Why Do People Vote for Leaders They Don’t Agree With?

Imagine you're picking a team captain for a game, but your favorite player isn't even on the team. You might still pick someone else if that person has a better chance of winning, and that's like why people vote for leaders they don’t agree with. Sometimes, it's not about who you like; it's about who can help you win more games (or elections). A leader may not match your views, but they might be the best bet to get things done.

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Examples

  1. A kid in class picks the best player for their team even if that player isn’t their favorite.
  2. Someone chooses a less preferred leader to prevent someone else from winning.
  3. A person votes for a candidate they think is more likely to win, even though they disagree with them.

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