Democracy Run By Idiots

Is Democracy the right way to go even if its run by idiots. Who here has read Plato's Crito? It talks about always having to pay attention to the expert instead of the many because what ever they do its because of chance and that got me thinking maybe this is how our government is run i mean most of the population might not know exactly why their voting for someone but theyre still probably going to vote for them because they are influenced which leads me to another thought is this is so then maybe it doesnt matter who we vote for because either way things will carry on as planned just with a different puppet being controlled isnt this a scary thought of having no control in the long run.

Democracy is the worst form of government. Unfortunately, it's also the best.

taibansuu, you kin dof sounded like kerry there for a minute man,

democracy can't be the worst and the best at the same time, or maybe if you ellaborated i'd understand what you meant.

Originally posted by Kaiser617
It talks about always having to pay attention to the expert instead of the many because what ever they do its because of chance and that got me thinking maybe this is how our government is run i mean most of the population might not know exactly why their voting for someone but theyre still probably going to vote for them because they are influenced which leads me to another thought is this is so then maybe it doesnt matter who we vote for because either way things will carry on as planned just with a different puppet being controlled isnt this a scary thought of having no control in the long run.

ACK! So many topics in just one sentence!!!

Whether you'd like to discuss the benefits of a Philospher King, how our Republic is superior to true democracy, how the electoral system is a good thing, the importance of punctuation or just how nothing matters since the NWO is coming anyway...let's do it in [thread destination randomizer thinking...] BTS: POLITICAL DEBATE!

There's something which remains constant as a form of government, whatever the overlying superstructure (democracy, dictatorship, monarchy) may be - technocracy, or public service.

Think of it - under a monarchy, regional administrations - however corrupt - were always successful at tending the shop and preventing anarchy when a weak monarch succeeded to the throne. Same thing with palace administrations, actually...

And in a democracy, public servants often stay in place while governments come and go... and those public servants are often those who hold the information to brief elected officials (senators and congressmen) or presidential Cabinet members.

educate yourselves and read the America is not a democracy!!! thread

[edit on 8/21/2004 by s13guy]

I agree with Otts up there in Canada's Capital.

When I look at the Canadian democracy with its strong public service system (though bloated!), the only real thing that needs taking care of at the federal level is distribution of tax revenues. Most Canadian political scandals have to do with how our money is spent rather than foreign intrigues and personal issues.

Our federalist form of democracy is responsible for giving Canada it's unique collective social aspect with national programs and standards. Is a republic better? I look south and wonder.

As for Plato's concept of philosopher king I have not studied it in very great dept but it is what I would personally like to see. I think the closest Canada came in the last century was Pierre Eliot Trudeau.

Sometimes I wonder what he would have privately (or even pubilcly!) said about little shrub.

I remember watching a biography about the murder of JFK, and one theory set forth was that he had been assasinated by the american goverment because he refused to be their puppet.

Originally posted by jawapunk
taibansuu, you kin dof sounded like kerry there for a minute man,

democracy can't be the worst and the best at the same time, or maybe if you ellaborated i'd understand what you meant.

Really? I thought I sounded like Winston Churchill, who certain people compare George Bush too.

"Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried."

-Winston Churchill

Democracy is a fine form of government.. but would also be good with a socialist economic system. Note under the current system how much wealth the leaders of the country have... American politics is only a game played between the rich with the lower classes taking the beating of what they do.

Originally posted by RedOctober90
Democracy is a fine form of government.. but would also be good with a socialist economic system. Note under the current system how much wealth the leaders of the country have... American politics is only a game played between the rich with the lower classes taking the beating of what they do.

No doubt when America finally goes bust and people are starving in states the leader of our country will run to China or Russia for unlimited Master Cards and do commercials for Pizza Hutt, Gorbachev style.

Originally posted by taibunsuu

Originally posted by RedOctober90
Democracy is a fine form of government.. but would also be good with a socialist economic system. Note under the current system how much wealth the leaders of the country have... American politics is only a game played between the rich with the lower classes taking the beating of what they do.

No doubt when America finally goes bust and people are starving in states the leader of our country will run to China or Russia for unlimited Master Cards and do commercials for Pizza Hutt, Gorbachev style.

Yes, Platos Crito was an amazing read.

"Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequatley philosophize, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils.. nor, I think, will the human race" - Plato

Socratese believed in the one, the one was the truth itself, trascendent , eternal and justice itself. This was a major theme in the Crito. But, do remember, during this time, slaves had no freedom, women had no econimic or civic freedom, and democracy was hailed by the elite.

I'm not sure how you deduced Socratese reasoning that experts should run this world?

Socratese, in charge of perverting the youth, or so it was said, never bid defence, and excepted his fate. He believed in the powers that killed him, even if they were just or not. Crito, in utter despair and vehemence, tried to convice his dear freind to escape, but Socratese would not have it.

Democracy, in speak of western thought, is theater, we only experience true democracy come voting time, the rest of the year, we are subject to plutocracy and cooporate oligarchy.

Deep

[edit on 22-8-2004 by ZeroDeep]

Not that experts rule the democracy but you should only ask advice from experts. Does this mean our voting system is appropriate unless we know something about both candidates and its a shame that people just vote cause for republican just because they grew up republican. i am urging people to start picking up books on economics and foriegn policy and start informing yourself about the ideals of each of the candidates because its all fun and games at the political cocktail parties but when we're in the oven thats when we start seeing the true ideals and what really matters to somebody. Just me 3 cents

Quote of the Day:

�(�) All that Swift Boat stuff. Geez, guys, Kerry said he�s telling the truth. Let it be. The carefully scripted, evasive half-answers and the New York Times� tilted take is good enough for the Democrats. So, what�s the problem? I mean, who cares if 60 eyewitnesses, and a total of 254 combat mates, think Kerry is a grade �A� bulls**t artist? No need to check the facts: they�ve gotta be wrong, and Kerry�s obviously right. Drink the juice.

�Now, repeat after me: it makes no difference that John-boy claimed until just last week that he spent Christmas Eve 1968 in Cambodia. It�s really just a bit of poor navigation that he was 55 miles away, deep in Vietnam, although he insisted on it every chance he got including on the Senate floor.

�And it really, really doesn�t matter that he claimed Richard Nixon was the lying president at the time, although he still was waiting to be inaugurated. We all know that worse things have been said about Nixon, so you can�t blame the ever-so-honest, self-righteous John Forbes Kerry.�
--Doug Giles, August 23, 2004