Pluralism and Democracy

Image via Wikipedia

The shot has been fired for the May 2010 national election in the Philippines. Candidates for various positions, local and national, have already filed their respective Certificate of Candidacies. For the Presidency alone, there were not less than six candidates had thrown their luck for the highest political office in the country and hundreds or more for the Congressional seats; well, that is the beauty of democracy, wherein,  the opportunity to public office is made open to all citizens.

With six or more candidates to be chosen in the presidency, the Filipino people are given a wide latitude of considering the next president of the country to hold the reign of governance for the next six years. However, given the numerous choices, difficulty to obtain support from the people has usually been observed to the would be newly elected president, especially at the onset of his/her administration. This is because, in the pluralist electoral system, like in the Philippines, it is very difficult to produce a majority president; most likely than not, the elected one, although is considered the pluralist winner, but still in reality, a minority president , taking into account the vote he/she received in comparison  with the total number of voters who participated in the election.

In this electoral system, a minority president is vested with the authority to rule over the greater majority of the populace who did not signify for his/her candidacy as such; the reason why it is difficult for him/her to solicit support and approval from his/her constituents. To gain confidence from the people is the usual dilemma of any newly elected president in the Philippines, otherwise, his/her administration would end up swallowed by enormous oppositions and criticism coming from different fronts of political arena, if not in a power wrestle through coup d etat; a common scenario among countries like Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries.

On the other hand hand, a run-off election practiced in countries in Europe like France, although very expensive, but may offer a solution for political instability among members of the third world Asian countries.The system is quite successful in those countries adopting it and is the reason for the stable political climate, aside from the maturity of their electorate.

Under the run-off system, two sets of election for presidency are held in a row: the first election to determine the final two contenders and the second election to determine the final winner for presidency. Given the set- up, the declared winner is assured of receiving at least the majority of the total votes participating in the election and at the same time the support of the majority of the voting populace even at the onset of his/her administration.

Although, pluralism is an integral essence of democracy, but it cannot always be equated with majoritarianism. For what is plural may not even be constituting the majority. On the contrary, pluralism could even be closely equated with the minority.