What is Democracy

[Lawrence of Arabia]

What is it that gives the majority in a true democracy the right to impose themselves on the minority. And what are the limits to that imposition? if the majority of people thought that all immigration to the US needs to be stopped, would that make them right? what if they thought that only whites can be admitted into america? is that right? or what if the majority decided that slavery was the way to go? does this justify slavery.

my question i guess is how can we rely and trust in a democracy when there is no inherent limit to what the majority can do.

[SlowwHand]

Oh,damn, LoA. What is better? When will all want the exact same thing?

Here, pick some and read.

http://www.google.com/search?q=definition+democracy&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Arrian]

Hence having a republic, as opposed to a democracy.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

What is it that gives the majority in a true democracy the right to impose themselves on the minority.

'Cause there is more of them .

[Nubclear]

There are more Chinese than there are Americans.
Thus, America should surrender itself to China

[Arrian]

As should the Russians, and turn in the "Lord God Putin" for "re-education."

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes... Lord God Putin needs to be crucifed for his sins.

[Nubclear]

The Chinese and Russian peoples are Friends Forever, Enemies Never!!!

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

There are more cochroaches and bacteria than man. Guess we should submit to them as well.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The Chinese and Russian peoples are Friends Forever, Enemies Never!!!

Says the begging Russkie.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
There are more cochroaches and bacteria than man. Guess we should submit to them as well.

True democracy in action.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Hence having a republic, as opposed to a democracy.

i dont see how that changes anything - the majority of our representatives still leads to no inherent limit to what they can think up of.

When will all want the exact same thing?

why should we all want the same thing? cant you let people decide what they want for themselves? why must we be in lockstep with the rest of the population?

[Dauphin]

I offer my services as your benevolent dictator.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

this question must be above most ACSers as evident by the spam in this thread.

[loinburger]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
cant you let people decide what they want for themselves?

Not when people's wants conflict with one another. If I want to enslave you and you don't want to be enslaved, then clearly we have a conflict of interest, and we can't both do what we want. Majority Rules seems to be as good a system as any for resolving conflicts, unless you were to propose Loinburger's Rule By Fiat as an alternative.