Despotism: Where Does Your Country Rate?

No one that spends any time on ATS can deny that political passions can run high at times. The Left/Right paradigm shows itself on pretty much every political or economic thread sooner or later.

Let us all take a step back and stop looking at individual trees. Let us instead take a hard look at the forest.

The Wikipedia entry on "Despotism":

en.wikipedia.org...

Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity, called the despot, rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy.

This video is from 1945, and it attempts to demonstrate how one can determine where on the Democracy/Despotism scale a given country lies.



Personally, regardless of any political leanings one might have this video brings up a legitimate question. One that is completely relevant to what is going on in today’s governments. Leaving the whole liberal/conservative blah, blah, blah as well as the inevitable finger-pointing and accusations at the door I’d like to hear thoughts on this subject.

Thanks ATSers!

Hmm Despotism is a word thats rarely used these days, but look where it is in the United States Declaration of Independence. Last Sentence.

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,[72] that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

reply to post by Hessling


The US isn't there yet but look at the Executive Orders signed..
Is that not despotism ??

Originally posted by backinblack
reply to post by Hessling

 

The US isn't there yet but look at the Executive Orders signed..
Is that not despotism ??

Damn Skippy backinblack!

One question I have is whether or not there are strings tied to a puppet, being pulled upon constantly by powers that lurk in the shadows? Pretty safe to say that's a common question on this site.

Peace.

I don't think they lurk in the shadows, I think thay come right out in front of a podium and just throw it in our faces! I mean, when the Despot-o-govment just sticks it to us when they KNOW we don't want something, (don't want to beat a dead and rotting corpse of a horse - The Healthcare Debacle), and they just go out and do it anyway, yeah, I'd say that could be a sign of creeping despotism.

Wow

I nwould like too say we have that waiting for us..........but according to the video........we arre already there. I would say we are well over 90% toward desptism in most if not all catigories