In today’s episode David talks to political historian David Klemperer about whether voting should be required by law and what might change if non-participation was no longer an option. Why have some countries made voting compulsory? What difference has it made? Can the people who think democracy has got nothing to offer them be made to think otherwise? Can the politicians who normally ignore the wishes of those people be forced to pay more attention?

Available on Saturday on PPF+: A bonus episode on Fixing Democracy with Nic Cheeseman exploring whether there should be quotas for female representation in democratic politics. It’s much more common than you might think. Why? Why only women? Who else deserves to see more people like them in parliament? To get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening sign up to PPF+ today ⁠https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus⁠

And send in your questions and suggestions on Fixing Democracy for David and David now: ⁠https://www.ppfideas.com/contact⁠

Tickets are available now for our live PPF recording at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on 15th October with Bruno Maçães and very special guest Sarah Wynn-Williams - 'Who Rules The World? Trump, Tech and the Fight for the Future'. Tickets are available now: https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.org/events/who-rules-the-world-trump-tech-and-the-fight-for-the-future

Next Up in Fixing Democracy: Better Rhetoric

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices