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Malcolm X nailed one of the most salient features of democracy in his ballot or bullet speech. All forms of government have periodic changes of power. Democra

Malcolm X nailed one of the most salient features of democracy in his ballot or bullet speech. All forms of government have periodic changes of power. Democratic revolutions involve considerably less blood. All forms of government are eventually subject to public backlash. Democracy is just generally less violent.

netcan 8y ago
Well... Revolutionariea are always interested in revolutions. The word "Democracy" is tricky because people with radically different politics generally disagree about what is democratic. Allowing for that... I wonder what gave Malcolm the impression that democratic revolutions involve less blood? The French and American Revolutions were very bloody (especially th french). The American civil war was a revolution in some sense, democratic in some sense too (in that black suffrage was on the line). You might call the 1989 revolutions democratic. Maybe even the revolutions of 1848. If you're not of the "liberal-demicratic" persuasion maybe you think Mao or Castro were the true democrats. Both of their revolutions were bloody. Elsewhere in that speech Malcolm (famously) addresses the African decolonisation revolutions, pointing out the bloodshed.
- evgen 8y ago
  Revolting against monarchy to establish democracy is not a 'democratic revolution', that is a term used to describe a revolution that occurs within a democracy. The American civil war might qualify, but none of the rest of your examples come close.
- atq2119 8y ago
  > I wonder what gave Malcolm the impression that democratic revolutions involve less blood? It sounds like he intended to use the term "revolution" to simply describe a transfer of power, against the will of the previously ruling party. Democratic transfers of power are unique in that they generally occur without violence. We might take this for granted today, but it is in fact something that must be cherished.

netcan 8y ago

Well... Revolutionariea are always interested in revolutions. The word "Democracy" is tricky because people with radically different politics generally disagree about what is democratic. Allowing for that... I wonder what gave Malcolm the impression that democratic revolutions involve less blood? The French and American Revolutions were very bloody (especially th french). The American civil war was a revolution in some sense, democratic in some sense too (in that black suffrage was on the line). You might call the 1989 revolutions democratic. Maybe even the revolutions of 1848. If you're not of the "liberal-demicratic" persuasion maybe you think Mao or Castro were the true democrats. Both of their revolutions were bloody. Elsewhere in that speech Malcolm (famously) addresses the African decolonisation revolutions, pointing out the bloodshed.

evgen 8y ago
Revolting against monarchy to establish democracy is not a 'democratic revolution', that is a term used to describe a revolution that occurs within a democracy. The American civil war might qualify, but none of the rest of your examples come close.
atq2119 8y ago
> I wonder what gave Malcolm the impression that democratic revolutions involve less blood? It sounds like he intended to use the term "revolution" to simply describe a transfer of power, against the will of the previously ruling party. Democratic transfers of power are unique in that they generally occur without violence. We might take this for granted today, but it is in fact something that must be cherished.