When citizen consent is limited to elections, institutions that look democratic can operate like disciplined clubs, which is why elite circulation and oligarchic drift need counterweights.
Two classic blueprints for political organization still shape local government. John Locke’s account of democracy treats office as a revocable trust grounded in majority consent and limited powers. Vladimir Lenin’s democratic centralism permits internal debate before a decision, then enforces unity afterward. Claremont’s School Board and City Council are not Bolshevik cells, yet when consent is expressed only at the ballot box, both bodies can tilt toward centralism in practice. The remedy is not theatrical outrage; it is better channels for consent and friction against agenda monopolies.
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