bradclark1 |
10-25-07 08:02 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by waste gate
Quote:
It's a stretch to call it democracy.
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One of the myths of the left. The US isn't a democracy, its a republic.
Democracies cannot exist in a pluralistic society.
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I'm bending a little towards you're stretching a little bit.
In 18th century historical usages, especially when considering the works of the Founding Fathers of the United States, the word "democracy" was associated with radical egalitarianism and was often defined to mean what we today call direct democracy. In the same historical context, the word "republic" was used to refer to what we now call representative democracy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democra....22Republic.22
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the people's representatives. The representatives form an independent ruling body (for an election period) charged with the responsibility of acting in the people's interest, but not as their proxy representatives—i.e., not necessarily always according to their wishes, but with enough authority to exercise swift and resolute initiative in the face of changing circumstances. It is often contrasted with direct democracy, where representatives are absent or are limited in power as proxy representatives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_democracy
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