Democracy vs dictatorship

[Bruce Tuncks]

I reckon the world is divided into 2 camps, democracy and dictatorships.  Of course, one can easily flip into dictatorship as we have seen recently with Trump.

There is such a blurred line between them , even Putin is going to hold an "election".

So what criteria should be used to decide if a country is what?

[Bruce Tuncks]

I would like to see all the democratic countries leave the UN and set up their own organization.

There would be lots of dictatorships suddenly feeling exposed, which would be great to see.

[old man emu]

The UN was and always will be a paper tiger in the area of international relationships. It was set up to camouflage the expansionism of the USA and Russia. It initially was a club for the Allies who defeated Nazi Germany and Japan. To fluff it up, it admitted lots of little countries, but the real wielders of power were the USA and Russia. Britain lost its seat and it has now been filled by China.

 

The flaw in the UN's otherwise flawless plan was the introduction of the veto power in the Security Council. It only takes one country to say "No" and any proposition is defeated.

 

[facthunter]

Not fit for Purpose. Wasn't it originally the League of Nations?  Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

Not fit for Purpose. Wasn't it originally the League of Nations?  Nev

Same dog. Different collar.

[facthunter]

It's aims were more lofty but the US will NEVER  accept anyone telling them what to do and they are not the only ones. THEY only  agree when the outcome suits them. Some leader they don't like may be elected democratically and they will still move in and kick that Gov't out or put in trade embargoes.  Nev

[Bruce Tuncks]

I looked up democracies and the US is listed as a "flawed" democracy. There are about 25 percent of countries which are properly democratic, plus a lot of flawed ones and several of the dictatorships list "elections" etc as they wish to pretend. Wouldn't it be great if the real democracies formed a "UN" and penalised those flawed democracies , thus encouraging them to try harder. I reckon this would make it harder for dictatorships, excluded very publicly, to pretend. I would allow the US to remain aloof and say how they were not among the proper democracies anyway.

 

[facthunter]

We'd be rubbed out. as a looming threat to the "American Way".    Nev

[Litespeed]

ItI like the idea but as we tend to be a fully owned subsidiary of the capitalist military industrial complex I am not optimistic.

 

 

Your completely correct, the Security counsel is a joke of dictatorial regimes, votes or not,  they control and the rest cop it.

The Veto power entrenched hegemony of the winner, we may believe the US is democratic but that is a illusion. Just look at the reality of now dead Henry Kissinger, one of the most dictatorial idealouges and mass murderers in history.

No one voted for him ever. But he dominated policy even in his old age, no one has created more coups

, assassinations of democratic leaders and regime changes, nor created more wars.

That's quite a legacy, that compares to Stalin and Hitler.  

 

Democracy is a wonderful idea but is generally an illusion.

[spacesailor]

That's why that " English system " works So well .

They tried the ' Republic ' system that didn't work .

spacesailor

 

[nomadpete]

OK.

 

I'll stick my neck out and ask for a benevolent dictator to run the country.

 

As long as she isn't a psychopath.

 

 

[facthunter]

Get GOD to run it and then we'll be completely stuffed like all the places where IT does. Democracy gives the Poeple, POWER and the RICH don't want THAT and never will. Nev

[nomadpete]

Relevant to the debate - Dictatorship vs Democracy, is the use of religiosity to control the meanest by either system.

 

There are many contradictory famous quotes attributed to the founding fathers of the USA constitution.

 

One....

"Strongly guarded as is the separation between Religion and Government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history." ~ James Madison

 

That one didn't  last long.

[facthunter]

Many Emigrants escaped/left Europe to  America to get away from the Restrictions of Religions.   Nev

[nomadpete]

Autocorrect changed 'masses' to 'meanest'

 

AI has a long way to go before I trust it.

[old man emu]

The Pilgrim Fathers left England because they were being persecuted for their fundamentalist beliefs. And that's where the current decay of the United States began.

[Litespeed]

Yep, that bunch that speak in tongues aka nut jobs or pentacostals or happy clappers.

 

They believe anything goes to make money is Devine, as only they are his children and all others evil. Only they are deserving and to be rich brings you closer to heaven. 

 

The exact same church's that gave us Scott Morrison.

 

No wonder the World's fucked

[Litespeed]

8 hours ago, nomadpete said:

OK.

 

I'll stick my neck out and ask for a benevolent dictator to run the country.

 

As long as she isn't a psychopath.

 

 

 

Given the behaviours of the few women in the LNP, they appear to be disqualified then.

As would any One Nation or Palmer Party hack be.

 

So Canberra contenders come from the independents, Greens or Labour. None are clearly a psychopathic 

Penny Wong or Tanya Pibersek? sen Barbara Pocock?

 

Neither have the ego to want the job, that's why we got Albo instead. That alone makes a great candidate.

 

Alternatively, I am prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and identify as female,  if I get the whole world to run.

 

You can call me Shirley 

[onetrack]

Litespeed, I reckon if you got all the worlds power, you'd make a horrible dictator - ruthless, power-crazy, and unforgiving!! 

[spacesailor]

As I said before. 

Let the first nations people pick one of their mob  ! .

For our new world " Republic " president. 

spacesailor

 

[onetrack]

What?? And let our nation descend into tribal in-fighting?? It's bad enough, the system we've got now!

[facthunter]

WE don't just have Tribal infighting. We have outright sabotage.  And we have some of the best Pollies MONEY CAN BUY. Nev

[spacesailor]

SO ! .

Who better to sit in the " president's seat " than a None pollie .

Make more sense than your "  bought " politician . ( " the best pollies money can buy " ) .

spacesailor

 

 

[nomadpete]

One scifi author suggested a non-politician, non-wealthy person was more likely to use common sense.  A random selected pleb who was assessed as 'average'. This person got to sit in the president seat for a term.

 

The vulnerability is the same as any present system -  putting a human into a role of power always ends badly.

[spacesailor]

PLEASE NO BLOOODY  A. I .

It's spelling and grammar are mediocre .

Look at the number of mistakes it makes on this one forum .

And , it thinks it's so good , it changes what WE are trying to ' communicate ' .

Edited December 2, 2023 by spacesailor
A I Changed mediocre to medical