Elections: How Technology & Money Impact Democracy?
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Democracy means power in the hands of the people, governments formed by their votes, equal rights, and equal opportunities. However, considering the current electoral situation, it appears that democracy is merely in name. Elections, money, media, technology, corporate powers, political bias, and the influence of social media – all these are eroding democracy from within and building a new kind of control system. While the people’s vote remains valuable, the methods for manipulating it are increasing.
In this blog, you will learn in depth about why and how democracy is being impacted, who is playing this game, and what techniques are being used.
Why is corporate money playing a major role in elections?
Elections today are dominated by corporate money, with lavish advertisements, rallies, and media campaigns shaping political priorities. Wealthy donors influence policies, while public resources are diverted through crony capitalism. Candidate selection favors those who can fund large campaigns, silencing ordinary citizens. Laws, concessions, and land allocations benefit corporations, and businesses exploit government influence for global expansion. Although democracy is meant to serve the people, in practice, it largely caters to the financial elite, prioritizing corporate interests over public welfare.
Role of Corporate Money
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Funding Dominance | Big corporations and wealthy donors control campaigns, influencing politicians' priorities. |
| Policy Capture | Laws and schemes are shaped to benefit donors over public welfare. |
| Crony Capitalism | Public resources are diverted to a few in exchange for political support. |
| Candidate Selection | Only wealthy candidates can campaign at scale, silencing ordinary voices. |
| International Business | Businesses leverage diplomacy, trade deals, and government connections for global gain. |
| Vote Buying & MLA/MP Purchases | Money is used to buy votes, influence representatives, or topple governments. |
| Influencing Officers & Judges | Bureaucrats and judicial figures may be pressured to favor ruling party interests. |
| Short-Term Gains Over Welfare | Parties prioritize immediate political power over long-term citizen benefits. |
Why do political parties prioritize power in elections over the people?
Political parties dominate election campaigns, but their internal structure often prioritizes money and power over people. Campaigns rely on big donors, with huge spending on rallies, advertising, media, and social media, fostering a money-first mindset. Ruling parties manipulate voters through freebies, cash, populist promises, or vote buying, sometimes pressuring bureaucrats or judicial figures. Focused on short-term gains, state resources, and business deals, parties sideline long-term welfare, making elections and influence revolve around money rather than citizens’ needs.
Political Parties & Election Influence
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Money as the Invisible Candidate | Election campaigns rely heavily on big donors rather than citizens, creating a money-first mindset with huge spending on rallies, advertising, and media. |
| Vote Buying & Populism | Parties in power use freebies, cash, or populist promises to manipulate and influence voters. |
| Vote buying & MLA/MP Purchases | In some regions, parties spend money openly or secretly to buy votes, influence MLAs/MPs, or even topple governments. |
| Influencing Officers & Judges | Bureaucrats and sometimes judicial figures may be pressured or rewarded for decisions favoring the ruling party’s interests. |
| Maintaining Control | Power ensures continued access to state resources, contracts, and business deals. |
| Short-term Gains over Long-term Welfare | Instead of investing in policies that uplift citizens, parties often prioritize deals that secure immediate power. |
Why has technology become crucial in elections?
Election manipulation today leverages advanced technology in multiple ways. Algorithms amplify ruling-party narratives while burying dissent, subtly shaping public opinion. Hidden apps and agencies collect voter data, add fake voters, and edit voter lists. Misinformation, deepfakes, bots, and paid influencers distort facts and online discourse. Targeted manipulation uses micro-targeted ads, WhatsApp groups, and voter profiling. Fake surveys and organized transport of voters skew results. AI aids campaigns but also fuels fake news, privacy abuse, and undermines democracy, limiting real citizen expression.
Election Technology & AI Influence Summary
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Algorithmic Influence | Platforms amplify ruling-party narratives and bury dissent, shaping public opinion subtly across millions of users. |
| Apps & Agencies | Hidden apps and private agencies collect voter data and move fake voters to polling booths. |
| Voter List Manipulation | Real voters removed, fake voters added; software edits lists, making fraud hard to detect. |
| Misinformation & Deepfakes | Fake news, doctored videos, and AI content distort facts and mislead voters. |
| Targeted Manipulation | Voter profiling, WhatsApp groups, and micro-targeted ads manipulate specific communities. |
| Transport of Fake Voters | Organized groups illegally move fake voters to multiple polling booths. |
| Poll Surveys | False pre- and post-poll surveys create an artificial sense of certainty and reduce genuine competition. |
| Bots, Trolls & Paid Influencers | Bots, trolls, and paid influencers replace ground campaigning and steer online narratives. |
| Techniques in Voting Manipulation | Preventing real voters from reaching booths and sudden mass voting in the final hours to skew results. |
| Nominal Free Speech | Citizen dissent is drowned in algorithm-driven noise, limiting meaningful expression. |
| Role of AI - Pros | Voter behavior analysis, micro-targeting, election efficiency, fraud detection, and advanced analytics for campaigns. |
| Role of AI - Cons | Fake news, privacy abuse, voter list manipulation, unequal opportunities, voter influence, and undermining democracy. |
How do media and politics undermine democracy through elections?
The media, meant to act as a watchdog, is often influenced by corporate and political pressures, favoring ruling-party narratives and sidelining opposition voices. Investigative journalism struggles, while fake surveys and propaganda distort perception. Voters face manipulation through vote buying, divisive politics, token representation, and remote polling booths. International PR, diaspora funding, and cyber interference further sway outcomes. Post-election, horse-trading, power misuse, delayed justice, and weakened accountability erode democracy, fostering public distrust and weakening citizen confidence in governance.
Election Influence & Democracy: Summary
| Category | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Media Influence | Corporate-owned channels echo government/corporate voices, fake surveys, and a lack of investigative neutrality shape voter perception. |
| State Machinery Misuse | Police and government bias, false cases, voter intimidation, and populist schemes manipulate elections. |
| Voter Deception | Divisive politics, vote buying, token representation, threatening voters, and remote polling booth placement affect voter choices. |
| Propaganda & Psychological Influence | Fake exit polls, raising sentimental issues, and mood-swinging events manipulate voter emotions. |
| International Influence | Foreign PR agencies, diaspora funding, and cyber hacking affect election outcomes. |
| Post-Election Manipulation | Horse-trading, toppling governments, delayed justice, punishing vigil blowers, erosion of accountability, and public distrust undermine democracy. |
How do electoral institutions retain confidence?
Biased Regulation: Election commissions should not act under political pressure.
- Opaque Electoral Funding: Should not allow legal instruments (like electoral bonds) to hide the link between corporations and parties.
Mass Voter Addition or Deletion: They must ensure that no millions of names are added or removed from the voter list without verified digital evidence.
Loopholes in Campaign Finance Laws: There should be transparency in election funds, and corporate donations in the form of bonds leave room for the public to know the truth.
Big Time Gap Between Elections: There should not be a non-logical long gap between different phases of elections that creates opportunities for corruption, voter manipulation, transport of fake voters across different parts of the country, and political bargaining.
Mass Voting at the End: There should be a digital proof to show the final hours; sudden mass voting not allowing booth capturing, fake ballots, or rushed manipulation of voter lists.
Strong Oversight: Election Commissions should be active watchdogs rather than act more as nominal referees.
Strong Enforcement: This leads to totally avoiding malpractices like fake voting, booth capturing, and rigging going unchecked.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is democracy really being hijacked, or is this just criticism?
A1: This is not just a criticism; many examples, changes in the voter list, buying of MLAs, and false surveys clearly show that democracy is being emptied from within.
Q2: To what extent does money influence elections?
A2: Campaigning, media, and vote buying in elections all depend on money. Those who invest a lot of money attract the attention of the people, while ordinary candidates are left behind.
Q3: Why is social media so effective?
A3: Social media can directly reach millions of people. But people are being deceived by the use of fake news, deepfakes, and bots, and it is becoming difficult to determine the truth.
Q4: How are voter list changes done?
A4: Frauds such as removing the names of opposition supporters, adding fake names, and registering multiple votes in the name of the same person are happening.
Q5: Why is the media acting biased?
A5: Due to pressure from corporate owners and the government, the media only shows one side of the story. The chances of people getting balanced information are decreasing.
Q6: How harmful is buying MLAs to democracy?
A6: To topple the government that the people voted for and buy MLAs with money is a complete disgrace to democracy.
Q7: How will the role of the police change during elections?
A7: If the police act partially, they will obstruct the opposition campaign and intimidate voters, which is dangerous to democracy.
Q8: How much impact do false surveys have on the people?
A8: False surveys create a sense of ‘sure victory’ among voters, weaken real competition, and subvert democracy.
Q9: What is the international impact on democracy?
A9: Election campaigns are influenced by the use of foreign money, PR firms, and social media bots, which disrupts domestic democracy.
Q10: What should people do in these situations?
A10: People should be aware, careful not to believe fake news on social media and follow independent sources for real information.
Conclusion
Democracy remains in name, but its soul is gradually being hijacked. Business interests, money, technology, media, and political games are together distorting the power of the people. Removing voters, adding fake voters, buying MLAs, showing fake surveys, and cheating through social media – all these are signs that democracy is collapsing.
For real change to happen, people must be careful, raise awareness, and vote knowing the truth. Your vigilance is essential if democracy is to become the real power of the people, not just a design.
Online Courses, Reference Books, & Websites
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