It is really easy to take democracy for granted, given everyone who lives in New Zealand today has enjoyed that privilege, bar those who have emigrated here from places where democracy doesn’t exist. I bet they would have a viewpoint worth hearing on the subject.

Because we have always had it, it is easy to think democracy has always been here, but in terms of human history it is an aberration that we have been blessed enough to live through. 

Looking back at civilisation, democracy in ancient civilizations like ancient Greece and the Roman Republic existed from around the 5th century BCE (in Athens) to approximately the 1st century BCE (in Rome). This spans roughly 400-500 years. 

From the 1st century BCE with the Romans through to, let’s say the late 18th century with the American and French Revolutions, democracy basically didn’t exist, and even then, it was for most of the time just for the privileged few.

Considering that Homo sapiens have been around for approximately 300,000 to 200,000 years (according to archaeological and anthropological estimates) and using the estimates of the periods where democracy has been dominant (500 years in ancient times and roughly 200-250 years in the modern era), democracy has been a dominant system for less than 1% of human history at best. And, we are lucky enough to live in that blip of history and take part in this great experiment right now.

If you can’t be bothered voting, or don’t feel passionate enough about what’s on offer to do so, keep in mind that through the other 99% of human history, the alternative to democracy was rule by force, with the strongman saying what’s what and everyone else sucking it up. Our worldwide casual distain for the ultimate privilege that is democracy is giving that way of doing things a chance to breathe again.

I just voted. It took me four minutes. That’s not too much to ask, surely?