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However, it is still pretty obvious to me that people are much more likely to do something if no collective action problem is involved. For example, I'm willing to type this because I know nobody else has to do anything in order for it to be posted. But if I had to get 5,000 other people to type the same thing in order for this post to be created, their is no way I'm going to write up this post.
Another example: I'd much rather have a more egalitarian society than a night on the town. But since all I have to do in order to go out is to walk into a bar, I do that.
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C'mon, you're smarter than that. I would prefer a Mercedes to a convenience store meal. Duh. Who wouldn't? But it costs a lot more. If I could get 8,000 or so people to pitch in the amount of money I'd otherwise spend on my hoagie, I'd have my new car. The obvious problem with that is, I'm not going to find 8,000 people who want to buy me a goddamn Benz. It people were hell-bent on my happiness, or if I was content to own 1/8,000 share of the Benz, the situation would become a reality. But it's not.
You can't compare political movements to hobbies. Anyone would prefer their ideal society's implementation to their favorite activity. It's like comparing apples to washing machines.
You also need to violate the rules of the freerider problem in order to effectuate democracy, btw. See my post
here.