20 April 2023

What is a vote? – Definition and main suffrages of history

By Donald

People, as citizens of a certain place, have a series of rights. And it is these rights that allow the development of a truly harmonious society. Since, without these, it would be very easy for those who wield power to affect ordinary citizens; And it is so then, that, to solve this need of society itself, a set of rights that are attributed to the citizen arise, for the simple fact of being one.

Among this set of rights are born the so-called political rights; referring to the set of rights that allow and guarantee the person, the possibility, and the duty of participate in the political life of the place where you do your daily life. Within this set of rights are the so-called right to vote; This consists of the possibility and duty of people to choose who will be their representatives and rulers.

Concept and definition of suffrage

When we talk about suffrage, we refer to the right that people have, as citizens, to exercise their vote in elections. There, the polling officer has a special responsibility. That is why, they are carried out with the purpose of electing their rulers and representatives in the different existing positions. Being necessary to understand that, when speaking of suffrage, we are referring to a political rightand that it is granted to the legal citizens of a territory, whether or not they were born in it.

Suffrage has historically gone through several stages, and little by little it has evolved; from a time when this was a right that belonged only to men until reaching the inclusion of women’s suffrage; thus achieving universal suffrage. In addition, it is important to understand that suffrage itself can be in two ways, active suffrage and indirect suffrage.

What is a universal suffrage?

Suffrage has evolved through history; and it has been changing due to the different times that society has lived through. In this sense, as in the beginning, the franchise only included white men in some countries; thus excluding women, whether they are colored or not, and men of color. The suffrage of those times evolved with the inclusion that society did and became a universal suffrage.

In this sense, universal suffrage is one that allows all persons over eighteen years of age; woman and man; can participate in the elections of the political representatives of the referred place. It could be indicated, then, that this type of suffrage is one that does not discriminate against voters based on their sex or the condition they possess in the place; and that, therefore, it will only require the common condition of age, since this indicates It is the reasoning ability.

What is the vote for?

Suffrage is the most important political right, since it has allowed a true democracy to be achieved at a global level through its application. It is thus, then, that the vote has served throughout history to guarantee that political, union or social leadersyes, they are effectively elected by the citizens; that is, by the people whom they will represent. That is why, thanks to voting, people feel identified with their representatives.

In this way, it is noteworthy that suffrage will always allow the leaders, although they do not please the totality of those that this represents, if they did please the majority of them. Well, it is important to understand that those who win these votes do so not with all the votes, because it would be something impossible in reality, but with the majority of votes in favor. And, it is for all this that suffrage has become such an important political right in society.

What are the characteristics of a vote?

Voting, like any other right or action, has a series of particularities and peculiarities; through the which is identified and developed; and with which it is possible to understand when we truly speak of a vote. In this sense, among these particularities or characteristics of suffrage, the following stand out.

a true suffrage it is totally freethat is, the person exercises it by his own desire and his will without any type of coercion.

It is also totally secret, that is, it should not be known who each person voted for. It is because it seeks to prevent the choice made by the person from generating negative consequences.

In order to speak of a true suffrage, it is also must be universal In its whole; that is, there should not be any type of discrimination and the person should only be required to be of legal age.

What are the types of suffrage that exist?

Although the suffrage itself is one, and always seeks to achieve the election of the representatives of the citizens through majority decision. This suffrage can be of various types, each of them having certain particularities that differentiate them from the others. In this way, the types of suffrages are the following.

The suffrage in which only certain people are allowed to elect and be elected excluding others; This is known as restricted suffrage. women’s suffrage which is nothing more than the one in which women are allowed to choose and be chosen.

That suffrage that allows all people without distinction to choose and be elected, which is the so-called universal suffrage. The suffrage that requires by obligation to the people who must participate, this without giving the freedom to abstain from it; which is known as compulsory suffrage.

What is an active suffrage?

When we refer to active suffrage, we are indicating; that it is about the right that people who are part of a certain place have; whether they live in a territorial entity, work in a certain company; to choose who will be their representatives. In this sense, active suffrage is itself the fundamental political right that suffrage encompasses; since it is clearly the right that has always been exercised and sought to protect in the story development.

It is also necessary to understand that, just as there is active suffrage, which is the ability and possibility to choose; there is also passive suffrage. He is nothing more than the possibility or ability that people have to be elected. Standing out, that when It’s about passive suffrage. there are conditions or requirements to allow the person to be elected; because it will not only be age that limits this right.

What is an indirect suffrage?

When talking about indirect suffrage, we are referring to that election process through which people or voters are not going to directly decide who their representatives will be. If not, these through their vote will choose the people who directly decide who will be the political representatives of the referred entity. It should be noted that this is not the most widely applied or common procedure.

In this sense, it is important to know that the most common procedure in elections is the so-called direct suffrage. In which, as its name indicates, the voters will decide first-hand and directly with their vote who will actually be the people who will represent them; and not who will be in charge of choosing them.

Major suffrages in history

Although there have been many votes that have marked world history; and that in some way have affected global society. There were two votes of great importance for all. The first major suffrage in history was that of 1893 in New Zealand; since it was the first moment in which women were granted the political right to vote; that is to say, to choose their representatives like men; without restrictions other than those required for them.

Other of the suffrages of great global importance due to the consequences that are unleashed; were those of Germany in 1933. We thus refer to the election of the Imperial Chancellor of Germany, and that held in 1933 gave Adolf Hitler the winner; thus giving power to one of the cruelest people in modern history and who caused the most damage to humanity. This is why he must be highlighted among the main votes in history.

Knowing political rights is a duty we have as citizens of the world. And, furthermore, knowing what suffrage is is more than a right, it is a social duty. Well, this right is of such vital importance for social development; that a simple failure in it can trigger enormous social problems in the entity where it is exercised. This is why it is important know what suffrage is, and how this concept is part of what a government is and its types.