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Low turnout is worsening inequality. The solution is compulsory voting

Older, wealthier and whiter people are far more likely to vote – meaning politicians pay more attention to them

By David Klemperer
Low turnout is worsening inequality. The solution is compulsory voting
Barely more than half of eligible voters cast a ballot at last year's UK general election | Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images
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Across the world, electoral turnout is in decline. In the 1940s, on average, around 85% of people would turn up to vote in elections in democratic nations; that figure now sits at 67%.

This trend is particularly pronounced here in the UK, where barely more than half of eligible voters cast a ballot at the most recent general election in July last year.

This low turnout is in itself a problem for democracy. As well as reflecting growing apathy and political alienation, it weakens the link between rulers and ruled, leaving us with governments that are less legitimate and less representative.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0