I don’t believe they’re silly concepts, but they do only work so long as everyone believes there will be a severe price to be paid if democracy isn’t done fairly and seen to be done fairly. As in a price which makes stealing an election more hassle than it’s worth.

If one side gets cheated, knows it was cheated, and chooses to do nothing about it, then the people on that side can’t be too surprised to find themselves disenfranchised and subjugated. Democracy is only for people who refuse to be subjects.