You're onto something. Mass participation creates legitimacy theater. When 60% vote, the other 40% look like lazy complainers rather than principled resisters.

The establishment doesn't fear voting - they fear people checking out entirely. A population that believes "we can vote our way out" won't build alternative systems or take direct action.

Notice how they panic more about declining voter turnout than about who actually wins? The game needs players to seem legitimate, even if the house always wins.