The 2007 documentary Please Vote for Me presents a study of contrasts, a classroom experience unlike what many of us experienced growing up in the United States, yet also painfully familiar to anyone who’s been a kid in school (for example, the scene where all of the kids are crying like babies…ok, maybe that’s just me…).
The film offers up representations of discipline and authoritarian order, including shots of students in neat rows doing calisthenics and singing patriotic songs, scenes that conjure up remembrances of the old, Maoist China. Yet inside the classroom, the students embark on a new experiment in democracy, one that they and their parents take to unequivocally, enthusiastically.
Luo Lei, class monitor with two years of experience already under his belt, represents the incumbency. His ultimate victory over his challengers—the Machiavellian (and Cart- man-esque) Cheng Cheng and Xiaofei—presents us with a contradiction. Over and over again we see the children groaning and bellyaching about Luo Lei’s strict and authori- tarian behavior as class monitor, and yet, Lei nonetheless prevails over his challengers —doing so in decisive fashion.
Consider the film in light of our discussions and readings. Is this democracy in action?
First, I would like to start by saying that these kids are brutal and I cannot imagine any teacher in their right mind agreeing to let their class of young kids campaign like this for a class monitor position; it is just asking for trouble.
In terms of whether this is democracy in action, that is debatable. This is an open election in which the candidates and “citizens” are allowed to speak freely. In that way, it is democracy in action, the citizens have the ability to elect who they want. At the same time, however, more than showing democracy in action, I would say that this movie shows us the way in which democracy can be exploited. First, this election is all based on a show and personality and who can obtain more of a cult of personality around them. Additionally, the electors are very easily manipulated, meaning the candidates will say and do whatever they want/need in order to win the election. Another thing I found interesting in this movie is that the candidates are campaigning to win a position that will ultimately give them a lot of power. Overall, none of the candidates are really promising or showing that they plan to use that power in a limited manner or to really help the other students. Instead, it is pretty clear that they plan to use the power to keep the kids in order and in control and in a way that would not really appeal to any kid under the rule.
I also found the insistence on the cult of personality interesting, especially considering their home in communist China. Leaders such as Mao had enormous cult following and it is striking to see how this type of emotional/political support is entrenched in their culture. Perhaps this is the only way they can think to do elections, even as children, as they are not familiar with the concept of democracy.