THE U.S. AND DEMOCRACY - Political Forum

CHUQ · #1 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 06:19 AM

Found this article and thought I wouls share it and hopefully get some thoughts.

Influential British magazine The Economist has placed Malta in 15th place on the democratic leaderboard, outpacing powerhouses such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

The report The World in 2007 said that almost half the countries in the world can be classified as being democratic, but only 28 countries can be described as true democracies.

These 28 feature the most developed nations of the world. The report was drafted on five criteria; electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties, with a maximum of 10 points per each category.

Taking the parameters into consideration, what are your thoughts?

The complete article--

INDEPENDENT online

Roycerson · #2 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 01:16 PM

nonsensical.... Not my thoughts.... the study. My thoughts are IMO at least somewhat sensical.

I set out to find a definition of "true democracy". Turns out, there isn't one that any significant number of people can agree on. Since the article doesn't present us with a working definition and I have so far been unable to get further information from their website or even any reference to the study at all (possibly my shortcoming as it's a site I'm not particularly familiar with) it might as well be an opinion piece that says simply: "Some democracies are better than others and the US and UK are not the best of them". In which case.... I'm inclined to sympathize with their position.

I have only to add that clearly what they taught me in US public schools in relation to "true democracy" is not any of the currently held popular definitions and that does not surprise me.

CHUQ · #3 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 01:19 PM

Well written You are not from these parts are you?

Roycerson · #4 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 02:44 PM

Thanks, I'm a high school dropout construction worker from the midwest.

Tumbleweed · #5 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 10:50 PM

Maybe Malta should have toppled Saddam.

CHUQ · #6 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roycerson

Thanks, I'm a high school dropout construction worker from the midwest.

Hopefully my attempt at humor was not missed--No offense intended.

At times the legislature appears to be nothing more than a PR arm of the govt. It is given as a gesture to the people in an attempt to convince them the democratic participation is working, while on the same hand it appears to not have very much substantial power. If this is true, why keep them?

superbug · #7 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 09:43 PM

I'm just thankful that we don't live in a democracy.

Tumbleweed · #8 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 10:26 PM

I wish we would stop trying to push our style of democracy on other countries.We can't even get it right,yet we try to convince everyone it is the only acceptable means of survival.

lordoftheworld · #9 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 10:30 PM

When i think true democray, i think of every citizen getting a vote on everything the government votes about. We are far from that, and that is a blessing.

CHUQ · #10 (**permalink**) 11-29-2006, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordoftheworld

When i think true democray, i think of every citizen getting a vote on everything the government votes about. We are far from that, and that is a blessing.

Sounds like ancient Greece where every citizen voted and pulledc his tour in the government. But then you are talking about "polity" rule by all in the interest of all, at least it was Aristotle's definition. He also defined "democracy" as rule by the many in the interst of the rulers. And with that, it would appear we live in a democracy.