Fundamental Feature of Democracy: Classless society?

What is the most fundamental features of democracy? It seems to me that in a Democracy, rule of the people, that there would need to be equal authority for all. Otherwise, you don't have rule of the people. Rather, you have rule of SOME people over others. That's what we have in today's Republics. We generally (across the world) have the elite ruling class who take our money and tell us what to do. We have the wealthy elite, the commoner class, and also a few special protected classes, like the disabled, in various places. Perhaps the most fundamental feature of a democracy is that there are no political classes... its a classless society.

In a democracy, perhaps you don't vote for leaders. That would create a leader class and a follower class with different levels of authority. Rather, you have people who set examples and then others who follow those examples. That would be natural leadership.

How does a classful society work in practice? Right now the most protected class is the class is the police class. Despite that they are on average, very strong, carry firearms at all times, and are specially trained to handle combat, they have the most laws against attacking them. On the other hand, new-born babies, the class needing the most protection even more so than the elderly and disabled, have no extra laws making it a crime to attack them. That is how people have chosen to set up the classes. That is not something I'm impressed by.

I think that "equal authority for all" is roughly the same thing as a classless society.

In a land of equal authority for all, how do you say "You're under arrest?". Everyone would have equal power to arrest one another if they do certain acts. Everyone would have equal power to tax one another for certain purposes... I can't imagine that working well, and think all taxes would be voluntary. Everyone would have equal authority to drag one another to court. I think that would end up being voluntary.

Democracy is rule by the people. Today's governments are rule by some people and not others. Politicians are the rulers in today's world. In a Democracy, I'm a politician as much as the next guy. That sounds appealing to me.

a reply to: wayforward

It seems to me that in a Democracy, rule of the people, that there would need to be equal authority for all. Otherwise, you don't have rule of the people. Rather, you have rule of SOME people over others. That's what we have in today's Republics.

You're mixing terms. A Republic (Representing the Public) is a system whereby representatives are elected by the people through democratic means.

The representatives do not rule, they are subject to the Constitution and are supposed to be guided by that exclusively. I think its mentioned in all the swearing in ceremonies… "defend the Constitution"?

Sadly nowadays, in word only.

The first official lie upon taking office.

One good thing about democracy as it replaced its previous feudal styles of governance was that if you got some idiot for a leader you did not have to wait for them to die to get them replaced.

I don't think there's ever been a true democratic state on this planet. The closest you get would be egalitarian tribes; which are truly classless (which seems to work small-scale. No Ipods and Wal-Marts though.)

To be honest, I think a true democracy would be a little scary to live in. I don't want Average Joe Six-Packs making decisions for all of us just because they rule in numbers. Ever seen Idiocracy?

Although our Republics seem rife with corruption and ineptitude, there is always the hope that maybe, someday, they won't be. With Democracy, you pretty much have to surrender to mob rule; that's not my idea of justice.

The idea of classless society is it was meant then is different as people think of it today. Today, everyone thinks of classless society as no one is wealthier than anyone else, we're all equal in wealth and everything else. This is the communist/socialist/Marxist notion of "classless." What was originally meant by classless was not that you wouldn't have stratification with some rising above others, but that no one would be fixed to their place by birth alone which was the norm in the societies of the day - if you were born to the lower class, you would stay there no matter how wealthy you might become, no matter how abled you might be.

The idea of a Representative Republic was to impose a meritocracy where a person might rise or fall based on his or her personal merit. So, yes, there is still stratification, but there is also mobility between strata with many rising into or falling out of the different levels of wealth through their own efforts.

All this talk of a representative republic, meritocracy, democracy, democratic state, rule of law, constitution, votes, etc is all
just intellectual academic masturbation because we don't live under that type of political ideology and haven't for sometime.
Of course they preach this BS in school and conveniently ignore the reality of the United States of America being an Oligarchy; A total stratified society where the upper classes are essentially hidden from the proletariat.

What we currently have is a new style feudalism with the serfs completely oblivious to political reality. Brilliant in a sick sort of way!!

mic.com...

joemiller.us...

Of course there is upward mobility but only in the strata you happen to be born into; an Americanized caste system is firmly in place but hidden.

All the conservatives ranting about the coming socialism and or communism really illustrates that they have let their ideology get in the way of their common sense.

yoa reply to: wayforward
I gotta mention one thing here: law enforcement (police) are not the most protected class in this society. The most protected class are those who influence lawmakers, those who decide what the laws are that get enforced. This should be the people, but unfortunately these days its a lot of special interests.

a reply to: olaru12

No actually, they don't teach this stuff in school anymore. If they did, you wouldn't have as much trouble in this society as you do with so many willing to hand over so many of their personal liberties to the state in return for free stuff and a promise of "equality."

a reply to: wayforward

Go back a century or two before police forces and look at how criminals were dealt with in those societies.

Usually death, exile or severe punishment, what we would now call vigilante justice

originally posted by: Hanslune
a reply to: wayforward

Go back a century or two before police forces and look at how criminals were dealt with in those societies.

Usually death, exile or severe punishment, what we would now call vigilante justice

Well, its no cake walk committing a crime in today's world. After getting a felony on your record, it becomes almost impossible to get a job. I think exile is about as severe as a punishment as never being able to get a job or counting on lying then hoping they never do a background check. Ultimately people have to exile them self or revert to a life of crime after being released under today's system.

Between never getting a job and 20 lashes with a cane, I think I'll get it over with in lashes and move on. Of course I'm used to the US justice system where 2 million people are locked up for victimless "crimes". Its hardly a system that seems civilized. It seems like the world is chock full of gross injustices on a daily basis all around the world. So, I genuinely question whether modern "justice" is really any better than stone age vigilante justice.

Its tough to make an objective comparison, but I'd love to see one.

a reply to: wayforward

I cant agree with this even though I myself am a small time insignificant nobody who does not have enough money to retire on. The fact is there is noting wrong with having rich people. The question is how much wealth should one person have.

Even I would like to have never ever go anywhere near a dole shop again in my life but its my fault, at least in part, that I am not worth 7-8 million because I too would like to be worth that much and live the rest of my life in ease and comfort without any financial concerns. Its not my fault that I was not born smart, clever, bright and talented or with a searing, burning desire to do xyz that would have made me millions.

The penalty I pay for not being those things is JOB - Just Over Broke.

We are all on different paths in the world and most of us walk the low and road and some get to walk the high road.