Originally posted by Shuckins
...whether democratic, socialistic or communistic, have a natural tendency over time to become despotic?
The Founding Fathers of the United States seemed to think so, although many of their ideas would be laughed out of modern academic circles. When it came to trusting the benevolence of any form of government they were unrepentent cynics.
That seems to be the main reason they supported the establishment of armed state militias with that embarassing second amendment.
Your thoughts.
I don't think it's automatic that the gov't will inevitably deteriorate. but once people start thinking it can't happen in a country, it will begin.
btw- I think the point Patrone was trying to make was that you list democratic, socialist or communist you are jumping topics.
democracy just gives the people a voice. you could have communism, socialism, capitalism, whatever and have your gov't elected democratically. you could also have all of those types of gov't with leaders chosen through a monarchy, a militarily enforced coup, or even a lottery I suppose.
I know of no country that is a true democracy (you'd have to allow every citizen an equal voice in all decisions. you'd get nothing done).
we have a Representative gov't where we get to choose (democratically) who wants to make our decisions for us. being allowed to choose who has the power to make decisions for you isn't the same thing as actually giving you the option to not give up the power to choose at all. it works as well as any other gov'ts but it's not a democracy.
basically it comes down to communism and socialism being on the subject how your gov't operates, what it tries to control and what it stays out of. regardless of how your gov't officials are chosen.
while democracy isn't so much about how your country is ran but how you'll go about hiring the guys to run it. regardless of the type of gov't they will be working in.