Noah is only 3 yrs. old. He serves us tea from a yellow plastic jar, into little plastic cups; but there isn't really anything in that jar. We go through the moves, as if we were drinking; and we even feel, somewhat, as if we were drinking...

Already in the 1960s, field research led political scientists to conclude that the primary social function of some of the main democratic mechanisms such as elections and institutions such as voting was not the distribution of power and creation of policies (because, research shows, very little of that is taking place), but on the contrary—acquiescence, with existing distribution of power and policies (by allowing people to participate in a social ritual, which makes them feel included,   in control etc.).

For substance, please follow the red link to a node about Murray Edelman's work.