[Mazhi]

Democracy is a political system through which the majority of the population rules. It differs from other forms of dictatorship by the size of the ruling class. It is believed that democracy leads to freedom, peace, and prosperity. This is not the case. Democracy is potentially the most dangerous of the political systems.

Democracy is rule by the majority. There are no limits to what the majority is allowed to decide. It can decide laws based on whim, with no respect for rights It can pass laws against painting your house white as easy as it can pass laws against murder. There is no guarantee of a just democracy.

There is one distinction between a democracy and many other forms of dictatorship. A minority dictatorship must fear the majority. If they oppress the people too much, the people will rebel. No dictatorship can stand against the full will of the people.

Those that are ruled think in terms of justice. Those that rule think in terms of power. When the majority rules, they stop thinking in terms of right and wrong. They're claim to power is "the will of the people". Wherever that power leads, they follow obediently. If slavery is the price of power, they take it willingly.

Those that suffer the most under a democracy are the minorities. The smaller the group, the less say they have in policy. But majority and minority change with each issue or policy. Everyone finds themselves as part of the minority at some point. But since the majority rule, the government has no fear of rebellion to circumscribe their actions.

That being said, voting is a very useful tool in constructing a proper government. Unlimited democracy is a bad thing in itself, but a constitutional representative republic in which the people elect representatives to govern according to a rights-respecting constitution is the best form of government so far discovered.

There is a disturbing tendency for people to equate a democratic government with a just or proper government. They will say that one government is bad because it's not democratic and another is good because it is, and we must bring democracy to the world! What constitutes a proper government is the preservation of rights, not the method by which that preservation is brought about.

http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/B ... cracy.html

Agree or disagree?

[Dave]

Yes.

[Fenrir]

Like Plato, I would say it blows.

[Infidelis]

Other, I suppose. Voting for indirect representatives to legislate and a judicial system to determine the legality of the legislation when it is questioned seems is the best form of government.

[FallenRaptor]

Disagree. I think the "tyranny of the majority" argument is a very elitist straw man, although this article seems to argue against a very vague and unstructured form of democracy.

I also think that the "democracy" practiced in capitalist countries, ESPECIALLY in the United States, is bullshit.

[pikachu]

but a constitutional representative republic in which the people elect representatives to govern according to a rights-respecting constitution is the best form of government so far discovered.

This is still democracy, therefore the article contradicts itself.

As for myself - no, I don't like either the representative democracy or the "unlimited democracy" described in the article.

[Piano Red]

No.

Its the least common denominator of government.

[R_G]

Democracy, Athenian Democracy is relatively good.

The worst form of government would have to be Monarchy, or more precisely, Successor by blood, both are bad but with some Monarchies the cousin can take over, while most Monarchies were designed where a son or daughter would take over.

That's the worst, divinity my ass, the Romanov family deserved to get massacred, God damnit I'd hate having my country run by a leader who just got his post because he came out of a certain vagina which was part of a woman married to the right guy.

This was a key problem with the Roman Emperors but they weren't succeeded only by blood heirs, the Emperor could choose whoever he wanted to be his succesor and in many situations even if the son was suppose to succeed by default he was sometimes killed by conspirators.

But yeah, back to the faithful Monarchies, that's how you had a prancing idiot like Louis XVI of France running a country, or Nero, or Caligula, etc.

Worse, system, EVER!

[W01f]

Other - any system can be the "worst" depending on who's in charge. But that said, a properly functioning democracy is much less prone to being the worst, because the majority, while not always right, will very rarely be in favour of the terrible things we've seen come from other types of systems in history.

[Manuel]

Not the worst, not the best.

[Donna]

Yes.

[Nets]

No, not by a long shot.

[millie_(A)TCK]

Politics 101's first lecture: Athens, Peloponnesian war and Plato.

One of the most boring times (though educative, essential and useful) in my life. I am not rehashing that argument.

So simply no to the question.

[ingliz]

No

[jaakko]

No. Besides the reasoning in the article is wrong. A democratic form of government doesn't by itself form a "democratic" ruling class.

[War Angel]

It sucks ass, but it's the best we can manage.

[Frank_Carbonni]

I remember that Winston Churchill once said something along the lines of "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others".

That's the way I feel. Democracy allows the prejudges, ignorance, and hatred of the majority reign, but it has a far better record than any previously tried.

The authoritarians can complain all they want, but democracies have been more stable and prosperous than dictatorships, monarchies, and totalitarian regimes.

[Manuel]

I wouldn't go that far, yet. The USA still needs a couple thousand years before any democracy has been longer-running and more stable than a monarchy.

[Einherjar]

Yes, but the author of the article does not depict or understand modern representative democracy, which is oligarchism with pretensions of popular rule, and therefore not at all unlimited to popular choice.

[87522]

No.

But:

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

In my opinion, most people really don't deserve the right to vote. But on the other hand, I don't want someone to decide who is and who is not qualified.

Regarding political systems, I think a democracy with strong constitutional rights is, well, as good as it gets.