Jim D: The closest we have to a solution is for groups to think democratically, which does not just mean majority rule (rather than have some elite like the Cheney gang dictating thinking) but in addition involves being open to a lot of different perspectives.
^^^^^^^ CB: Yes, however , there is are fundamental contradictions in the ideal of democracy. On many issues, _in the end_, after all the different thoughts have been had and expressed, only one action can be taken. Or certainly as many different actions can't be taken as the number of different perspectives that people might have. Taking one of the examples Jim gives, either the US invaded Iraq or it didn't. Can't both invade and not invade Iraq at the same time ( and dialectics won't help us on that one; smile) This is why "democratic centralism" is actually the only reality democracy can take, despite notions that this concept of Lenin's is anti-democratic. Many issues require unity, in some sense, of the group's action, and unity of action requires unity of thought. Not mindless, uncritical individuals, but thinking people who realize that much effective action requires unity of purpose after genuine debate; and people who trust and respect their comrades even after disagreeing with them on an issue. The vulgar democratic principle of majority rule exists to deal with the reality that consensus can't always be reached, and sometimes, action "must" be taken. (Although my father was fond of pointing out sometimes the best is "don't just do somthing; sit there") And at least majority rule is mass, rather than elite minority , rule ( examples of elite ,minority rule being the Cheney gang, or all the ruling classes of all times ). On the other hand there can arise tyrannies of the majority. Such are the contradictions of democracy. Recall that Engels and Lenin point out that democratic rule in the state power is still a form of the state. Marx, Engels and Lenin do not foresee communism, after the whithering away of the state , as a democracy. I defer to Ted Winslow to explain how the fully developed personalities and mutually respecting individuals capable of communism will always reach consensus on all important and necessary group actions. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
