Democracy and its Weakness

The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern. Lord Acton

Walter Williams wrote, "Does democracy really deserve the praise it receives? According to Webster's Dictionary, democracy is defined as "government by the people; especially: rule of the majority." What's so great about majority rule? Let's look at majority rule, as a decision-making tool, and ask how many of our choices we would like settled by what a majority likes. Would you want the kind of car that you own to be decided through a democratic process, or would you prefer purchasing any car you please? Ask that same question about decisions such as where you live, what clothes you purchase, what food you eat, what entertainment you enjoy and what wines you drink. I'm sure that if anyone suggested that these choices be subject to a democratic process, you'd deem it tyranny."

I agree with Mr. Williams that democracy is what the majority in a group wants. Democracy is one group plundering another. I don't know what form of government is better. I only know big government means power and power corrupts. Governments should be restricted in what they can do.

Hamas was elected through democracy in Palestine, yet our government does not approve. The Shias in Iraq are a democracy and the Sunnis are being oppressed. Our government only approves of democracies they like.

This is why the founders set up a republic. From my childhood years I learned we were not a democracy, but we are a republic. Still the people can elect representatives who will do anything to get re-elected, including serving the wishes of the majority, of voters.

People form groups for their mutual protection. Soon the group becomes strong enough to do to others what they wanted protection from. Out of these groups different kinds of states are created.

A democracy would work for a while in a group of like minded people, such as black and white libertarians, male and female. As the group grows larger, eventually the group with the majority would start getting the most from the democracy.

People espouse democracy as some sort of procedure that will do away with vices and hatred on Election Day. Does one really believe that the right to vote in Israel for all residents would bring peace to that country? If the Arabs living in Israel could vote, would Israel be a beautiful democracy? After all, the United States keeps promoting democracy to justify their violence in Iraq.

What can the minority do in a democracy to gain justice? They can vote as a block, but the majority still is in control. The minority can stage sit in strikes, but the majority is still in control. The minority can resort to violence, but the majority is still in control.

The one thing the minority can do is declare their independence. This is happening around the world today, especially in Eastern Europe. We have seen countries fighting for their independence since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

There are many people in the United States who are against the imperialist policies of the United States. This group may be a minority who sees the United States foreign policies as a threat to the safety of the United States. This minority group may decide to declare their independence from the United States in order to feel safer.

Suppose California declared its independence and would no longer be involved in the foreign affairs of the United States, nor would they send aid to Israel. Do you think terrorist from the Middle East would attack California? Would Washington State declare its independence and join Canada?

The foreign policy of the U.S. is not the only reason for the future demise of the United States. The Patriot Act is another reason many people will want to be independent of the United States. People will want to regain rights guaranteed in the constitution, which are being ignored. By declaring their independence, different states will attempt to get back their freedoms, and the cycle will continue.

Charles Tolleson