3 ms·

Democracy does not mean civilized society. On the contrary, the same goes for other "democracies." Sad indeed.

jlgreco 14y ago
Indeed, democracy is nothing more than a tool. Without proper built-in safeties, it can be used for evil just as easily as it can be used for good; that is why the constitutions of democratic countries are all longer than "Vote on stuff, majority wins." The US constitution, for example, has a built-in safety to ensure that a mere majority cannot vote away freedom of speech (changing amendments has a much higher bar). It shouldn't surprise us when shitty things happen in democratic countries. Merely being democratic implies next to nothing about a country.
- dmix 14y ago
  Democracies (republics) are flawed because the citizens control stops at the voting booth. Platform policies politicians get elected on are non binding. They don't legally have to follow through with anything they said to get elected. Once elected the only test for the politician (in legal bounds) is to get elected again in 4-6yrs. Politicians know that they can win elections on allegiance to parties, platitudes and sound bites. This creates a detachment where the political system is no longer based on data and real results of improvement of the citizens life or the countries well being - and turns into a game of marketing and party cheerleading.
  - noonespecial 14y ago
    Voting isn't about getting the best candidates into office, its about being able to get the worst ones out.
    - lucian303 14y ago
      And in the US, it's about nothing at all because unfortunately one of the protections against voters and one of the most ill-conceived ideas of government has been the electoral college. If you're not in the small percentage or so whose vote might count (read "swing-state), or whose state primary / caucus comes so late it's irrelevant, walking into a voting booth (or filling out a vote by mail, email or whatever insecure thing they do these days) is a waste of time. Then there's the matter of the compromised voting machines ...
  - lucian303 14y ago
    Yes indeed. Easy fix: every elected official who doesn't make good on his or her promises gets executed at the end of the term. Guarantee there will be no more false promises. Period.
- MartinCron 14y ago
  I keep saying, about marriage equality mostly, that minority rights should not be put to majority vote. That doesn't diminish how happy I was when my fellow Washington State voters approved same sex marriage last month.

Indeed, democracy is nothing more than a tool. Without proper built-in safeties, it can be used for evil just as easily as it can be used for good; that is why the constitutions of democratic countries are all longer than "Vote on stuff, majority wins." The US constitution, for example, has a built-in safety to ensure that a mere majority cannot vote away freedom of speech (changing amendments has a much higher bar). It shouldn't surprise us when shitty things happen in democratic countries. Merely being democratic implies next to nothing about a country.

dmix 14y ago
Democracies (republics) are flawed because the citizens control stops at the voting booth. Platform policies politicians get elected on are non binding. They don't legally have to follow through with anything they said to get elected. Once elected the only test for the politician (in legal bounds) is to get elected again in 4-6yrs. Politicians know that they can win elections on allegiance to parties, platitudes and sound bites. This creates a detachment where the political system is no longer based on data and real results of improvement of the citizens life or the countries well being - and turns into a game of marketing and party cheerleading.
- noonespecial 14y ago
  Voting isn't about getting the best candidates into office, its about being able to get the worst ones out.
  - lucian303 14y ago
    And in the US, it's about nothing at all because unfortunately one of the protections against voters and one of the most ill-conceived ideas of government has been the electoral college. If you're not in the small percentage or so whose vote might count (read "swing-state), or whose state primary / caucus comes so late it's irrelevant, walking into a voting booth (or filling out a vote by mail, email or whatever insecure thing they do these days) is a waste of time. Then there's the matter of the compromised voting machines ...
- lucian303 14y ago
  Yes indeed. Easy fix: every elected official who doesn't make good on his or her promises gets executed at the end of the term. Guarantee there will be no more false promises. Period.
MartinCron 14y ago
I keep saying, about marriage equality mostly, that minority rights should not be put to majority vote. That doesn't diminish how happy I was when my fellow Washington State voters approved same sex marriage last month.