80/20 rule in democracy: A guide for electing competent leaders

NAMIBIA, as a democracy, like other countries such as India, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland, all thrive in the criteria of democracy.

Such criteria and characteristics of a democratic nation include a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections, the active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of all citizens, and the rule of law in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.

A democratic state is the rule of the people by the people.

This means people vote for leaders to represent them in state decision-making.

Democracy as the rule of the people by the people is realistic because the absence of democracy would mean everyone would rule as per their preferences, which is chaotic for societal development.

For example, imagine everyone forming their political party because they can. State representatives are then ordained as the government of the people.

The 80/20 rule is derived from the field of economics, and it was developed by an Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, in 1896. The 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle implies that roughly, 80% of the outcomes come from 20% of the causes. In business, the 80/20 rule pins that 80% of the results come from an effort of 20%.

A maximum of 80% of results are only enjoyed by 20% (business owners), while a minimum of 20% of results are enjoyed by 80% (citizens).

This is the tragedy that our society endures.

For example, employees' input in business is a maximum of 80%.

Business owners' input is a minimum of 20%.

Ridiculously, after this course, employees only receive a minimum of 20% of the business output and profits, while the business owners receive a maximum of 80% of the profit.

The 80/20 rule can be applied anywhere. In politics – in a democratic state, about 80% population is the citizens, and 20% is the legislature. The legislature and the presidency make a maximum of 80% of the state decisions. The citizens' involvement in state decision-making is a minimum of 20%.

The status quo does not observe the actual democracy as the rule of the people by the people because the legislature does not practically involve or gain approval from the citizens, who occupy a maximum of 80% population when developing new policies, creating the national financial budget and passing new laws.

Sometimes, state decisions from the legislature (20% population) are not supported by citizens (80% population).

The trend contradicts the criteria and characteristics of democracies as the rule of people by the people.

Such democracies should be redefined in truer words, “The rule of a few people, ruling a population”, instead of the stereotype, “the rule of the people by the people”.

It's a disguise when the elected representatives in a democracy do not surpass the needs of society. State representatives are ordained through elections in Namibia.

Voting should be critical, especially when applying the 80/20 rule. Political representatives make a maximum of 80% of decisions that affect citizens' way of life.

When citizens vote for underperforming state representatives, society is doomed to an avalanche of societal failures.

Namibian citizens are demanding more from the state, especially the youth. Youths tend to have no political party loyalty ties as compared to the older generation. Their judgements of which state representative to vote for are critical and supported by applicability. The idea of a vote is to vote for promising, competent state representatives. The youths are more learned than ever before, making them more demanding even, and crybabies at times. Youngsters want to observe a truer democracy than the presented democracy of the rule of a few people ruling the majority of people. The youngsters' generation expects the state to meet their needs favourably, and at times, youths will not accept underperformance from state representatives.

Narayana Rao applies the 80/20 rule to India's democracy. He writes that, if people are not involved in the economic and social spheres wholeheartedly society will not progress.

It is impossible to include citizens (80%) in the economic and social spheres, especially in the legislature.

The legislature, which forms 20% capacity, cannot even house all citizens (80%). Anyway, there will still be a need for democratic representation.

Yet, citizens should entrust their votes to promising, competent state representatives who will surpass society's needs and wants.