Excellent observation. International fascism (Soviet communism) functioned in the same way. Both were variants of democracy.
Oh, come on. That is extremely convoluted reasoning. Folks show up at mass rallies in totalitarian countries more from fear than from willingness...
Folks show up at mass rallies in totalitarian countries more from fear than from willingness...
Motivation is not the point: that they are there confers "democratic" legitimacy on the regime. No one questions your motives to vote; they can be any number of things. But your ballot casting confers legitimacy on the regime. The point is that both look to the people -- despite methods -- for legitimacy. Monarchies were fundamentally different.