!), recommending “a tutoring blitz to help school students catch-up on learning lost during the Covid lockdowns” that it recommended (good work!), and convincing government to “boost women’s workforce participation by making childcare cheaper” (and what could be cheaper than caring for your own children while you are home in coronavirus lockdown?). If there’s one organisation that is keen to keep the Australian electorate in check, it’s Grattan.
In this coronavirus winter of our discontent, the Grattan Institute issued a report to warn us that our elected leaders are failing to implement policies that people don’t want. In fact, things have gotten so bad that “unpopularity is now an insuperable obstacle to reform”. That seems somewhat hard to believe, given the policies we’ve seen over the last two years, but there you go. Grattan laments that “politicians from both major parties routinely block [reforms] because they think they will reduce their prospects of re-election”. But there is a solution on the horizon. “The most politically realistic path to institutional change is for independent members of parliament to champion institutional changes, particularly when they hold the balance of power.” That’s right: nothing says “democracy” like an independent senator holding the country to ransom for a pet cause.
“One man, one vote” is a sound principle as far as it goes, but how far should it go? As far as women and X’s, certainly. But should people really get the policies they want, or should fearless political leaders instead give people the policies they need? Do governments really derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, or from the need to protect their populations against the spread of infectious diseases? Should the women of Athens have been free to vote for their favourite goddess, or should the men have laid down the law to prevent a catastrophe? Climate catastrophists, pandemic prudes and the Grattan Institute seem to believe that some (most?) policy choices are too important to leave to the whims of the electorate. But if democracy means anything, it means the freedom to choose wrong. Give me Athens over Poseidonopolis any day.
Kama kila mwanafunzi wa shule ya Adelaide anajua, koloni ya Australia Kusini haikuwa na wafungwa, ilikuwa na makanisa mengi, na ilikuwa <unk>chaguzi ya kwanza ulimwenguni kutoa haki sawa za kisiasa kwa wanaume na wanawake<unk> (kwa kunukuu Makumbusho ya Taifa ya Australia juu ya mada hiyo). Kwa bahati nzuri kwao, majibu mawili kati ya matatu sahihi hufanya kwa ajili ya mikopo katika Australia. Lakini mwanafunzi anayestahili kutambulika angejua kwamba Australia Kusini haikuwa, kwa kweli, kiongozi wa ulimwengu katika haki ya wanawake ya kupiga kura. Jina hilo hususa linatumiwa kwa Eneo la Wyoming, lililotangulia kuwa jimbo la sasa la Marekani. Wyoming iliwapa wanawake haki ya kupiga kura mwaka 1869, robo karne kabla ya Australia Kusini na nusu karne kabla ya Marekani. Tu si kuandika kwamba katika insha HSC. Ni afadhali kushikamana na mstari wa chama. Wyoming ni jimbo dogo zaidi la Marekani kwa idadi ya watu. Kwa kuwa asilimia 50.9 ya wanaume ni wa kiume, ni jimbo lenye wanaume wengi zaidi katika Umoja wa Mataifa. Muhuri rasmi wa jimbo hilo una picha ya cowboy na mchimbaji, na mabango yanayoitangaza viwanda vikubwa vya jimbo hilo: mifugo, migodi, nafaka na mafuta. Karibu unaweza kunusa jasho. Lakini takwimu kuu kwenye muhuri ni mwanamke akishikilia streamer ambayo inasoma <unk> haki sawa <unk>. "Hiyo ndiyo kauli mbiu ya jimbo la Wyoming, na inawakilisha haki sawa kwa wanawake.""" Sheria ya kupiga kura ya 1869 ya eneo hilo ilihakikishia kila mwanamke kwamba haki zake za kupiga kura na kushikilia ofisi zitakuwa sawa chini ya sheria za uchaguzi wa eneo hilo, kama zile za wapiga kura, yaani, wanaume. Mfilisti huyo anaonekana katika kila Sehemu ya Nne. Click here to subscribe: Waandishi wa habari na waandishi wa habari wanafanya kazi kwa bidii Katika siku hizo za mpakani, kulikuwa na wanaume sita wazima kwa kila mwanamke katika eneo hilo. Kwa mfano, katika mwaka wa 2021, kulikuwa na wanaume 106 tu kwa kila wanawake 100 huko Wyoming. Ni lazima wanaume hao wawe wakikimbia kwa hofu. """Mapungufu ya uchaguzi ya 106-100 ni ndani ya eneo la hatari, margin ya makosa ya uchaguzi, kama unataka." Inamaanisha kwamba ukuu wa wanawake unawezekana kwa dakika moja tu. Ambapo wanaume na wanawake wanashiriki wasiwasi sawa kuhusu kazi, kodi na huduma za afya, labda haina maana sana ikiwa jinsia moja ni wengi. Lakini katika visa vichache ambapo kura ya kidemokrasia inageuka kuwa vita vya moja kwa moja kati ya jinsia, haki ya kupiga kura ya ulimwengu inaweza kuwa indulgence hatari. Kura ya maoni ya kwanza iliyowahi kufanyika iligawanyika kwa sababu ya jinsia, na karibu ikawa ya mwisho. Tunalazimika kuwa na mawazo ya kidemokrasia kwa Wagiriki, na Wagiriki wa kale zaidi walikuwa Waathene (kama walivyojiambia wenyewe). Athene ni mji wa kale sana, uliokua kabla ya miungu kutoka kwenye mlima Olympus ili kuomba matoleo na kuoa na kila kitu kilicho karibu, labda hata kabla ya Wagiriki kufika. Waingereza wa siku za mwisho wanaweza kudhani kwamba Athena alipata haki za kutaja jina la kipande hiki maalum cha mali isiyohamishika ya kabla ya Kigiriki kwa kutoa mchango mkubwa au kudai kurekebisha uwakilishi mdogo wa kihistoria wa miungu ya wanawake, lakini hadithi halisi ni ya kidemokrasia zaidi. Jina la Athene lilitolewa katika kura ya maoni. Si uchunguzi wa posta wa kugundua, bali uchaguzi wa kweli. Na kila mtu alipata kupiga kura. "Mtakatifu Augustine wa Hippo, Mtakatifu wa Grace, alisema: ""Mti wa mizeituni na chemchemi ya maji ya chumvi ilionekana siku moja kwenye mteremko wa Acropolis.""" Baada ya kuona miujiza hiyo, Mfalme Kekrop (ambayo kabla ya Athene ilikuwa ya kifalme) alimtuma mtu kwa mchawi huko Delphi ili amwulize maana yake. "Mungu huyo wa majini aliwaambia, ""Mzeituni ni Athena, na maji ni Poseidon, na wananchi wana uwezo wa kuipa jina la mji wao kama wanavyotaka, kwa jina la mmoja wa miungu hii miwili.""" Kwa hiyo mfalme aliwaomba <unk>raia wote wa jinsia zote mbili kutoa kura yao, kwa kuwa wakati huo ilikuwa desturi katika sehemu hizo kwa wanawake pia kushiriki katika majadiliano ya umma<unk>. Inaonekana kwamba mjeledi wa mistari mitatu ulitekelezwa pande zote mbili, na matokeo yakawa kwamba <unk>wanaume walitoa kura zao kwa Poseidon, wanawake kwa Athena; na kwa kuwa wanawake walikuwa na idadi kubwa ya moja, Athena alishinda<unk>. Sauti ya watu, sauti ya Mungu. Jiji la milimani linaweza kuhatarisha maisha yake kwa mungu wa hekima, lakini mji wa bandari unaoishi kwa usafirishaji na biashara inapaswa kufikiria mara mbili juu ya kuvuka Bwana wa Bahari. Aliposikia kwamba matokeo ya kura ya maoni yalipendelea mpwa wake, Poseidon alituma wimbi kubwa la maji (inaonekana kuwa ya kianatofisti kuiita tsunami) kuharibu jiji jipya la Athene. Hivyo kweli <unk>chaguzi ya kwanza katika dunia ya kutoa haki sawa za kisiasa kwa wanaume na wanawake<unk> aliishi kujuta. Ili kumridhisha mungu huyo mwenye hasira, Waathene waliosalia waliwaondolea wanawake haki ya kupiga kura, wakawazuia wanaume tu wawe raia, na wakaamuru kwamba kuanzia wakati huo na kuendelea watoto wapate majina ya familia ya baba zao tu. "Wape inchi moja na watachukua maili moja" ni sheria ya zamani zaidi katika siasa, ikitangulia "siasa ni sanaa ya uwezekano" kwa miaka elfu tatu na "Ikiwa unataka rafiki katika agora, pata mbwa" kwa karne moja au zaidi. " Wanaume wenye kuruhusu kupita kiasi ambao waliruhusu kura katika Poseidontown (Poseidonville? Poseidonopolis (mji wa Poseidon) nilijifunza kwa njia ngumu. Huwezi kuwapa watu kura isipokuwa uwe na uhakika kwamba watapiga kura kwa usahihi. Umoja wa Ulaya unaelewa vizuri hili na kwa busara hupunguza ushiriki wa watu katika siasa hadi kiwango cha chini kinachohitajika kuimarisha uso wake wa kidemokrasia. China ni busara ya kutosha si kuchanganya na facade wakati wote. Australia, pia, ni kitendo cha darasa katika demokrasia ndogo. Mfumo wake wa uchaguzi ni mgumu sana hivi kwamba wapiga kura wanahitaji kadi za jinsi ya kupiga kura, ambazo wanaweza kuchagua wagombea waliokubaliwa na chama tu. Ukweli wa kusikitisha ni kwamba wapiga kura hawawezi kuaminika, iwe ni wa kiume, wa kike, au hata jinsia mpya ya Australia <unk>X<unk>. Wanademokrasia waliowapa wanawake haki ya kupiga kura huko Wyoming walikasirika wakati wengi wao walipogeuka na kupiga kura kwa Republican. Hiyo ni shukrani kwa ajili yenu. Kama wanawake kusisitiza juu ya kufanya mawazo yao wenyewe, wao si bora kuliko wenzao wa kiume, ambao ni vigumu gotten kitu haki tangu Poseidonopolis. Si kwa sababu tu kwamba Aristotle aliona demokrasia kuwa aina ya utawala "iliyoharibika". Ilikuwa jambo moja tu ambalo yeye na Plato wangeweza kukubaliana. Aristotle, Plato, na... Australia's premier public policy think-tank, Taasisi ya Grattan. Taasisi ya Grattan inayofadhiliwa na serikali ni "ya kujitegemea, ya vitendo na ya ukali", na ina mamlaka sana kwamba ina anwani ya mtandao ya.edu. Miongoni mwa mafanikio yake mengi ya kujitangaza ni kushawishi serikali "kufunga kwa bidii na haraka ili kuondoa maambukizi ya jamii" ya coronavirus (asante! , kupendekeza "blitz ya mafunzo ya kibinafsi kusaidia wanafunzi wa shule kukamata juu ya kujifunza kupotea wakati wa kufungwa kwa Covid" ambayo ilipendekeza (kazi nzuri! "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""kuongeza ushiriki wa wanawake katika kazi kwa kufanya utunzaji wa watoto kuwa wa bei nafuu"" ni jambo la kawaida kwa wanawake, lakini ni jambo la kawaida kwa wanawake kuwa na watoto wa kutosha wakati wa kuzuiwa na coronavirus." Kama kuna shirika moja ambalo lina hamu ya kuweka wapiga kura wa Australia chini ya udhibiti, ni Grattan. Katika msimu huu wa baridi ya coronavirus ya kutoridhika kwetu, Taasisi ya Grattan ilitoa ripoti kutuhakikishia kwamba viongozi wetu waliochaguliwa wanashindwa kutekeleza sera ambazo watu hawataki. Kwa kweli, mambo yamekuwa mabaya sana hivi kwamba <unk>ukosefu wa umaarufu sasa ni kizuizi kisichoweza kushindwa kwa mageuzi<unk>. Hiyo inaonekana vigumu kuamini, kutokana na sera tumekuwa kuona katika miaka miwili iliyopita, lakini kuna wewe kwenda. Grattan analia kwamba "wanasiasa kutoka vyama vyote viwili vikubwa mara kwa mara huzuia [marekebisho] kwa sababu wanafikiri yatapunguza matarajio yao ya kuchaguliwa tena". Lakini kuna suluhisho linalotarajiwa. "Njia ya kweli zaidi ya kisiasa ya mabadiliko ya taasisi ni kwa wanachama huru wa bunge kuunga mkono mabadiliko ya taasisi, haswa wakati wanashikilia usawa wa nguvu. "" Hiyo ni haki: hakuna kitu kinachosema ""demokrasia" "kama seneta huru anayeshikilia nchi kwa fidia kwa sababu ya mnyama." "Mtu mmoja, kura moja" ni kanuni nzuri kwa kadiri inavyoweza, lakini inapaswa kwenda mbali kadiri gani? Kwa upande wa wanawake na X <unk>s, bila shaka. Lakini je, watu wanapaswa kupata sera wanazotaka au viongozi wa kisiasa wasio na hofu wanapaswa kuwapa watu sera wanazohitaji? Je, serikali zinapata mamlaka yao kutokana na idhini ya wale wanaotawaliwa au kutokana na uhitaji wa kulinda watu wao dhidi ya kuenea kwa magonjwa ya kuambukiza? Je, wanawake wa Athene wangekuwa huru kupiga kura kwa mungu wao wa kike, au wanaume wangekuwa wameweka sheria ili kuzuia msiba? "Wanafalsafa wa hali ya hewa, ""pandemic prudes"" na Taasisi ya Grattan wanaonekana kuamini kwamba baadhi (wengi?) ya watu wanaotumia teknolojia ya teknolojia ya hali ya hewa wanaamini kwamba hali ya hewa ni hatari." """Mapendekezo ya sera ni muhimu sana kuyaweka kwa mapenzi ya wapiga kura." """Lakini demokrasia inamaanisha kitu chochote, inamaanisha uhuru wa kuchagua vibaya." Athene ni mji wa kwanza katika historia ya Poseidonopolis.