Political Crossfire Forums

canadagal · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 3

"Democracy is the best form of government for all the world's inhabitants."

do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?

Johannes · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 834

"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."
-Winston Churchill

I couldn't agree more with him.

Rozzlapeed · Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 425 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

canadagal wrote: "Democracy is the best form of government for all the world's inhabitants."

do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?

Democracy is the best form of government for the majority of the world's inhabitants.

letsgooilers · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 406 Location: Saskatchewan

well, there isn't anything better we can find so, I suppose it's the "best". But when you look at the alternatives, I suppose democracy gives the perception that the people have a true say in their government's policy and direction.

Rilzic · Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 385 Location: Alb, NM, USA

Well you know someone has to say it so it might as well be me.

I am more for a republic! But i think your talking about something else and you your question i say: No! it is not the best all the time for everyone.

Korimyr the Rat · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 983 Location: Wyoming

Democracy isn't really a type of government. It doesn't imply any kind of structure, procedures, or operating principles of a government, except that the "will of the people" is to be incorporated somehow.

Hell, all the Communist governments of the last century referred to themselves as "democracies" or "peoples' republics".

As long as the government is attempting to operate for the greater good of the population, and as long as positions of authority are somehow linked to the responsibility of the people holding them, the government's going to work out alright.

Hell, even the four non-negotiable freedoms I believe every government should uphold are only intended to keep the link between authority and responsibility clear, direct, and unbreakable.

Roy L · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1819

canadagal wrote: "Democracy is the best form of government for all the world's inhabitants."

do you agree or disagree with this statement and why? I have to say I disagree, because people who lack the knowledge and sophistication to govern themselves wisely will generally do a worse job of it than a bureaucrat assigned to do it by those who do not lack knowledge and sophistication. British colonial administration in Africa, for example, was generally much better than the messes Africans have voted themselves into since that time. There are also issues concerning constitutional limitation, appropriate jurisdiction and borders, etc. In many cases, democracy will trample the rights of minorities.

Selfish_Meme · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 726

I am not sure whether there has been an actual Democratic Government ever!

Isn't what we have a representational system? and quite a bit different from what was originally intended. As in the Government rules over the people and not the other way around.

Hot Soup · Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 21

The best government would loosely join all the nations of the world, like a confederation. A nation could join the confederation by a majority vote of the people. Once joining this confederation, a nations would have to surrender their armies but be protected by the central unit. Once all nations join we will have peace and the central army will become a police force.

Johannes · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 834

Hot Soup wrote: The best government would loosely join all the nations of the world, like a confederation. A nation could join the confederation by a majority vote of the people. Once joining this confederation, a nations would have to surrender their armies but be protected by the central unit. Once all nations join we will have peace and the central army will become a police force.

I agree, but that is exactly what people are scared of. You've just opened yourself up to those afraid of a totalitarian police state.

If the world binds together, even those who scream equality to the people are afraid of losing their voice in the even larger mass of people all trying to get their way. Also, with a goverment that large, representing (as best it could) all of the people on Earth, do you think anything would ever be accomplished? There'd be over a hundred political parties (understatement), and debates could go on for years.

Hot Soup · Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 21

true, but what if we let them keep their original government, the only rights they give up is the military. the central group's police would make sure people would not make weapons to become powerful against the weakened group and nations.

Mr 1 Percent · Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 85

Korimyr the Rat wrote:
As long as the government is attempting to operate for the greater good of the population, and as long as positions of authority are somehow linked to the responsibility of the people holding them, the government's going to work out alright.

Democracies may start out benevolent (e.g. the U.S.), but it is their nature to become uncontrolable (e.g. the U.S.).

An analogy I like is the tiger. Baby tigers are cute and are safe enough for children to feed with a bottle. But not for long...

The best form of government is none.

Roy L · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1819

Mr 1 Percent wrote:
The best form of government is none. That's been tried, in places like Somalia. The results are alwys grossly inferior to the results in places with good governments. I'm not sure how you prevent yourself from knowing such facts, but I know anarcho-feudalists manage to do it somehow.

halcyon~sky · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 90

Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the root of our problems...

I'm not an anarchist, but I believe in a DRASTIC reduction of government.

Mr 1 Percent · Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 85

Roy L wrote: Mr 1 Percent wrote:
The best form of government is none. That's been tried, in places like Somalia. The results are always grossly inferior to the results in places with good governments. I'm not sure how you prevent yourself from knowing such facts...

Here is a fact for you. Last century governments were responsible for the deaths of 170 million people.

Why should we only look at "good" governments? That is a biased sample.

Katsumoto · Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1974 Location: Orygun

canadagal wrote: "Democracy is the best form of government for all the world's inhabitants."

do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?

Do you mean representative democracy? I don't see how it is better than any other form of government. It is all simply different types of tyrrany. Who is to say a benevolent dictatorship isn't best. Or a meritocracy, or a monarchy, or a theocracy?

Personally I prefer Anarchy.

NeedsREALfreedom · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Posts: 1761 Location: MN, USA

Democracy is the slathering will of a rything, stupid, evil mob.

Hot Soup · Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 21

why cant people just deal with their problems until they can make a compromise? and everyone will be willing to make compromises. no war, all problems solved.

anselfir · Joined: 16 Apr 2005 Posts: 22910 Location: ZzZzZzZz

I disagree. Even ignoring the question of total justification for these authorities clearly democracy is the wrong way to go. Simply because the true power is given unlimited political power. The true power is determined by economical structure, and in the modern world it rests with the people. This can be seen through the general pressure of history. This power must be countered, not enforced toward wreckless tyranny, and democracy is lacking in counter. Again, generally, states being almost always evil, their size should be restricted to small, quasi private local rule.

Roy L · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 1819

Mr 1 Percent wrote: Roy L wrote: Mr 1 Percent wrote:
The best form of government is none. That's been tried, in places like Somalia. The results are always grossly inferior to the results in places with good governments. I'm not sure how you prevent yourself from knowing such facts...

Here is a fact for you. Last century governments were responsible for the deaths of 170 million people. Yeah, and that's about 1/10 of the number that would have died if there had been no governments. Do you know what happened in Western Europe when Roman government disappeared in the 5th C? The population declined by 30%. And it wasn't because of contraception.

Quote: Why should we only look at "good" governments? That is a biased sample. I didn't say we should look only at good governments. We need to look at the bad ones too, to learn from their mistakes. As for being a "biased sample," that's kinda the idea. If you want to know how to eat a healthy diet, you look at healthy people. You don't look at all the people who make themselves fat and sick by eating junk food and decide on that account to opt for anorexia.