Thread: Is Russia a democracy? Плюс то же о некоторых других странах

Originally Posted by Antonio1986

The word democracy, is of course Greek as the concept of democracy (of course women, poor people and slaves didn't have the right to vote then ), and derives from the words = Δήμος (demos) + Κρατεί (kratei). "Demos" means people and "kratei" means rule, so it is the political system that people rule. On this initial definition in ancient Greece all the decisions were taken with consensus (i.e. the 100% of all residents of Athens should agree in order for a decision to be made, at that time about 5,000 people!). Based on this definition no country has a real democracy. Because consensus is impossible to achieved all the time the system of majority was introduced again for the first time in Greece. Putin if I am correct is now the majority in Russia, so democracy based on the definition of majority works in Russian. However, based on John Stuart Mill, who is the father of political liberalism, the majority should never depress the minorities ("tyranny of the majority"). Based on the second definition Russia is one of the most failed democracies on planet (... you don't want me to mention examples). In contemporary Greece we have a different problem now "tyranny of the minority" where few leftist groups block any attempt of reformation.

Endorsed.

Now I'd like to know which democracy isn't a failed one. They all fall short of their idealistic mission, don't they?

Originally Posted by Lady Maria

Endorsed.

Now I'd like to know which democracy isn't a failed one. They all fall short of their idealistic mission, don't they?

In the majority of social science departments of universities of Europe the "model of Scandinavian countries" is taught as that which is more closed to what we call "functional, prosperus and liberal democracy". The universities of USA I am sure that they promote the political system USA as the most successful democracy, because of the system of "checks and balances*" (the French philosopher Voltaire will certainly agree that USA has one of the most rightful democracies based on this criterion). My personal opinion and I think that majority of the social scientists will agree is that education and active political participation are the two factors than can ensure the proper functionality of a real democracy.

* The denial of the Parliament of USA (Congress) to approve the budget is one good recent example