Transactional Degradation of Democracy: A Multi-Level Psycho-Sociological Model of Vote Buying and Political Stability in Indonesia
Abstract
Recent political unrest in Indonesia has highlighted a paradox at the heart of modern democracy: the simultaneous prevalence of electoral participation and systemic disenchantment. Incidents of legislative arrogance, often attributed to the perception that voters' voices have been "bought," underscore the transactional nature of political engagement. This paper introduces the Transactional Degradation of Democracy (TDD) theory, integrating five classical frameworks---social exchange, labeling, cognitive dissonance, alienation, and symbolic domination---into a multi-level psycho-sociological model. We formalize these interactions mathematically, derive dynamic equations for degradation of democratic legitimacy, and perform numerical simulations to examine bifurcation points leading to either authoritarian or anarchic tendencies. The model demonstrates that the trade-off between monetary incentives to voters and perceived justice strongly predicts systemic outcomes, offering both explanatory power and normative guidance for policy interventions in emerging democracies.
Main Background
1. Context of Political Unrest in Indonesia
In recent years, Indonesia has witnessed multiple instances of public protest and riots, often triggered by perceptions of legislative arrogance or misconduct.
Reports indicate that a segment of the electorate rationalizes accepting monetary incentives during elections, justified by the repeated failure of elected officials to fulfill campaign promises.
Such practices, commonly labeled vote buying, are pervasive in several regions, creating a transactional rather than representational relationship between citizens and legislators.
2. Problem Statement
Traditional analyses of democratic erosion focus on corruption, elite capture, or institutional weakness.
However, these analyses often neglect the multi-level psychological and social mechanisms that translate individual electoral transactions into systemic degradation.