Is democracy the only good form of government?

[Harrylandd]

Yes, what if they change there mind.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

Needs a poll.

[Pahlavistan]

Well no because it may make the nation lose it's heritage in the past some nations (ex USA) have invaded happy monarchies and set up a Republic which is a corrupt dictatorship in about 20 years!

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Needs a poll.

Agreed. Badly.

[Jafas United]

*snip*

Play it nice, Forster. He's Finnish. Our culture celebrates alcoholism, he's probably had bad experiences with alcohol, just like most Finns.

[Forster Keys]

*snip*

Play it nice, Forster. He's Finnish. Our culture celebrates alcoholism, he's probably had bad experiences with alcohol, just like most Finns.

The tone was meant to be humorous and informative. I apologise if it came across another way.

Australian culture (and is New Zealand's?) is obsessed with alcoholism too, even though I'm not a big drinker myself at all, due to a number of influences, I'd say maybe eighty percent of my year drink to a large extent.

(should probably discuss that in another thread though)

[Forster Keys]

Then it must be a coincidence that every single person who I've met who doesn't drink alcohol is 200% smarter than any person I know who drinks alcohol.

it doesn't have to be a co-incidence. could just be down to the social circles you run in.

Running in circles seems futile to me.

[Jafas United]

Play it nice, Forster. He's Finnish. Our culture celebrates alcoholism, he's probably had bad experiences with alcohol, just like most Finns.

The tone was meant to be humorous and informative. I apologise if it came across another way.

Australian culture (and is New Zealand's?) is obsessed with alcoholism too, even though I'm not a big drinker myself at all, due to a number of influences, I'd say maybe eighty percent of my year drink to a large extent.

(should probably discuss that in another thread though)

Don't worry. I knew your post contained humour in it, as do a lot of your other posts. But I was just worried some would take it too seriously, for obvious reasons.

Anyway, the NZ culture revolves around alcoholism somewhat, not as much as Finland's, but it does.

In Finland getting drunk is seen as what separates boys from men (and the same equivalency with women too).

Though you'e right, we're getting off topic here.

[Kazarogkai]

a good form of government is what the people want, wether it be monarchy republic dictatership or democracy as long as the majority of people prefer it then well then its ok. personally not that anyone cares, i would like to have some type of
Buccaneer-Presidential-Constitutional-Confederate-Democracy, i like to have a large amount of freedom and not have to worry about the central government getting too much power.

[Magmia]

I feel that Democracy was an idea invented by utopians. It may be good in theory, but most implementations of democracy fail (Iraq, Afghanistan, all of Africa). As long as people have power democracy can't exist in it's truest form. Even the false promise of equality in Communism is unrealisic.

[Seleucas]

I feel that Democracy was an idea invented by utopians. It may be good in theory, but most implementations of democracy fail (Iraq, Afghanistan, all of Africa). As long as people have power democracy can't exist in it's truest form. Even the false promise of equality in Communism is unrealisic.

You certainly won't find any objection from me on this count. It ended up with a pretty nice-sounding name, but the Enlightenment introduced a lot of political ideas that were unsupported at best and outright false in other places (I, for one, don't believe that humans are equal beyond the fact that we all belong to the same species, and I think that social contract theory is a pretty weak justification for government, and that if you wanted to take the stance of being pro-government there are far superior arguments.) It also seems that the countries that allow for more freedom largely do so because of certain pre-democratic habits, and not so much because of 'democracy'; this would explain why it seems so difficult, if not impossible, to liberalize societies like Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. as you mentioned.

"Ah, yes, Reapers, the immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in dark space..."

Yeah, I can see why it would be his favorite form of government on the Citadel.

Ah yes, democracy. A political system allegedly placing power over a nation in the hands of the people. We have dismissed that claim.

That said, my only real problem with democracy is that I don't find representative democracy truly democratic. The problem is that while in the information age I think a direct form of democracy would be possible, the flaw is lack of engagement by the people. It would require everyone to care, and they hardly do at present.

I laughed out loud for a good while when I read that first part.

But yeah, even then, there's no guarantee that even if people do engage, that they will come up with something reasonable. I mean, just look at that Kony 2012 bit that's been floating around; a large amount of people have been greatly mislead and chosen to support a dubious charity and certain questionable policies. I think any kind of democracy, representative or democratic, is going to have some serious problems owing to the fact that it is all too often the economies of scale of political machines, and not the truth itself, that sways people to one direction or another.

[Cameroi]

If you think so is it right to instill democracy on nations by force.

well furst of all, if you install anything by force it isn't democracy. that ought to be kind of bone head self-evidently obvious.

secondly, if it is, there are no good governments on the planet earth. there's all sorts of quasi-democracies, pseudo-democracies, and semi-democracies.

democratically elected representative government can be fine, or it can be just as tyrannical as any other. well for that matter, so could a real democracy. that IS what the story of socraties was all about.
point is, representative government, is a bit of a fantasy in the sense of the will of anyone, or even the collective will of everyone, being well represented. and sometimes, perhaps often, not at all.

people have a perfectly logical right of course, to distrust anything they don't have a personal voice in.

the problem is, in too much of what is passed off as democracy, they don't anyway.

[Avalar]

Pffft, Bureaucracy all the way!!!

[Mr Badger]

Yes, but by diplomacy and not force.

[The Rich Port]

Hey, gangsters ARE cool.

And, in the absence of a regular market, a black market is equally feasible, if not more so, if you can hold a monopoly.

He could theoretically make millions. But, hey, capitalisums and all that.

Mobsters are, infact, a company.

I know, that was the point I was making, but thanks for redundantly reiterating it.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Yes, but by diplomacy and not force.

Even the Founding Fathers said that "every democracy has committed suicide" so far. Lately, they have been voting themselves into Communist dictatorships. When all the people want to do is vote themselves "security," democracy does not work.

[Divair]

Yes, but by diplomacy and not force.

Even the Founding Fathers said that "every democracy has committed suicide" so far. Lately, they have been voting themselves into Communist dictatorships. When all the people want to do is vote themselves "security," democracy does not work.

[Citation needed]

[The Rich Port]

Even the Founding Fathers said that "every democracy has committed suicide" so far. Lately, they have been voting themselves into Communist dictatorships. When all the people want to do is vote themselves "security," democracy does not work.

[Citation needed]

I don't think there is a citation on Earth that can validate the biased bullcrap uttered thar.

I recommend The Jupiter Scientific Journal Of Tunnel Vision.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Even the Founding Fathers said that "every democracy has committed suicide" so far. Lately, they have been voting themselves into Communist dictatorships. When all the people want to do is vote themselves "security," democracy does not work.

[Citation needed]

"There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."- John Adams
Here.
Here.
Here.
And, here.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

[Citation needed]

I don't think there is a citation on Earth that can validate the biased bullcrap uttered thar.

I recommend The Jupiter Scientific Journal Of Tunnel Vision.

"There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."- John Adams
Here.
Here.
Here.
And, here.

[The Holy Therns]

But yeah, even then, there's no guarantee that even if people do engage, that they will come up with something reasonable. I mean, just look at that Kony 2012 bit that's been floating around; a large amount of people have been greatly mislead and chosen to support a dubious charity and certain questionable policies. I think any kind of democracy, representative or democratic, is going to have some serious problems owing to the fact that it is all too often the economies of scale of political machines, and not the truth itself, that sways people to one direction or another.

'Zactly. Until everyone's both fully informed and interested in the political situation in whatever they vote on, democracy will be imperfect. It's a start, though.

[Farrorland]

Democracy is an abhorrent form of government, the masses lack the will power and education to make decisions.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

But yeah, even then, there's no guarantee that even if people do engage, that they will come up with something reasonable. I mean, just look at that Kony 2012 bit that's been floating around; a large amount of people have been greatly mislead and chosen to support a dubious charity and certain questionable policies. I think any kind of democracy, representative or democratic, is going to have some serious problems owing to the fact that it is all too often the economies of scale of political machines, and not the truth itself, that sways people to one direction or another.

'Zactly. Until everyone's both fully informed and interested in the political situation in whatever they vote on, democracy will be imperfect. It's a start, though.

Thank you! Unless a society is relatively intelligent in general, has researched the topics and candidates at hand, has studied the consequences and history of other political decisions, and desires success rather than supposed "safety," then democracy will never succeed. I consider the United States successes until 1860 - when the federal government failed it's rulers.

[Cromarty]

[Citation needed]

"There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."- John Adams
Here.
Here.
Here.
And, here.

Note John Adams =/= all the Founding Fathers.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

"There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."- John Adams
Here.
Here.
Here.
And, here.

Note John Adams =/= all the Founding Fathers.

I have seen a few other quotes by men such as Jefferson and Washington concurring.
But yes, they all believed very different things. Alexander Hamilton wanted an English, monarchal form of government.