People tolerate government because they like the idea that there's an "adult in the room" with due authority to tell them how to act. Its the same reason people like to theorize conspiracies. It helps maintain the illusion that there's order and planners with a purpose in this otherwise chaotic universe without meaning. Voting is an illusion of power "given" to people. Power is never given away. Power can only "step down" leaving a vacuum for another power to take over. Authority, however, is given. Voting is a humiliation ritual of giving authority over your own life to some politician or democratic outcome.

People tend to riot and protest if they can't vote (or be attacked by foreign powers trying to "spread democracy"). Voting is a pacifier, there is no substance beyond that. The powerful aren't giving away their power to a vote. They rule regardless of what government system is used to keep their people docile.