> You could try to give people a basic test, but these 'literacy' tests were historically used to supress all kinds of minorities.

That doesn't mean they would b e used to oppress minorities today. Except the minority that is deemed too ignorant to be granted a right to vote based on failing the test.

> That is the true problem of democracy, it sucks, but everything else is miles worse.

I don't think that's true, it's just that there is little motivation to come up with better alternative and people who try just get shit on for even trying as though it were an insurmountable goal.