Think You Live In A Democracy? Think Again!

In my short time here at ATS, I have run across the word democracy in reference to America’s form of government countless times. And it completely infuriates me, to be honest. Not at those who use it without even a hint of its meaning, or connotations. But at our educational system, our media, and our public servants whose mouth it pours from over and over and over. And these people know what it means, yet they keep saying it. People like Mr. Bush, who wants to “spread democracy” across the world. And who equate it with liberty and freedom.

But then, when you want to brainwash generations of people into forgetting the very meaning of the foundational documents that represent a country, repetition works. Especially when it comes from the mouths of those who are supposed to be trusted with the keeping of those documents, and what they represent.

It worked for Barack Hussein Obama, didn’t it? “Change we can believe in.” and “Yes! we can.”
Repeated. Ad Infinitum.

Needless to say, Solon would be horrified, if he were alive today.

There is so much more I could say about the history of our country, and the documents it was supposedly founded on, but it’s beyond the scope of this little rant of mine. And I would rather leave it to Protoplasmic Traveller, and a few others, who explain it so much better than I am able to articulate it. And have tried, like myself to correct this one little consistently perpetuated myth in many posts. Let alone the rest that could be said.

But I’d like to leave you with a few quotes, and a link, that got me started on this in the first place today.

I'll begin by quoting our founders on democracy. James Madison, in Federalist Paper No. 10, said that in a pure democracy, "there is nothing to check the inducement to sacrifice the weaker party or the obnoxious individual." At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Virginia Gov. Edmund Randolph said, "... that in tracing these evils to their origin every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy." John Adams said, "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." Alexander Hamilton said, "We are now forming a Republican form of government. Real Liberty is not found in the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. If we incline too much to democracy, we shall soon shoot into a monarchy, or some other form of dictatorship."

What's the difference between republican and democratic forms of government? John Adams captured the essence when he said, "You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe." That means Congress does not grant us rights; their job is to protect our natural or God-given rights.

Democracy vs. Liberty

ETA: It's unfortunate that this thread will die a quick death. I purposely left out the words "constitutional republic", and "representative republic" as a measuring stick and experiment. However, in the quotes, and in the link to the commentary, there was ample demonstration of my intent and meaning. I was hoping for more of a response from Americans. And I was hoping more people would visit the link. That doesn't mean though, that the thread wasn't educational. It was. Very.

Ours is a representative republic.
Not a democracy.

But please, continue.

reply to post by beezzer

Thank You! You're one of the few.

reply to post by beezzer

reply to post by yeahright

Excellent Link! Thank you for the addition of this sir. It's good reading for those whose understanding already goes beyond what I was getting at in the OP.

Of course there is no true democracy.

Here in the UK we vote for a face for a party...they become primeminister BUT the civil servants in Whitehall call the shots...yet they are unelected. Governments change...these people dont.

Originally posted by yeahright
reply to post by beezzer

 

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

Think you live in a representative republic?

Think again.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

That is the truth.

I think it's funny how "citizens" always run around complaining about democracy. Half the time they don't even vote, they have no idea how government works, and they don't seem to care unless it affects them. In my opinion, that is the complete opposite of what a Citizen should be.

Citizens, of any country, should:
1) Be educated to the best of their ability in the operations, structure, and purpose of government.
2) Participate in fulfilling their duties to the government. Whether it is taxes, voting, or serving either the public or in the military.
3) Be proactive when possible, reactive if necessary, and vigilant always. There's no room for ignorance.

Originally posted by yeahright
reply to post by beezzer

 

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

Think you live in a representative republic?

Think again.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

your are 100% correct
when the govenment gave the green light to monsanto and that artificial sweeterner aspetamin
i realised that facism is acually world wide
it is the illusion we are free that allows most to sleep through the night mare

my country NZ is also a facist govenment by these standards

s+f

xp

reply to post by loves a conspiricy

Of course there is no true democracy.

Would you want there to be a true form of democracy? And would you want to live under it?

reply to post by Mapkar

I think it's funny how "citizens" always run around complaining about democracy.

Do you like democracy? And if so. Please explain what you like about it.

reply to post by Klassified


I wasn't implying that I like what we've got. I was saying, I don't really like people going and complaining about what they perceive as a democracy without even being part of it. I haven't got an answer to half the problems our government deals with on a daily basis, I think they're capable of doing a job. Whether or not they do it is a different story. What I was saying is, if someone isn't willing to be part of what's happening, they shouldn't have a right to complain about how things are going.

To answer your question though, at least "democracy" lends an illusion of control or input to the population. Whether or not portraying an illusion is ethical or not is again, a different story. Is it better to know you're oppressed, or is it better to think you're free?

reply to post by Mapkar

Thanks for the reply. My original intent with this thread was to confront an issue that I see a lot on ATS. And that is the word democracy being used to describe our country's form of government, instead of what it is supposed to be, a constitutional republic. And though I appreciated Beezzer stating the obvious. It was also obvious that he (nor anyone else for that matter, except maybe one) did not read the entire post, or the commentary I linked to, or he probably would not have felt the need.

So my question to you was an attempt to find out if you knew the difference between the two forms of government, and whether you had read the quotes, and the link. Mainly because I was interested in your first post.

But without getting too far off topic, I'll say it's better to know you're oppressed.

To answer your question though, at least "democracy" lends an illusion of control or input to the population.

I think you hit the nail on the head with this statement. I think this is exactly what our society has become. And indeed has been for a very long time. An illusion of choice. Whether that be democracy, or a republic. So "being a part of it" simply means one only need exist, and be a citizen. For imo, there is no choice. TPTB make all the choices for us that have any importance. But we are led to believe our representatives have our best interests at heart. But that is for another thread, another time.

Thanks again for your earnest reply, and candor. It is appreciated.