Thread: О тех, кто в России у власти

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Not really. The ancient Greek democracy has very little to do with the today's democracy and you know it.

I gave you the modern definition of the democracy as it is stated in Wikipedia (not a very reliable source in general, but the definitions are usually up to date).

Originally Posted by Crocodile

I think I gave a different definition for the democracy, so you can't really drag me down that way.

You gave a wrong definition.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Yes, we can! (TM) There are lots of ways and the first, but not the least, is to make them afraid you'll cause them some physical damage. And you don't have to deceive, but you can take one person off the crowd and beat him to death, then go for the second one and then the crowd becomes afraid and will do whatever you want. No deceptions. The deception (to make the people believe they want the same thing that you want is perhaps the softest way of ruling (and children safe too).

Agreed, I just didn't mention that. But in modern democracies the threat of physical violence remains the same. It is veiled, obscured by laws and regulations, but it IS present.

Originally Posted by Hanna

I agree with Ramil, about the hypocrisy of democracy.
In a way it's almost more "honest" with a dictatorship, because then you know where you stand.
However, police and authorities in democracies generally treat the population a bit better, don't they?

Any proofs? Say, Saudi Arabia is an absolutist monarchy - i.e. technically - dictatorship. Do you beliefe the police there is more violent than in the USA? I don't think so. All I know that in countries with dictatorships the population is more law abiding (because of that thread, crocodile mentioned).

Originally Posted by Hanna

And don't you think there is some relevance to the fact that countries that have a higher level of (percieved) democracy, tend to have a higher level of material living standards? Or is that a side effect of their general deviousness?

Aren't you confusing the cause and the consequences? These countries have a higher level of (perceived) democracy because they have a higher level of material living standards, therefore - they can afford that.

Originally Posted by Hanna

many of the inhabitants don't really understand how the democracy is supposed to work, and why they should not sell their votes.

I wish I could sell mine to someone. They don't ask me

Originally Posted by Marcus

Who determins the level of democracy?

How can you measure something that doesn't exist anywhere?