Thus the typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field.
He argues and analyses in a way which he would readily recognize as infantile within the sphere of his real interests. He becomes a primitive again. This is strong stuff and what it really entails is that the best we can hope for is what is sometimes called "elective aristocracy" where all that can be asked of the ordinary citizen is that she should be able to recognize people who are competent to make decisions on her behalf (and to vote them out of office if they prove not to be). Whatever its other virtues, such a system hardly matches the democratic ideal that political authority must rest in the hands of the people as a whole. So what can we say in response to Schumpeter's scepticism? Let us look more closely at what is involved in reaching political decisions. A political decision essentially requires a political Judgement about what ought to be done in circumstances where there are several options open and there is disagreement about which option in best. What are the elements that go into such a judgement? First of all there is factual information about what will happen if one or other option is chosen. What effect wii a particular tax increasa have on the economy, foe instance? Second, there is information about what the people who will be affected by the decision actually prefer. Suppose the tax increase is being considered in order to fund new sports facilities,say,how many people actually want these facilities,and how much do they want them? Third,there are quesions of moral principle.Is it fair that everyone should be taxed to pay for sports facilities,or should the cost be borne by those who are going to use them?