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These are pretty weak arguments to get rid of the EU. In many democracies, the government has the power to propose legislation. And what democracy doesn't have
by antientropic 8y ago
These are pretty weak arguments to get rid of the EU.
In many democracies, the government has the power to propose legislation. And what democracy doesn't have backroom deals?
- sprash 8y agoThe problem here is that the backroom deal of two countries (Germany and France) now has influence over countries that are totally unrelated like e.g. Finland. This turns the EU into a tyranny where might is right. Why should Germans have a say about how the internet should work in Finland? The EU is also already dying. Brexit will come soon and Italy is on it's way out. What the remnants will be is unclear but the EU as a whole has already failed. The settlement process to unwind it will be lengthy and painful.
- isostatic 8y agoThe problem here is that the backroom deal of two states (California and New York) now has influence over states that are totally unrelated like e.g. Wyoming. This turns the US into a tyranny where might is right. Why should Californians have a say about how the internet should work in Wyoming? (The reality of course is that the US has had not only a say, but often the only say in how the internet should work in the rest of the world for decades, and when it comes to copyright law we have an undemocratic international treaty dating back generations that keeps pushing expiry dates back and back globally)
- sprash 8y agoI never said that the US is a great example for a functioning democracy. The best example for democracy is Switzerland. It also has the highest standard of living in the world as a result.
- isostatic 8y ago> It also has the highest standard of living in the world as a result. That's a non sequitur. I believe that these copyright changes will apply in Switzerland too due to international agreements. There are many types of democracy, each have pros and cons.
- Tomte 8y agoSwitzerland's high standard of living is almost entirely due to their smartness. They kept out of wars and as a result could incrementally (and exponentially) build wealth instead of rebuilding their country from ruins every few decades.
- sprash 8y agoIt kept out of wars because it is a direct democracy. People almost never vote in favor of war.
- anoncake 8y agoSwitzerland kept out of wars because it wasnt invaded. Poland didnt decide to join WW2.
- GenericsMotors 8y agoAnd it only wasn't invaded because the entire country was (and is) a standing army, and Germany would have to pay dearly for every mile they tried to take. IIRC they even shot down german war planes that entered their airspace and suffered no retaliation. So yeah, they do have a knack for maintaining their neutrality.
- lagadu 8y agoSurely you're aware that Switzerland is close to implementing broadly the same law?
- yannovitch 8y agoCan you link to the law you're referring to ?
- antientropic 8y agoThat argument also applies to any democracy (or indeed any polity larger than a household): why should the people in my town have a say over the laws in the adjacent town?
- clagio 8y agoItaly is not really on the way out, and the few politicians who supported the idea changed their mind after brexit
- isostatic 8y agoI'm bemused by the idea of France (74) and Germany (96) - totaling 23%, controlling the parliament alone. I haven't looked at who voted, but I suspect that the votes aren't on a country-by-country basis either.