Does Real Democracy Exist?

2007-07-23 07:44:43

#1

sergeriver: Cowboy from Hell; +1,928|6755|Argentina

The word democracy derives from the ancient Greek demokratia (δημοκρατία), formed from the roots demos (δημος), "people," "the mob, the many" and kratos (κρατος) "rule".

Is voting enough to call a country a Democracy?
When all your options are shitty politicians and you vote for the lesser evil, is that a Democracy?
Can Democracy exist when Corporations control the politicians elected by people?
How would a real Democracy be in your opinion? Give examples, if you know them.

2007-07-23 07:47:39

#2

buLLet_t00th: Mr. Boombastic; +178|6440|Stealth City, UK

I think most people (maybe just in the UK) realise the government doesn't act off a real democracy. I'm pretty sure even the government admits (sometimes) that it doesn't exist within a true democracy.

2007-07-23 07:53:18

#3

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|6663|NT, like Mick Dundee

No.

It is impossible in today's society and with today's technology. Maybe in the future but not now.

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2007-07-23 07:53:54

#4

Braddock: Agitator; +916|6288|Éire

It seems it's a democracy in most countries right up until the winner takes office, then s/he pretty much does what s/he pleases. For a true democracy there would need to be a referendum for every single issue, which would be an administrative nightmare of Kafkaesque proportions.

Maybe in the future countries can be run via text voting like on Sky News!?

2007-07-23 07:58:29

#5

Locoloki: I got Mug 222 at Gritty's!!!!; +216|6638|Your moms bedroom

the only democracy we see is the democratic and republican parties nominate who they think is the best and we have to vote for their shitty candidates

2007-07-23 08:03:20

#6

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6540|Texas - Bigger than France

Doesn't exist and can't unless it's a very small group. You'd have to have everyone involved with every aspect of society. Greeks invented the concept, but they were not a true democracy

2007-07-23 08:30:36

#7

CameronPoe: Member; +2,925|6553

It works better the smaller the scale is right Pug. Countries with small populations are better at handling their own affairs. One need only look at Norway, Switzerland and Luxembourg to see what can be achieved. Even here in Ireland: I mean my office is a block away from the Dáil (the Irish Parliament) and you can literally walk past politicians in the street just like their another Joe Schmoe here. Politics in a small country like Ireland is very much something you can affect and something you don't feel wildly detached from. I can't say the same would apply in the likes of India, the US or even the UK.

Last edited by CameronPoe (2007-07-23 08:33:07)

2007-07-23 08:39:08

#8

jonsimon: Member; +224|6493

Voting is not democratic when the voters have no control over the candidates. Sure, the people are given a choice, but it is the choice between an apple and a pear. A democracy could exist, even in a large group of people, however, America would need quite a bit of reform first.

2007-07-23 08:44:23

#9

[pt] KEIOS: srs bsns; +231|6651|pimelteror.de

most people are dumb and shouldn´t get into position to take decisions of national or international range. imagine, all those retards out there would be asked for their opinions first, when complicated topics have to be solved?

2007-07-23 08:48:09

#10

confused: Member; +10|6392|British Columbia

If you elect others to govern, they will vote the party line or their own opinions not those of their constituents. If you leave governance to all the people, you have chaos. No nation couuld survive. Each person would want what was best for them that day ignoring what was best for the country over the long term.

2007-07-23 08:59:08

#11

Rebelfighter45: Member; +2|6122|Belgium, Antwerp

The truth is, there will never be a "real" democracy. Why? you can ask. well, trough centurys and millenias the kind of societys have changed very hard. In the begin of mankind, we all lived like hunter foragers in a family group consisting out of dozens of people. In this group everyone was somehow related too eachother. Which prevented them to kill eachother. The next step, was a tribe. A tribe is approximately e few hundred of people (the evolution from family group too tribe was enabled by the discovery of agriculture). In those smaller tribes everybody could know eachother, but in the larger that wasn't the case and conflicts could easier escalate because there were no family members who could force the two other familymembers too find a solution without killing eachother. now the opposite happened friends and family would help the one they know so you would get different groups. here is a kind of king somehow had to solve this. now troughout the evolution of society one of the major manners to solve would become laws etcetera. What i wanted to say is that we need a government to rule us, because otherwise we would crush eachother skull.

2007-07-23 09:19:03

#12

CommieChipmunk: Member; +488|6568|Portland, OR, USA

jonsimon wrote:
Voting is not democratic when the voters have no control over the candidates. Sure, the people are given a choice, but it is the choice between an apple and a pear. A democracy could exist, even in a large group of people, however, America would need quite a bit of reform first.

Exactly.

We choose between rich asshole #1 and rich asshole #2.

2007-07-23 09:20:20

#13

joker8baller: Member; +68|6665

No...

But back when we were hunting and gathering it existed....

2007-07-23 09:39:56

#14

Braddock: Agitator; +916|6288|Éire

joker8baller wrote:
No...

But back when we were hunting and gathering it existed....

I would disagree with that. Back then alpha-male competition would have been fiercer than ever and so the weaker males would've been subjugated by the stronger, more dominant males to a large degree.

2007-07-23 09:47:18

#15

Rebelfighter45: Member; +2|6122|Belgium, Antwerp

Those groups family groups bij hunter foragers weren't leaded by "alfa" males. There weren't real leaders in such a group.

BF2S Forums Does Real Democracy Exist?

jonsimon wrote:

joker8baller wrote:

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