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Many horrible things have happened when "the people" WERE put in charge. The difference with democracy is not that you pick better leaders, it's that the majo

Many horrible things have happened when "the people" WERE put in charge. The difference with democracy is not that you pick better leaders, it's that the majority is free to pick the leaders they want. It is arguably as easy to pick a scoundrel as bloodline was.

arethuza 16y ago
If you are referring to events like the Russian Revolution I think it's more accurate to say that a bunch of thugs who said they were acting for "the people" got in control (somewhat to their own surprise) and did anything they deemed necessary to maintain their grip on power - mostly by killing anyone who could conceivably be an opponent.
- anamax 16y ago
  > If you are referring to events like the Russian Revolution I think it's more accurate to say that a bunch of thugs who said they were acting for "the people" got in control And this time things are going to be different because ....? A huge fraction, if not most, revolutions end badly.
  - beedogs 16y ago
    Badly for whom?
    - anamax 16y ago
      "The people". They get lower living standards, more political oppression, and bad art. It's almost like revolutions are intended to demonstrate that "it can't get worse" is horribly wrong.
- parasubvert 16y ago
  I was not particularly thinking about the Russian Revolution. On the "scourge of humanity" side, there's always Hitler, who was popularly elected multiple times. On the scoundrel side, there are folks like Nixon. Every U.S. president since 1960 has also presided over a lot of death and misery, and propped up "friendly" dictators in various global locales, plus a huge proliferation in armaments, often as part of proxy battles in the Cold War.