Deficiencies of democracy
From Internet: Knowledge and Community
Graham refers to several of what he considers to be deficiencies of democracy, a key facet of which is the feeling of powerlessness. This is a deficiency because democracy, in theory, should be empowering allowing for all citizens, regardless of class status, to have a say in their government. He argues that, in reality, since any given voter has no guarantee that his/her choice will win and since the same goes for everyone equally, logic follows that no one truly has the ability to elect who they want at all.
Another factor to consider is that the success or failure of a political campaign is largely dictated by how much media it receives, which traditionally has meant that the more money and resources one had, the more media coverage they could get. This might have been true with something like television whereby, as Graham points out, one could more effectively reach more people than with simpler, cheaper methods like handing out political leaflets.
However, if one follows this logic concerning broader communications in terms of technology ensuring better chances of success, then it's worth considering the significance of the Internet and its proliferation in society. Graham contends that, due to its increasing accessibility and interactive nature, it has the potential to strengthen the voice of the people and help to realize democracy as never before.
