demo = people / ocracy = government aka: 'self-government' MAJORITARIAN forms of COLLECTIVE 'self-government' lend themselves to 'abuse'
UNIVERSAL CONSENSUS forms of 'democracy' support 'liberty & justice for ALL' aka: universal libertarianism See: 'Your Freedom and the Rights of Others ' at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/message/53296 -Terry Liberty Parker --- In [email protected], "kiddleddee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > If 99 people out of 100 vote to take the property of the one who > voted against it, that's democracy. If he objects they "can" kill > the man and take his property. That's democracy. > > > --- In [email protected], Corey <cpmondello@> wrote: > > > > > > > > I stumbled across a few websites that make a good argument about > Democracy. I quickly read a little bit from what I found and it > seems like they are playing with words. Here is one website I found; > http://www.democracyisnotfreedom.com/ > > > > I know some Founding Fathers used 'Republic' as a word to > describe Amercia, and at one time the Democrat Party looked more > like the original Republican party and visa-versa. So, I'm thinking, > as times have changed, the meaning has changes. > > > > Here are a few sources, explaining what "Democracy" is. Can > someone please tell me what is wrong with Democracy? > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > 1) > > "Democracy (literally "rule by the people", from the Greek > demos, "people," and kratos, "rule") is a form of government for a > nation state, or for an organization in which all the citizens have > an equal vote or voice in shaping policy. Today democracy is often > assumed to be liberal democracy, but there are many other varieties > and the methods used to govern differ. While the term democracy is > often used in the context of a political state, the principles are > also applicable to other bodies, such as universities, labor unions, > public companies, or civic organizations." > > > > ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > 2) > > Democracy consists of four basic elements: > > 1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government > through free and fair elections. > > 2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in > politics and civic life. > > 3. Protection of the human rights of all citizens. > > 4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally > to all citizens. > > > > ~ http://www.stanford.edu/~ldiamond/iraq/WhaIsDemocracy012004.htm > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > > > 3) > > "Democracies fall into two basic categories, direct and > representative. In a direct democracy, all citizens, without the > intermediary of elected or appointed officials, can participate in > making public decisions. Such a system is clearly only practical > with relatively small numbers of people--in a community organization > or tribal council, for example, or the local unit of a labor union, > where members can meet in a single room to discuss issues and arrive > at decisions by consensus or majority vote. Ancient Athens, the > world's first democracy, managed to practice direct democracy with > an assembly that may have numbered as many as 5,000 to 6,000 persons- > -perhaps the maximum number that can physically gather in one place > and practice direct democracy. > > > > Modern society, with its size and complexity, offers few > opportunities for direct democracy. Even in the northeastern United > States, where the New England town meeting is a hallowed tradition, > most communities have grown too large for all the residents to > gather in a single location and vote directly on issues that affect > their lives. > > > > Today, the most common form of democracy, whether for a town of > 50,000 or nations of 50 million, is representative democracy, in > which citizens elect officials to make political decisions, > formulate laws, and administer programs for the public good. In the > name of the people, such officials can deliberate on complex public > issues in a thoughtful and systematic manner that requires an > investment of time and energy that is often impractical for the vast > majority of private citizens." > > > > ~ U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information > Programs - > > http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/whatdm2.htm > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > > > > > 4) > > "If democracy means anything, it means rule by the people, i.e., > rule by the majority. We Americans add that liberal democracy also > means the minority has rights no majority may violate: freedom of > speech, of the press, of assembly, of religion." > > > > ~ http://www.antiwar.com/pat/?articleid=8770 > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > > > > > 5) > > "The definitive definition of democracy is inadequate and > misleading. If all it means is that everyone can vote then anyone > could adopt it as an ideology. What did the GDR stand for other than > the German Democratic Republic?" > > > > ~ > http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/open_thread/2006/07/what_is_democ > racy_and_is_there.html > > > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > > > 6) > > What is democracy? > > "In this system everyone has rights and thus a tiny piece of > power. The people in this system decide on a regent to represent > them for a limited period of time and loan to them their tiny piece > of power so that the regent can start the government's program. But > the regent is only able to carry out this program, if the rest of > the population agrees. And it is not permitted to introduce a > program which would take away or limit the rights of the population." > > > > ~ > http://www.dadalos.org/int/Demokratie/Demokratie/Grundkurs1/grundkurs > _1.htm > > > > > > -------------------------- > > > > > > 7) > > Democracy > > Trying to define "Democracy" is a difficult task. Democracy has > developed over the course of history and is present in many > different forms today. These are known as types of democracies. Two > other fundamentally different ways are available for recognizing the > differences: The identity and competition theories. > > > > [Greek, "rule of the people"], A form of government in which > state authority is derived directly and/or indirectly from the > people. - European democracy has its roots in Ancient Greece where > it developed in the city-states as a direct or indirect democracy. > > > > Modern democracy developed, firstly, out of the Calvinist > religious movement during the 17th century especially in Scotland, > England and Holland where communities began supporting religious and > political life and, secondly, out of the guiding principles from the > enlightenment period and in particular out of its beliefs on freedom > and equality for all and the normative importance of reasonable > thought by individuals on state and society. Theories by J. J. > Rousseau on sovereignty of the people as an indivisible and > inalienable right of the people were fundamental in this. > > > > The first modern democratic state was established in the USA. > France was the first European state to be founded on democratic > principles following the French Revolution. > > > > Western democracies also differ a great deal in their structure > and function: The most fundamental difference is the split between > the plebiscite and representative form of democracy. Plebiscite > forms of government are set apart by the direct involvement of the > people in legislative decisions. Be it by electing the highest state > authority, be it by petition for referendum followed by referendum > or be it by a referendum following a decision by the government to > put an issue to the people. Yet in most plebiscite forms of > government the main decision-making process remains the duty of > parliament. Plebiscitary decisions are usually reserved for issues > of special national importance such as the introduction of a new > currency (Euro) or membership to an international body with law- > making powers. Switzerland is well known for its regular referendum. > Representative government does not allow for referenda. > > > > ~ > http://www.dadalos.org/int/Demokratie/demokratie/grundkurs1/Material/ > lexikon.htm > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > > > 8) > > "Democracy is a government defined as the government of the > People by the People. It comes from greek words: DEMOS meaning THE > PEOPLEand KRATEIN meaning GOVERN. > > All the events, the personalities, the philosophies are analyzed > from the point of view of how much they strenghten democracy or how > much they harm Democracy." > > ~ http://www.fordemocracy.com/ > > > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > > > 9) > > Definitions of democracy on the Web: > > http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=com.microsoft:en- > US&defl=en&q=define:democracy&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title > > > > > > the political orientation of those who favor government by the > people or by their elected representatives, a political system in > which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect > people to represent them, majority rule: the doctrine that the > numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding > on the whole group > > wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn > > > > The term democracy indicates a form of government where all the > state's decisions are exercised directly or indirectly by a majority > of its citizenry through a fair elective process. When these factors > are met a government can be classified as such. This can apply to a > multitude of government systems as these concepts transcend and > often occur concomitantly with other types. > > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy > > > > List of movements, political parties, and other organisations > using the word:* Adivasi Democratic Front* African Democratic Rally* > African Democratic Rally (Burkina)* Algerian Party for Democracy and > Socialism* Alliance for Democracy and Federation* Alliance for > Democracy and Federation-African Democratic Rally* Alliance of Free > Democrats* Association of Free Democrats* Aziz Democratic Workers > Congress* Botswana Democratic Party* British Columbia Moderate > Democratic Movement* Cameroon ... > > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_(word) > > > > Here is a partial list of varieties of democracy. The types of > democracy listed here are not mutually exclusive. > > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_(varieties) > > > > government by the people, exercised either directly or through > elected representatives > > www.opb.org/education/coldwar/berlincrisis/glossary/ > > > > a form of government in which people hold the power, either by > voting for measures directly or by voting for representatives who > vote for them. > > www.enchantedlearning.com/election/glossary.shtml > > > > Democracy is a political system which has many different > meanings and can take different forms. It is often incorrectly used > as a synonym for capitalism. Fundamentally, it means a government > of, by and for the people. > > www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/terms.html > > > > The practice of the principle of equality of rights, > opportunity, and treatment. > > www.nmlites.org/standards/socialstudies/glossary.html > > > > A form of government in which political power is exercised by > the citizens. > > campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/Glossary/Glossary.index.html > > > > Derived from two ancient Greek words demos (the people) and > kratos (strength). A system of government in which governance of the > people is by elected representatives. > > www.elections.act.gov.au/glossary.html > > > > a form of government in which the citizens of a state vote > directly on all governmental affairs or indirectly through > democratically elected representatives > > www3.newberry.org/k12maps/glossary/ > > > > Government in which the Supreme Court is vested in the people > and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of > representation usually involving periodically held free elections. > > > www.com.washington.edu/Program/news/digijournalism/islam/guide_glossa > ry.html > > > > Government by the people, through free and frequent elections. > [top] > > > www.co.arlington.va.us/Departments/VoterRegistration/VoterRegistratio > nTermsTrivia.aspx > > > > In the United States, the condition in which the nation's > leaders are chosen by a majority of the citizens. > > www.republicandictionary.com/rd_d.shtml > > > > rule by the people. In the United States, democracy refers to a > system of government which derives its power from the consent of the > majority and governs according to the will of the majority. > > www.historycentral.com/Civics/D.html > > > > Greek: Demos (the people) Kratos (authority, rule). System of > government in which ultimate political power rests with a nation's > population at large, either directly or through elected > representatives. Citizens have the right to participate in political > decision-making. Democracy is not an Ideology, but rather an ideal > that can be reached or embodied by various institutional > arrangements according to one's ideological conception of Freedom, > Participation, Rights, etc... ... > > www.elissetche.org/dico/D.htm > > > > The concept of democracy is based on the simple principle that > when making an important public decision, the majority vote should > prevail because the will of the majority outweighs the wants of the > minority. The methods of implementing a governmental institution > based on this simple principle can be complicated, but are made > proper if a pluralistic party system is used. ... > > ourworld.cs.com/_ht_a/duanekmccullough/glossary.htm > > > > A system of government by the whole population, usually through > elected representatives. > > www.polity.org.za/html/govdocs/white_papers/social97gloss.html > > > > A system of government in which citizens participate in the > decisions of government either by voting directly or by electing > representatives to make decisions. The United States is an example > of a representative democracy. > > www.nyise.org/homsy/ushistory/glossary.htm > > > > Democracy is a principle whereby people in a country freely > elect representatives who make laws and govern with popular support. > A democratic government also implies that the people can change a > government if they are dissatisfied with it. > > www.tomgreengop.org/politicalterms.htm > > > > A system by which social equality is favoured. Democracy > means "rule of the people". Democracy includes open discussion, > direct voting on significant issues, policy formation in all realms > of social life; economics, education, religion and public life. > > www.cupe.sk.ca/terminology.htm > > > > Government of the people by the people, usually through their > elected represetatives Dictatorship: Control of a country by one > person or group with absolute power. > > > www.apheda.org.au/campaigns/burma_schools_kit/resources/1074040257_16 > 812.html > > > > From the Greek words for "people" (demos) and "power" (kratos), > this concept has no single meaning. Theorists distinguish > between "procedural" democracy (which is concerned with activities > like political participation, elections, and ways of taking power) > and substantive policy outcomes (which are concerned with the > educational, health, and economic consequences that government > produces). > > www.politicalscience.utoledo.edu/faculty/lindeen/glos3260.htm > > > > A government where political power is fully in the hands of the > people. Governmental systems in which the citizens exercise this > power directly through general assemblies or referenda to decide the > most important questions of law or policy. > > www.information-entertainment.com/Politics/polterms.html > > > > A political system or government by the people in which the > supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them > or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. It is a > political system "of the people, by the people, and for the people." > > > www.sage.edu/academics/schoolofprofessionalstudies/management/program > s/definitions.htm > > > > a country that is run by its citizens, usually through elected > representatives, where all adults are entitled to vote. Parliament > is made up of representatives from the people. (E) Equality: being > given the same opportunities. Equality does not always mean being > treated identically; it is about addressing different needs. > > www.equalcitizen.org.uk/glossary.htm > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > > > > > > "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are > created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain > unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the > pursuit of Happiness...." > > > > ~ The Declaration of Independence - July 4th, 1776 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > >
