Ellipsis - // Forcing people to vote, now and again at least, would show just what people thought of politics and politicians for a fact. //
It doesn't though.
You can force people to go through the motions, but you can't force them to indicate their views on either the candidates, or the system they are forced to experience.
Only free will can ever truly indicate opinions in an election, and that includes the right simply not to turn up.
Or to turn up and vote for 'any of them because they are all the same aren't they?'
It's a flawed system, because no free will system can be flawless, but it beats forcing people against their will any day of the week.