Best form of Government

Brantai · June 08, 2007, 11:15:44 PM

Quote from: Thanatos02How many others voted collective, citizen?

Obviously not enough.

ElectroKitty · June 09, 2007, 10:29:25 AM

Quote from: KoltarHeck, I've slept with intellectuals - they still scream God's name in the middle of an orgasm just like everybody else.

Unless they're screaming *your* name, you're doing it wrong.

Stumpydave · June 09, 2007, 05:11:38 PM

Quote from: KoltarHeck, I've slept with intellectuals - they still scream God's name in the middle of an orgasm just like everybody else.

- Ed C.

Insert joke about male intellectuals. make up your own punchline.

hgjs · June 09, 2007, 09:25:53 PM

The best is a benign dictatorship.

The second-best is... I'm not sure, but the worst is a non-benign dictatorship.

David R · June 09, 2007, 09:49:48 PM

Quote from: ElectroKittyUnless they're screaming *your* name, you're doing it wrong.

Koltar is talking about Klingons...they shout their God's name

Regards,
David R

ElectroKitty · June 10, 2007, 01:22:51 PM

Quote from: David RKoltar is talking about Klingons...they shout their God's name

Regards,
David R

Of *course* they shout their God's name. Which is exactly my point. If they're not shouting *your* name, you're doing it wrong.

beejazz · June 10, 2007, 01:32:15 PM

What is the best form of government. Anything where I'm in charge. Ideally I also wouldn't be obligated to do anything or held responsible for anything I did.

Actually... I'd settle for that kind of setup in my own life. An absolutist dictatorship with a population of one. Diplomatic immumity for all!

Koltar · June 11, 2007, 11:47:25 PM

Hey - if you can't have some humor while talking about possible governments - then why bother?

"A revolution without dancing - is not a revolution worth having" - my favorite line from V for Vendetta.

- Ed C.

Black Flag · June 14, 2007, 12:03:57 AM

What is meant by "collective"? It seems to me that would overlap with several of the others.

And let me go on record as saying that a benign dictatorship is as fanciful as a government comprised of floating pink elephants made of intelligent cotton candy. And even if it weren't, it would still be a bad idea. The common people should be encouraged to be smart and independent, not stupid and servile. Sooner or later we all have to leave daddy's lap and learn to make decisions for ourselves. Any daddy who doesn't want that, doesn't really love you.

Pseudoephedrine · June 14, 2007, 01:53:44 AM

It also suffers from the limits of human cognition, etc. No one person ever has perfect information about the totality of society's relations, and in fact, every moment that they act, the accuracy of their information becomes poorer (Kojeve and Strauss had a debate on this in more refined philosophical language that's been collected into "On Tyranny by Leo Strauss with the Expanded Kojeve-Strauss Correspondence") (Hayek also pointed this out years ago).

Dictatorships are shitholes, and the idea that they're the best form of government comes from a pathological understanding of individuality.

Koltar · June 14, 2007, 02:37:06 AM

You seem to have that backwards.

The best form of government for people to breathe free as Individuals is Democracy.

- Ed C.

Pseudoephedrine · June 14, 2007, 03:09:13 AM

Look up what the word "pathological" means before you post next time, Koltar.

Koltar · June 14, 2007, 04:16:37 AM

Theres no need to .

Democracy DOES give the most freedom to be an individual.

Direct participataory democracy would be best, but Representative Democracy comes a close second.

- Ed C.

ElectroKitty · June 14, 2007, 10:37:20 AM

Quote from: KoltarDemocracy DOES give the most freedom to be an individual.

Depends on the democracy. Don't forget that the "pure democracy" test case (Athens, Greece, Circa 400 BC) featured a very large number of individuals with no freedom at all.

Joey2k · June 14, 2007, 02:56:37 PM

Quote from: ElectroKittyDepends on the democracy. Don't forget that the "pure democracy" test case (Athens, Greece, Circa 400 BC) featured a very large number of individuals with no freedom at all.

Athenian democracy was not even close to what we consider democracy today. I would almost go so far as to call it an oligarchy, with "the few" being adult male citizens who had completed their military training, about 10-20% of the population depending on what period you are looking at.