Another sad example of politicians ahead of their people happened during the Second Spanish Republic. The Socialist government gave women the vote even though most women (under stronger clerical influence) thought it was a bad idea. In 1934 the women proceeded to vote the socialists out (as instructed by priests during mass). Then after 1939 they were reduced to second-class citizenship again. While they retained the vote, as late as the 1970's my mother needed my father to open a bank account for her so the Government could pay her teacher salary. Just like a child's account, really.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman