[bayesianhorse]

Slightly pessimistic. Also, in 1911 knowledge about what works and doesn't work was a lot more limited. The safeguards modern democracies employ now are far superior. At the very least the control of information doesn't work as well as some people would like...

On the other hand there will always be a power differential between those who strive to political leadership (often sacrificing a lot on the way) and those who don't participate at all. And even in a completely equal power share, the power of an individual in a nation of millions is so small that it is easy to confuse it with zero.

[fulafel]

1911 is about half way between the rise of modern democracy and present day, and the pace of development is faster in the beginning. Parliaments and political drama had been around much longer still.