To; Squonk
From: Rog
SQUONK:
>US values are democratic, and democracy is an intellectual pattern of value.
I apologise for arguing with you Platt.
However, US citizens don't live in a democracy because its leaders are bent.
In a true democracy, what are the chances of a son becoming president within
a few short years after his father?
Democratic dynasties?
Bush, Kennedy et al.
Come on, the US a democracy? Pull the other one!
Only green backs and influential friends get you to the White house.
ROG:
For the record, what definition of a "true democracy" are you using? The
reason representative democracy works so well, imo, is because it can do so
DESPITE bad leaders and ignorant citizenry. Dynasties and influence peddling
are regretable. But -- NEWSFLASH!! -- they do occur in affairs of state.
Everywhere. Democracy's strength is that it is equipped to deal with the
imperfection of people. It doesn't depend upon the perfection of man to work
reasonably well. I find idealized versions of democracy kind of amusing.
You know, the views that democracy should be some type of "impartial
elevation of the best representatives of the people by a knowledgeable,
active and selfless populous." We all know that has never been the case and
probably never will.
Democracy works OK even with 'bent' people. That is its strength.
Rog
PS -- You seem to attack democracy and free enterprise a lot more than you
offer alternatives. Feel free to share.
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:01:31 BST