It's 2020 and the United Kingdom of Britain and Saudi Arabia is holding its first election.
Party A is a socially liberal party by western standards, the party advocates gay marriage, the Church of England as the national church, the continuence of the House of Windsor on the shared throne, lax divorce laws (by Islamic standards), jury duty and opposes Sharia Law. The name of this party is the
Conservative Party.
Party B is a very socially liberal party, the party strongly advocates gay marriage, the Church of England as the national church albeit with reservations, the continuence of the House of Windsor on the shared throne subject to a referendum, more lax divorce laws (by Islamic standards), jury duty (in most cases) and opposes Sharia Law unless only applied in Islamic-majority areas. The name of this party is the
Labour Party.
Party C is an extreme socially conservative party by western standards, wishes to outlaw homosexuality, wishes to establish Islam as the national religion and church, supports a dual monarchy with the House of Saud and Windsor on the throne, wishes to outlaw divorce and wants to introduce Sharia Law nationwide. This party is called the
Islamic Left Coalition.
Party D is an extreme ba'athist party which wishes to outlaw homosexuality and make it punishable by death, wishes to establish Islam as the national religion and church, supports an Islamic republic, wishes to outlaw divorce entirely and wants to introduce Sharia Law nationwide for ALL UK citizens. This party is called the
Ba'ath Party.
...now, the election. What would be likely to happen? Due the Saudi part of the population being very socially conservative and Islamic, as well as lacking the British class divide, as well as historical roots in our democracy (such as Catholic support for the left, with Church of England usually siding with the right) the Saudi population of 25m decides to unite and rally behind the Ba'ath Party for fear of being outvoted by the British part of the country which totals 70m. Although not all Saudis agree with the Ba'ath Party, they agree with the policies of the Ba'ath Party much more than the Labour or Conservative parties.
On the other hand you then have the British part of the nation, who decide to rally behind the Labour Party for fear of an Islamic/culturally alien party such as the Ba'ath Party from winning due to a split vote. Although not all Britons agree with the Labour Party, subjects rally behind the Labour Party in order to prevent the bloc vote of the other side of the nation (with whom they have an entirely different history and feel no shared identity or history with) from winning the election.
Labour wins the election by 35m votes to the 20m votes of the Ba'ath Party. And this process happens time and time again on votes in parliament and in elections. Very soon, the system starts breaking down as it pits one distinct group against another with which there is virtually no concensus on issues due to the vast cultural divide between the two groups..... and thus you have the increasing rise of sectarian parties among the Saudi population (who resent being in a permanent voting minority) and independence parties forming for the British population who wish to end the political union between the two nations due to the trouble it causes.
Now that's a scenario, using rather extreme examples of two nation albeit, how history, culture and peoples can break a 'democracy'.
But that's the point - we're in an increasing political union with other countries, it is called the EU.
Simply throwing groups of distinct peoples together and giving them a vote each and saying "get on with it" just doesn't cut the mustard. See Iraq.
