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Doing stuff in secret removes it from democratic control and democratic decision processes. So it has something to do with democracy, not just the rule of law.

Waterluvian 4y ago
The opposite is also true, in a sense. The secret court was created by an elected government, technically held accountable by people that can loudly say, “that is not okay and is why we are electing someone else.” In practice it really doesn’t work that way, though.
- TEP_Kim_Il_Sung 4y ago
  The democratic process, when used for political decision making, creates the appearance of legitimacy, and invokes the natural human herd mentality to stifle dissent. The main difference between regular democratic decisions, and political ones; is that the former are voluntary, and applicable to all participants; whereas the latter are unilaterally applied to all, regardless of real consent. Try applying this to regular situations, such as shopping, or love making, to see why this is bad.
- ekianjo 4y ago
  you dont vote for every decision that an elected government takes. so in fact no democracy is a true democracy, merely the fake appearance of giving some power to people where they actually have none.
- pessimizer 4y ago
  It depends on if you think that a society that runs a successful plebiscite where its population votes to never have another vote remains a democracy. Voting for the central processes of government to be hidden from you, and for informed participation in them by the population to be made impossible, is a constitutional failure. It also creates powerful hidden parts of the government that can exert control over the public parts of government.
pfortuny 4y ago
The thing is not doing it in secret. The thing is doing it without accountability. They are not accountable because the law does not apply to them. Something similar happens with unelected commissions and bureaus.

Waterluvian 4y ago

The opposite is also true, in a sense. The secret court was created by an elected government, technically held accountable by people that can loudly say, “that is not okay and is why we are electing someone else.” In practice it really doesn’t work that way, though.

TEP_Kim_Il_Sung 4y ago
The democratic process, when used for political decision making, creates the appearance of legitimacy, and invokes the natural human herd mentality to stifle dissent. The main difference between regular democratic decisions, and political ones; is that the former are voluntary, and applicable to all participants; whereas the latter are unilaterally applied to all, regardless of real consent. Try applying this to regular situations, such as shopping, or love making, to see why this is bad.
ekianjo 4y ago
you dont vote for every decision that an elected government takes. so in fact no democracy is a true democracy, merely the fake appearance of giving some power to people where they actually have none.
pessimizer 4y ago
It depends on if you think that a society that runs a successful plebiscite where its population votes to never have another vote remains a democracy. Voting for the central processes of government to be hidden from you, and for informed participation in them by the population to be made impossible, is a constitutional failure. It also creates powerful hidden parts of the government that can exert control over the public parts of government.

pfortuny 4y ago

The thing is not doing it in secret. The thing is doing it without accountability. They are not accountable because the law does not apply to them. Something similar happens with unelected commissions and bureaus.