Democracy's Survival

Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true. Demosthenes

Democracy has come under fire lately. Many democracies have failed. Will democracy survive as a form of government? In Palestine there was an election and the enemy of the United States, Hamas, won. In Iraq one religious majority won a democratic election over another group. In Europe there are fifteen million Muslims who can vote but some of their countries, England for one, still helps kill their Muslim relatives in Arab countries. What do these frustrated Muslims do? They live in a democracy but their recourse is to resort to violence. What would happen to democracy in the United States if 60% of the voters become non Christian?

If all the members of a democracy are the same the democracy has a greater chance of working. If one majority group tries to impose their dogma or agendas on the minority groups the democracy is in trouble. Even if all members are of the same race and religion, democracy is one group plundering another. People will vote their fears and then their vices before they vote their virtues. This legal plunder will eventually cause the demise of the democracy.

Winston Churchill said, "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Like physics and science, forms of government may yet be discovered that we cannot imagine, much like masses of people 2000 years ago could not imagine democracy. Most people used to think kings were gods and people were destined to be ruled by kings. No one thought the individual had rights.

Wild animals have learned to protect their offspring. The better the genes for protection the greater the chance the young will survive. After millions of years of evolution this desire for protecting the young in wild animals is strong. Humans in a democracy do the opposite. Mothers in a democracy will offer their young to the state for indoctrination in the state's schools. Then the parents of the young will offer their young to the state as cannon fodder in some foreign adventure that will benefit the state. The bad genes survive better in a democracy.

The only way for a democracy to survive is if the members have the freedom to declare their independence from the majority group. As long as there is a threat of secession of some members who will form their own state or join another state the majority group will be less likely to impose laws that oppress the minority group. Why not allow individual companies to offer government services?

People should be free to declare their independence from one state and join another state much like customers are free to shop at the company that provides the best service. Some large companies could provide all the government services and people could join any company and pay for protection and court services, automobile licenses, credit reports, identification, hospitals, etc.

Bilbo Baggins