Someone will doubtless propose total ‘direct democracy,’ having all issues put to a vote. Personally, I don’t think direct voting would be a good way to run a government. There is a place in governance for the representatives – middlemen – to add value. They are the ones whose job it is to take the time to understand all the nuances of complicated issues. Politics involves compromise, which is nearly impossible without a relatively small number of representatives making decisions on behalf of the people who elected them … It’s the job of a full-time policymaker to develop expertise. This enables the best of them to come up with and embrace nonobvious solutions direct democracy might not allow, because voters might not understand the trade-offs necessary for long-term success.
Predictor: Gates, Bill
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “The Road Ahead,” Microsoft CEO Bill Gates writes: ”Someone will doubtless propose total ‘direct democracy,’ having all issues put to a vote. Personally, I don’t think direct voting would be a good way to run a government. There is a place in governance for the representatives – middlemen – to add value. They are the ones whose job it is to take the time to understand all the nuances of complicated issues. Politics involves compromise, which is nearly impossible without a relatively small number of representatives making decisions on behalf of the people who elected them. The art of management – whether of a society or of a company – revolves around making informed choices about the allocations of resources. It’s the job of a full-time policymaker to develop expertise. This enables the best of them to come up with and embrace nonobvious solutions direct democracy might not allow, because voters might not understand the trade-offs necessary for long-term success.”
Biography:Bill Gates, the most influential technology entrepreneur of the late 20th century, was the primary author of the prediction-packed 1995 book “The Road Ahead” and is the founder and CEO of Microsoft Corporation. (Entrepreneur/Business Leader.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: Campaigns/Voting
Name of publication: The Road Ahead (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 12: Critical Issues
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 272
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne