Peaceful Transfer Is Democracy's Core

Democracy’s most important institutional virtue is the ability to transfer power without bloodshed; elections matter less for their expressive 'will of the people' function and more as mechanisms that prevent succession violence. Framing democracy primarily in terms of peaceful succession changes how we prioritize reforms, security, and institutional design. — If accepted, this reframing shifts democratic defense from partisan campaigning and voter expression debates toward protecting institutions and procedures that ensure non‑violent transfers of power.