Do we really want Democracy?

[Sprayber]

The elite needs the masses to keep them from acending into the dreamy land of fantasy that usually far exceeds realitic expectations and the masses needs the elite to keep them from stagnating to the point of decay.


or something along those lines.

[mapfi]

there's a big difference between a representative and direct democracy. In Switzerland where people vote on issues more than 4 times a year and that for 150 years already you can usually trust the people to make the right choice. However, we're bound to turn down big reforms or very progressive proposals, so it's not always as good as it sounds. It might also be the case that this works far better for a small country. Nevertheless I think that our system is probably the closest you can get to true democracy while still have a working state. And, Churchill was totally right...

[Andemagne]

Originally posted by Darius871
...thanks to 5000 years of constant trial and error. Survival of the fittest, baby!

survival of fittest. bah humbugh
how can persecution (like what USA is doing to IRAK) be survival of fittest?
what makes Dictatorship less fitt to survive than Demoncracy?
and demoncracy was invented only 2500 years ago.

[Darius871]

By 'fittest' I didn't mean 'moral', and I'm sure Darwin didn't either. Since Homo Sapiens Sapiens dominates the globe while Neanderthals are extinct, we can reasonably assume that Homo Sapiens Sapiens is a superior species.

Since democracy (coupled with both moderately regulated capitalism and the rule of law) rules the world after thousands of years of societal evolution and fierce competition, I can similarly assume that it is more 'fit' than other social systems. Whether or not it is moral is another issue.

[St Leo]

Benevolent dictatorship is the best form of government.

If you don't want the bum down the street having just as much of a say as you, why do you want it reigning over you as a tyrant? People who want a benevolent dictatorship always seem to forget that they won't be the ones who get to be dictators.

...thanks to 5000 years of constant trial and error. Survival of the fittest, baby!

It's too bad that we are heading towards a situation where the fittest will be the fittest by default due to a lack of competition. Humanity needs an independent Mars if it is to remain free.

[Sava]

Nah Slowwhand, I'd much rather stay in my homeland and bring democracy back to the people instead of surrendering it to white trash and rich corporations!

[Capt Dizle]

education does not equal intelligence nor wisdom nor can education improve either...history is replete with examples of people lacking formal education that nonetheless made a great impact on the world we live in