When the democratic process fails people

There is a specific situation where Democracy can fail the people. This is a theoretical dilemma whereby some policy is individually unpopular, but globally necessary. In this scenario politicians are reluctant or unable to do the 'right' thing for fear of losing their power.

This is only a theoretical dilemma because it unclear whether the aggregregate of individual preferences will always eventually converge on the global optimum.

I recently enjoyed the hot take that the blokes in tracksuits never ruined society/the economy, it was the blokes in suits.