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> The solution to empowering individuals is accountability. We should be given tools that let us keep each other in check. Funny the commies had the same solut

> The solution to empowering individuals is accountability. We should be given tools that let us keep each other in check. Funny the commies had the same solution for their starving population.

Comevius 4y ago
Literally every organized society does this. A policeman or a tax auditor literally have power over you right now. The devil however is in the balances. The difference between the commies and their oligarchic hellscape and a democracy is that in a democracy you are not lorded over by party functionaires like a medieval peasant. The kind of checks and balances I'm talking about is heavy on the balances.
- dangerface 4y ago
  > in a democracy you are not lorded over by party functionaires Every democracy in the world is ruled by party politics, left right, blue green these are parties not policies. Politicians all go to the same private school thats heavily financed by their party. The term checks and balances is a very American thing no other democracy has it and America is not even a democracy its a republic. For example the only check and balance on the UK parliament is the unelected house of lords who get their place because they are born into an oligarchy, besides that the only other check is the crown.
  - Comevius 4y ago
    Checks and balances are about the concentration of power, it's not just an American thing. The separation of powers is a closely related concept. Never said that the United States was a democracy, although it is both a democracy and a republic, although the difference between these is specific to the country due to a historic compromise. As far as the state of that democracy goes the United States is considered a flawed democracy. I think that's generous considering how much influence billionaire oligarchs wield in the country, how large inequality is, and given the lack of educated, well-informed citizenry with the media being controlled by said oligarchs and education is being held back for political purposes, so that the people are easier to control.
greenhearth 4y ago
You are a no account... I've lived in a totalitarian country disguised as "commies" as you put it, and there was no accountability, but only deep and institutionalized corruption.
- dangerface 4y ago
  Thats the point.

> The solution to empowering individuals is accountability. We should be given tools that let us keep each other in check. Funny the commies had the same solution for their starving population.

Comevius 4y ago

Literally every organized society does this. A policeman or a tax auditor literally have power over you right now. The devil however is in the balances. The difference between the commies and their oligarchic hellscape and a democracy is that in a democracy you are not lorded over by party functionaires like a medieval peasant. The kind of checks and balances I'm talking about is heavy on the balances.

dangerface 4y ago
> in a democracy you are not lorded over by party functionaires Every democracy in the world is ruled by party politics, left right, blue green these are parties not policies. Politicians all go to the same private school thats heavily financed by their party. The term checks and balances is a very American thing no other democracy has it and America is not even a democracy its a republic. For example the only check and balance on the UK parliament is the unelected house of lords who get their place because they are born into an oligarchy, besides that the only other check is the crown.
- Comevius 4y ago
  Checks and balances are about the concentration of power, it's not just an American thing. The separation of powers is a closely related concept. Never said that the United States was a democracy, although it is both a democracy and a republic, although the difference between these is specific to the country due to a historic compromise. As far as the state of that democracy goes the United States is considered a flawed democracy. I think that's generous considering how much influence billionaire oligarchs wield in the country, how large inequality is, and given the lack of educated, well-informed citizenry with the media being controlled by said oligarchs and education is being held back for political purposes, so that the people are easier to control.

greenhearth 4y ago

You are a no account... I've lived in a totalitarian country disguised as "commies" as you put it, and there was no accountability, but only deep and institutionalized corruption.

dangerface 4y ago
Thats the point.