Vote or die?

Since the current year is an election year in Sweden I will probably get the question "Who will you vote for?" soon. If and when I reply "I will not vote at all." since I don't believe in the majority will. I do not agree on the principle that I need a master and therefore I don't need to choose anyone. Anyway, most Swedes don't agree with me and will tell me that I am an idiot and some classic arguments will be thrown in my face, let us go through the most obvious ones.

"Would you like Sweden to be like Somalia?"

This classic argument is just stupid and even though I believe in anarchy it does not have anything to do with Somalia. A free and functional country is not solely dependent on the election process. Even if Somalia had a free and fair election tomorrow it would not be anything near like Sweden. You can not build a good society based only on free and open elections.

"If you don't vote, you can not complain."

Let me just leave this here...

"Every vote counts, don't you wanna make your voice heard?"

In some way, it is of course true that every vote counts (if not the electoral authority shakes my voice away). But the question is how much it counts, and the simple answer to that is, not much, not much at all. We have around five million people in Sweden that have the right to vote, that means that my vote is one of five million, it simply does not matter who I vote for. If I would vote, I would cast the vote on some very small party (for example "Klassiskt Liberala Partiet" (the libertarians)) since it will have more effect on them, the marginal utility will be higher. If the social democrats does get 1 000 000 or 1 000 001 votes will not change anything.

"... but if all people think like you, how would that work?"

Very classic reply and very easy to respond to. If all people of at least a lot of people think like me and dont vote it would put the system in motion. Our lords and politicians would have to acknowledge that the people of the country are not satisfied. The democratic system would have to be reworked which is exactly what me and my peers want.

"In a democratic society, it is both a right and an obligation to vote!"

I simply do not agree that I have any obligation to other people than myself. I am the master and designer of my own life and even though I cooperate with other people I they do not have any rights to my life, freedom or property. There are countries where people have to vote, we use to call them dictatorships. In a democratic society, it is an absolute right to be able to say "I don't care about your elections, I will not take any part in that sick and degenerated process of choosing masters we do not need." Ant that's that.

I could go through more arguments but let us do that another day. I look forward to discussing these delicate matters during this election year. Who know, maybe someone will come up with such a good argument that will make me change my mind. But for now, I am pretty confident that I will stay home on the election day. That's my right in a democratic society.

What do you think? Am I getting this all wrong? Do you have any arguments that will make me change my mind?

Title: meh, but whatever
Body and substance of article: quite practical and thought-provoking

Firstly, in your research, how do "vote-less" societies operate and what is an idealistic way for them to operate?

From what I've seen over here in the U.S., people who vote for third/alternative parties can be sometimes ridiculed for their position or wholly blamed for the entire outcome of some elections. Little does a mass majority of the citizenry realize the power they possess (as you said) when simply voting for who they truly believe would be best in an elected position as opposed to choosing "the lesser of two evils".

Although, maybe a two-party system is better than multiple parties collaborating/colluding together against one or more other parties.

Lastly, I thought Swedes like Somalia? Like, A LOT! ;)