A Call to Action for Madeira: You Are The Government

Assert Your Rights as A Sovereign

The recent corruption scandal comes at a time of democratic upheaval and uncertainties. Throughout Europe, Populism is on the Rise, with the extreme left and right claiming to have the better answer. Only that history has taught us: they don’t. Just like many other regions in Europe, it is time for Madeirans to vocally assert their rights as sovereign individuals. Make the government work for you!

A European Problem

In Europe, a common perception is that democratic participation primarily involves casting a vote every few years. The belief is that voting is the primary way to participate as a sovereign, and the responsibility for addressing issues lies with the government. If the government fails you, is corrupted, or does not fulfill its duty, you tend to resign instead of vocally voicing your concerns and actively pushing things to change.

That this nation (…) shall have a new birth of freedom - and that Government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Abraham Lincoln, 1863

Individuals Need to Empower, Engage & Act!

Be aware, that populists have answers on how to get the sovereign to vote for them! Getting to Power is easy in times of turmoil and the only thing that can prevent your democracy from being taken from you is to stand up and call for change. We tend to be outspoken and sound decisive when critiquing the oldest continuous democracy in the world, highlighting their unrestrained oligarchic economy and a cultural fascination with firearms that are widely available for most individuals.

Yet, our attempts to raise our voices are frequently undermined by our own vulnerability, lack of readiness, and ignorance. This negligence will inevitably backfire on us, as it's worth acknowledging that the U.S. economy and its readiness to defend democratic principles have actively contributed to safeguarding our own democracy for over 80 years. The question thus remains: how far are we willing to recognize and learn from this contribution without falling for populists like Chega or in the case of Portugal, left-wing ideologues.

The problem is a lack of societal contribution of the individual to a government that he claims should be working for him, instead of acknowledging, that a true government is merely an organized representation of his own needs and desires. Raise your voice, or corruption and populism will silence you and populists will take over. We still have all the tools, but we must use them to our advantage. Now.