Kamal Ghorui
People in Bangladesh are voting today, and they actually have to vote twice. First, they will choose their new parliament. Second, they will vote in a referendum on a long list of changes the government wants to make.
This is strange because a referendum is usually about one big question, not many different ones. When too many unrelated things are put together – like higher taxes, shorter work weeks, and free food – it can feel confusing or even dishonest.
Some countries use referendums a lot. Switzerland is famous for this and held 148 of them between 1981 and 1999. India, however, hasn’t had one since 1975, and Pakistan’s last one was in 2002. But that doesn’t mean Switzerland is automatically “more democratic.” What matters is how things turn out.
Here’s an example: India gave all adults the right to vote in 1950. But in Switzerland, men voted against giving women voting rights in 1959. Women finally got the right to vote only after another referendum 12 years later. So referendums don’t always lead to fair results. Even though referendums seem very democratic, representative democracy — where elected leaders make decisions — often works better. Many modern issues are too complicated for most people to fully understand in a short time. For example, decisions about nuclear power or advanced science need expert knowledge.
Sometimes governments use referendums because they are afraid to take responsibility. For instance, Kerala once suggested a referendum on allowing women into the Sabarimala temple instead of taking a clear stand. And in 2016, Britain voted for Brexit — leaving the European Union — by a tiny margin. Many people now think it was a bad decision.
Another big problem: referendums usually follow the majority view, even if it hurts minority groups. For example, laws protecting same‑sex relationships or allowing abortion can fail because many people still hold prejudices. In 1983, Ireland banned abortion through a referendum, even though almost half the voters didn’t participate. Campaigns can also mislead people before a referendum, like in Brexit. And sometimes people vote not on the issue but simply to support or punish the ruling party. This is why governments hold referendums only when they are sure they’ll win.
Referendums can be useful — like when Goa got to choose whether it wanted to stay a Union Territory or join Maharashtra in 1967. But overall, they should be used rarely and only on very clear, single questions.
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