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We are beginning to look like fake democracies. The press and commentators seem to have no trouble getting 'charged up' about China or Russia but there is a sho
by throw2016 8y ago
We are beginning to look like fake democracies. The press and commentators seem to have no trouble getting 'charged up' about China or Russia but there is a shocking absence of scrutiny and outrage about actions at home.
What makes this absurd is its being done in a 'democracy' making that word increasingly meaningless as a marker. Activities that define a surveillance state cannot coalesce into 'western democracy' without rendering it meaningless.
Its unlikely without mainstream protest the surveillance state project will simply fold on its own. And the dangerous dynamic of denial and dissonance that systematically focuses attention and outrage on 'the other' is letting citizens and media affect commitment to these values while letting their own governments off the hook.
- stevew20 8y agoYea
- chopin 8y agoIt's less democracy and more rule of law what is sacrificed, imho. Which is way more important.
- Vinnl 8y agoIf organisations critical of the government are prevented from doing their work, voters will be less informed, and democracy takes a hit.
- raxxorrax 8y agoYou either have a democratic legitimacy or you rule by power. If you have power to rule, you have power to change legislation at will. So it becomes rather meaningless. So, if you refer to western democracies, the one necessitates the other anyway. And in this case, surveillance as part of the executive branch of a government can have a severe and chilling penalty to any form of democratic decision-making process.