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I've only heard it used to describe the practice in Russia in which the government itself has a heavy hand in elections, so that nothing is ... left to chance. On the face of it, it sounds pretty nefarious. We usually call it "election rigging" or "eliminating elected positions." Hahaha. Actually, there is not a ton of evidence that votes are rigged to the extent that the outcomes of elections are changed. Simply ... ensured.
But the irony is that is was implemented as a way to get a handle on some of the seats held by gangster "capitalists" Yeltsin had basically turned the country over to. Of course, it's not all noble and well-intentioned. Not all those gangster "capitalists" were put out of government, just those that didn't cooperate. But it seriously is one of the ways the Russian gov't. was able to reign in the widescale looting, gain control of its assets, and get people in elected positions to actually fulfill some of their civic responsibilities. Very ironic... "This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."
Actually, there is not a ton of evidence that votes are rigged to the extent that the outcomes of elections are changed. Simply ... ensured.
Time will tell if "This time it's different"... Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.
A managed democracy is a great thing. For the managers.
The political and social situation that is sketched is not unlike what prevails in the USA today. And for some reason, the phrase and context made an impression on me. Heinlein is rather like Kipling in that regard, don't you find?
Why can I never remember anything useful?
But Heinlein believed in an absolute hierarchy of the self-made. For all his life, he never got out of that- he even thought it was reasonable to sell air- and the folks on the lower third of the brightness curve would be promptly eliminated, causing no further inconvenience or clutter. "Managed Democracy would not have bothered him--as long as he was one of the managers. I grew up with Heinlein-from "Have space suit, will travel", to "Stranger in a Strange Land"- my favorite.
There was a time when Science fiction, under the iron editing fist of Campbell of Analog magazine, was a thinly veiled attack forum for all the unwashed drug-soaked lazy parasite hippies- like me- and Heinlein seemed to fit in pretty well with that lot---except he was such a great story teller. Most of Campbell's tame attack dogs were not very good. But "Starship Trooper" finally turned me off. It was such a good story- a fun read-- that, when I really comnsidered the implications, it scared me. Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.
