Political World Online.com

Is democracy the best form of government?

This is a discussion on Is democracy the best form of government? within the Political Science forums, part of the Politics category; Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free ...


Home Page News Forum Links Directory Donate to Political World Online.com
Go Back   Political World Online.com > Politics > Political Science

Notices

Political Science Discuss the theory, practice and behavior of political parties and systems.

View Poll Results: Is democracy the best form of government?
Yes 18 64.29%
No 8 28.57%
Not Sure 2 7.14%
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
LinkBack (1) Thread Tools Display Modes
  1 links from elsewhere to this Post. Click to view. #1 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:07 PM
Tony Montana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 39
Tony Montana is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Is democracy the best form of government?

Quote:
Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system.
Democracy is little more than mob rule, then why do so many people consider it the best form of Government? What happens if you don't agree with the mob?

What do you think? Is democracy the best form of government?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:10 PM
Nobama's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 105
Nobama is on a distinguished road
Default

"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."

- Sir Winston Churchill
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:19 PM
Drums of War's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 418
Drums of War is a jewel in the roughDrums of War is a jewel in the roughDrums of War is a jewel in the roughDrums of War is a jewel in the rough
Default

The best form of government would be a uncorrupted King who really cares about his people and does every he can for them and the country.

What we have today are politicians who only care about themselves and don't work for the people but for corporations.
__________________
Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism. - George Washington
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:30 PM
Liberty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 64
Liberty is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Montana View Post

What do you think? Is democracy the best form of government?
Yes Democracy is the best form of Government and here's why:

* Sovereignty of the people.
* Government based upon consent of the governed.
* Guarantee of basic human rights.
* Free and fair elections.
* Equality before the law.
* Due process of law.
* Constitutional limits on government.
* Social, economic, and political pluralism.
* Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:35 PM
Discreet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 7
Discreet is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobama View Post
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."

- Sir Winston Churchill
Exactly
__________________
~ Discreet
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 03:16 PM
Patrick Henry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 396
Patrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drums of War View Post
The best form of government would be a uncorrupted King who really cares about his people and does every he can for them and the country.

What we have today are politicians who only care about themselves and don't work for the people but for corporations.
Yes and no.

A king with very good morals and values would definitely be one of the best governments possible. A king that listens to his people and does what he can is almost impossible because the majority of nations do not have kings, the nations that do have kings might be corrupted, and the uncorrupted king might have corrupted advisers. But the nations that have uncorrupted monarchy/royalty is probably one of the best governments you can have.

However, you could just have uncorrupted politicians. I admit that they don't come around very often, but they are probably just as uncommon as an uncorrupted monarchy/royalty. A prime example of an uncorrupted official in my opinion is Cowin Powell. He does not submit, as I have said, to peer (or party) pressure. He goes by his principles and only his principles. He is my role model and should be everyone else's.
__________________
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. --James Dean
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:31 PM
Plato's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 388
Plato has a spectacular aura aboutPlato has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Henry View Post
However, you could just have uncorrupted politicians. I admit that they don't come around very often, but they are probably just as uncommon as an uncorrupted monarchy/royalty. A prime example of an uncorrupted official in my opinion is Cowin Powell. He does not submit, as I have said, to peer (or party) pressure. He goes by his principles and only his principles. He is my role model and should be everyone else's.
Colin Powell was smart to choose Obama, even though he has been a Republican for a long time. A democracy is best when you need to distribute the power between the greedy officials and the officials doing good. That is a main reason the US has had it's success.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 10-23-2008, 05:05 PM
POW's Avatar
POW POW is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 69
POW is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Montana View Post
Democracy is little more than mob rule, then why do so many people consider it the best form of Government? What happens if you don't agree with the mob?

What do you think? Is democracy the best form of government?
Yes Democracy is the best because it has allowed for Checks and Balances. They are there to ensure that political power is dispersed and decentralized and never just in the hands of a few. Unlike with past Governments Democracy is a system founded on the deeply held belief that government is best when its potential for abuse is curbed and when it is held as close to the people as possible.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 03:22 PM
Odin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 113
Odin is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liberty View Post
Yes Democracy is the best form of Government and here's why:

* Sovereignty of the people.
* Government based upon consent of the governed.
* Guarantee of basic human rights.
* Free and fair elections.
* Equality before the law.
* Due process of law.
* Constitutional limits on government.
* Social, economic, and political pluralism.
* Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
Couldn't have said it better!
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 04:18 PM
Achilles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 266
Achilles has a spectacular aura aboutAchilles has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Montana View Post
Democracy is little more than mob rule, then why do so many people consider it the best form of Government? What happens if you don't agree with the mob?

What do you think? Is democracy the best form of government?
Democracy is the best form of government right now. Democracy is good because it intertwines the common person with the government. It also distributes the power evenly between people, ensuring that there is no one person who makes all the decisions. The reason why America has survived so long is because if important decisions need to be made, democracy ensures that that decision is a good one
__________________
"If [a] book be false in its facts, disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. But for God's sake, let us freely hear both sides if we choose." - Thomas Jefferson to N. G. Dufief, 1814.

LEGO Star Wars Club
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 05:27 PM
Alexandra's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 54
Alexandra is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Achilles View Post
democracy ensures that that decision is a good one
Like the Iraq War? Democracy is only as good as the people elected.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 06:38 PM
Achilles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 266
Achilles has a spectacular aura aboutAchilles has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra View Post
Like the Iraq War? Democracy is only as good as the people elected.
The Iraq War was based on false intelligence, and we went mainly to get weapons of mass destruction and to gain control of oil in that area. Yes, democracy is only as good as the people elected, but us, the people are solely in control of who and when is elected, not the people who are elected. Sure, democracy has its faults like corrupt politicians or people who mislead us, but so far democracy has proved to be the best option for government.
__________________
"If [a] book be false in its facts, disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. But for God's sake, let us freely hear both sides if we choose." - Thomas Jefferson to N. G. Dufief, 1814.

LEGO Star Wars Club
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 09:21 PM
Patrick Henry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 396
Patrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Achilles View Post
The Iraq War was based on false intelligence, and we went mainly to get weapons of mass destruction and to gain control of oil in that area. Yes, democracy is only as good as the people elected, but us, the people are solely in control of who and when is elected, not the people who are elected. Sure, democracy has its faults like corrupt politicians or people who mislead us, but so far democracy has proved to be the best option for government.
The Iraq war was not so much started because of false intelligence rather than the people simply thought then that the war was worth supporting and it wouldn't cost billions of dollars, would rage on for six years, and wouldn't put us into debt, but it did. I agree with everything else you said about how democracy is only as good as the people make it.
__________________
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. --James Dean

Last edited by Patrick Henry; 10-25-2008 at 12:59 AM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old 10-24-2008, 10:54 PM
Achilles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 266
Achilles has a spectacular aura aboutAchilles has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Henry View Post
The Iraq War was not based on false intelligence—the people simply thought then that the war was worth supporting and it wouldn't cost billions of dollars, would rage on for six years, and wouldn't put us into debt, but it did. I agree with everything else you said about how democracy is only as good as the people make it.
"Prior to the war, Iraq's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was claimed to pose a serious and imminent threat to Western national security. This assessment was supported by the U.K. intelligence services, but not by other countries such as France, Russia and Germany. United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission weapon inspectors found no evidence of WMD, giving support to earlier criticism of poor intelligence on Iraqi WMDs." --from Wikipedia

The Iraq War was based on false intelligence that they were harboring weapons of mass destruction or WMD. This allegation was proved to be false and when our forces sized control of Iraq and overthrew the dictator Saddam Hussein, chaos from various sectarian groups and the Iraqi Insurgency threw Iraq into violence. American troops are still fighting these forces to today. This example shows that democracy is only good as the what people who decide it to be, and what the politicians want it to be.
__________________
"If [a] book be false in its facts, disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. But for God's sake, let us freely hear both sides if we choose." - Thomas Jefferson to N. G. Dufief, 1814.

LEGO Star Wars Club
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old 10-25-2008, 12:58 AM
Patrick Henry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 396
Patrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura aboutPatrick Henry has a spectacular aura about
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Achilles View Post
"Prior to the war, Iraq's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was claimed to pose a serious and imminent threat to Western national security. This assessment was supported by the U.K. intelligence services, but not by other countries such as France, Russia and Germany. United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission weapon inspectors found no evidence of WMD, giving support to earlier criticism of poor intelligence on Iraqi WMDs." --from Wikipedia

The Iraq War was based on false intelligence that they were harboring weapons of mass destruction or WMD. This allegation was proved to be false and when our forces sized control of Iraq and overthrew the dictator Saddam Hussein, chaos from various sectarian groups and the Iraqi Insurgency threw Iraq into violence. American troops are still fighting these forces to today. This example shows that democracy is only good as the what people who decide it to be, and what the politicians want it to be.
I think we're both right. It was partially false info and partially because people somewhat supported it. I didn't mind fighting a war if it was to get weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists' hands but that was, like you said, false intelligence. It was false intelligence, with support of the false intelligence on top of it.
__________________
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. --James Dean

Last edited by Patrick Henry; 10-29-2008 at 09:02 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
democracy, government


LinkBacks (?)
LinkBack to this Thread: http://www.politicalworldonline.com/Forum/political-science/205-democracy-best-form-government.html
Posted By For Type Date
Digg - Is democracy the best form of government? This thread Refback 10-23-2008 02:24 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.2.0
© 2009 Political World Online.com All Rights Reserved.