Are Democracy and Liberty a Farce?

[Bullet1987]

Since birth, we've all been led to believe we lived in the best system of government in the world. That Democracy was the best social invention in Human history (thank the Greeks). Is it though? When I see how often the crimes of politicians go unpunished and taboo to even talk about in the MSM...is our system still the best? When I see Wall Street walk away with hundreds of millions while more and more Americans fall into poverty...is our system STILL the best? Before the American Revolution there was no such thing as corruption because monarchs and tyrants could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. It was absolute power. With Democracy, and the idea that our leaders worked for us because we put them there...corruption came into the Human lexicon. But if leaders STILL get away with the majority of their crimes (unless it's sex related) what worth has Democracy and Liberty really shown? I thought it was supposed to STOP this type of stuff from happening? We still go to war for the same reasons Kings and Queens did. Wealth, land, and control. We still kept other Humans on a lower social and sometimes even HUMAN status. Slavery, Jim Crow, etc. What has changed? Oh, we have the right to say and do what we want. Really? Is that true? I can point to numerous instances in American history when saying and doing what you wanted got you dead. Even today, you can't call Bush a war criminal on national TV. You can't say the Bush Administration Let It Happen On Purpose. Even if you don't believe those things, fact is what we can do and say has ALWAYS been limited. Yes, we got the Civil Rights Movement, but after how many men and women had to die for even thinking about freedom and justice for minorities?

Democracy seems to be nothing more than a necessary illusion. We've never really had a real Democracy. Only a new monarchy parading as a Democracy. But instead of Kings and Queens, we've had Carnegie's, Rockefeller's, Bush's, Kennedy's, etc. Families so powerful they might as well be royalty. Democratic royalty. Same shit, different can really. Elections are like the modern equivalent of gladiator fights (without the blood and murder), they're all for show because no matter who wins the corrupt, anti-Democratic corporatist system will stay in place while we all stay hypnotized thinking we're doing something important.

One last thing, tell me why there has NEVER in American history been a SERIOUS anti-corruption bill passed by Congress or even suggested?

[rampart]

1. "liberty, in the slogans of the strong

means unfettered freedom to exploit the weak"

will durant

[Starry Messenger]

2. I think you answered your own question.

It's liberty for the markets, manufactured consent and freedom to starve for the rest of us.

[Bullet1987]

3. Rhetorical question maybe? I just want to get people's opinions about this

Because it seems like even though many people may know this, they still buy into the lie.

[Starry Messenger]

7. It's a good topic.

I'll be watching it. I've thought national elections were a farce for a long time, I got sucked into electoral politics after the Bush debacle, thinking that perhaps I had been wrong after all and needed to participate like a good little citizen. Now I'm back to my default position. I think we are made to feel like this is the only avenue that we can control directly.

[blindpig]

5. That sums it up. n/t

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Of course it's a sham, and well it should be. Plato understood that when...

he argued that democracy was doomed to failure and during the founding of our country Hamilton and others argued that the masses are too ignorant to know what's best for them.

Jefferson and others argued against that, but nonetheless they made sure only white, male property owners could vote, but even they couldn't be trusted to elect Presidents or Senators. The Senate was specifically designed to calm down the House when it got all het up over some issue and could cause real trouble, thanks to upset constituents of the "people's house."

The concept of democracy as accepting the overall flow of consciousness of the public is theoretically a great idea, as is the concept that legitimate power flows up from the people rather than down from kings. However, attempting to employ a working model from the theory has its pitfalls-- variations of democracy gave us Roosevelt, Churchill, and Hitler at the same time.

[blindpig]

8. So, are you agreeing with Hamilton?

The only thing the masses are ignorant of is priorities of the wealthy.

Truly, we need them no more than a dog needs ticks.

[Gaedel]

6. Democracy

"Democracy is the worst political system in the world, except for all the other political systems."

I really don't remember who to credit for that quote

[pampango]

10. I believe it was Churchill after WWII. A benevolent dictator or king/queen might work well, but

it's is hard to ensure their benevolence. Dictators and royalty often end up as anything but benevolent with "all to human" desires for personal power and money. There is a long, long list of such dictators.

[TBF]

9. Freedom to oppress others -

and rewards to do so are the hallmark of capitalism. You're not imagining anything, it needs to go.

[Gaedel]

11. The problem is....

The same types who rise to the top and become CEOs under capitalism are the same types who rise to the top of the state enterprises.

I learned that when studying Sanitary Engineering. "Any large organization works like an Imhoff Tank, the really big chunks always rise to the top."