Re: The price of the new American virtue

On Feb 6, 2011, at 12:47 AM, Karl Swenson wrote:

>> One is that Hitler was democratically elected himself.
>
> Of course that was a democracy turning into a dictatorship, not a
> dictatorship turning into a democracy.  So it probably applies more to
> the US than to Egypt.
>
> ***huh?  How does that follow.  America was never a dictatorship.   
> Or are
> you county its time as a colony?  That was not strictly speaking a
> dictatorship was it?

I think you misunderstand.  I'm saying Egypt is a dictatorship turning  
(hopefully) into a democracy.  America is a democracy turning  
(hopefully not) into a dictatorship.
The Hitler analogy probably applies more to America than to Egypt.

> I think that Democracy usually occurs organically from the people, or
> a sect of people, rather than handed down to the people via dictats
> from a ruler.
>
> **well, that depends.  Some dictatorship have elections all the time.

That are nothing but elaborate PR stunts to justify their  
dictatorship, not a true democracy.
Can you name me a case of a dictator instituting reforms himself and  
implementing democracy?  I don't think that is a typical path to  
democracy.  And it certainly isn't one I can trust, especially in this  
case when said dictator is shooting protestors in the streets,  
arresting journalists and promoting a Goebbels style media campaign.   
(OK, nevermind the Hitler analogy again), you know what I mean.

(Also, can we avoid the details of the definition of a democracy  
versus a republic versus other western liberal forms of gov't.  I'm  
using the word democracy loosely to refer to governments that get  
their consent from the people in some fashion.)

regards,
-Lance



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