Everyone hated this test of loyalty

I remember visiting Vienna some thirty years ago, it was just electiton time and there were hundreds and hundrets big pictures of politicians all over the place. I could't understand it and found it funny a little. Well, I was one of the lucky people who had gotten the chance of crossing the „iron curtain“ from time to time. But my knowledge about how people in a democratic country vote was – almost zero.
Election in the former Czechoslovakia eyars ago. Everyone is supposed to go to vote. Everyone has to. If you want your kids to be allowed to attend a hight school or even the university, don't dare not to vote. He who doesn't is a black sheet of our society and doesn't deserve to enjoy all those advantages we offer. Those will be blacklisted which means loosing their jobs without any chance of getting another one that you are qualified for. (That is why the rate of stokers in my country were probably the highest in all Europe) Are you ill, unable to visit a pooling station? Never mind, we come to see you at your place. Being in a hospital almost dying? Never mind. We help you put the ballot into the ballot box.
The next day, the media proudly announced the turn-out was as high as usuall – some 99 per cent. Which meant nothing moré and nothing less that the regime could say all people voted for socialism and against capitalism.
Those were the days in my country. Canvassing was more like brainwashing, there were not any opposite candidates, everyone who stood for the election could be absolutely sure about their „winning“.
Almost everyone hated this test of loyalty although it was hard to reject it. Every second person in a pooling station was an undecover officer… I am glad my kids didn't had to go through someting like this, it was pretty degrading and living under this pressure must have left some significant marks on our minds.
Now everything is different, thanks goodness, even if the turn-out has had descending tendency as people are more and more annoyed watching the politicians always arguing, telling lies, trying to dump their problems on others just wanting to be in power for ever. You definitely know what I mean. But don't get me wrong. I really feel sorry for the people from countries like Cuba, North Korea or Belorussia. It is sad when people are forced to behave like sheep.
The man who moved from the UK to the USA - so he is supposed to be familiar with the situations in both those countries (I mentioned him a few day ago) published “An Open Letter“.

„Dear Politicians,
We, the public, understand that you’re desperate to get elected or re-elected. We understand the need for you to put your broadcasts on TV. However, we would appreciate it if you would use your screen time to actually tell us your viewpoint and policies…rather than just using it to slag off your opponents… Do us all a favor and tell us why we should vote for you, not why we shouldn’t vote for the other guy.“

Reading it makes me happy that we have become a part of the democratic world.
BTW, you probably know the joke about a politician who has to decide whether to go to heaven or to hell. People freely change his name – it is about George Bush, about Tony Blair etc. But who cares the name? It is just a politician.