Why We Need the Ability to Protest

Eventually the checks and balances of the state will fail. Now there are many reasons why this might happen. But let’s sum it up by saying sometimes – maybe through human oversight or through the ability of some people to bamboozle others – a person might get into power who shouldn’t be there.

They might be corrupt, they might be stupid, or (most dangerously) they might well have the best intentions for the country in mind, but their methods are inappropriate or misguided.

Initially it is the government’s job to find these dangerous individuals and either correct their behaviour or, barring that, throw them out of power and most of the time a good government will do exactly that. The problem is that sometimes these individuals are so convincing or ruthless that they unbalance the checks and balances installed to keep them under control. When this happens the government will be hijacked by special interests and no longer represent the true will of the people.

At this point a possibility must exist for the people to voice their grievances without, and this is the important part, without needing to use governmental channels, since these have been taken over by these special interests.

What is more, it is very likely that the special interest group will try to sabotage the people’s ability to speak out, so before they get into power it is essential that a robust system of speaking out and speaking your mind exists. Only in this way will the people, who themselves elected the government, be able to keep their government accountable.