Why does the word democracy mean things are better?

Discuss issues related to the politics of the UK, such as the actions of any MP, any current or potential law, or any other factor affecting the British political system.

Announcements Posted on
TSR launches Learn Together! - Our new subscription to help improve your learning 16-05-2013
Sign in to Reply
  1. The_Great_One's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,381
    • Warning points: 1000
    Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    In my opinion democracy makes things worse, the euro zone crisis was caused by politicians promising the earth just to get voted in and look where thats got us. At least under a dictator or absolute monarchy everythings on a leash and they know what people are doing. Iraq and Libya are in the mess now and they were better off with the dictators.
  2. Above.The.Empyrean's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: Gloucester
    • Posts: 1,220
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    The best form of Government is a benign authoritarian meritocracy.
  3. Martyn*'s Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: Wigan
    • Posts: 11,693
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    There's democracy in theory and democracy in practice.
  4. james22's Avatar
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Posts: 1,979
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    Of course democracy does have huge flaws, but it is by far the safest option for government as it stops any governments going too far.
  5. Aoide's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Posts: 707
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    I agree with you OP. While I believe democracy is better than not, it isn't as important where it counts- standard of living. Becoming a democracy doesn't neccessarily make life better. Taking Egypt for example I think that the regime was a mistake, egyptians may not have had political freedom but it was a stable country with a far better standard of life than most in that area. The government may have supressed peoples right to vote but it did a very good job of keeping the religious problems which plague the area in check, this in turn made it appealing for tourists who brought money to egypt.
  6. prog2djent's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: Huddersfield
    • Posts: 3,209
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by james22)
    Of course democracy does have huge flaws, but it is by far the safest option for government as it stops any governments going too far.
    In the west.
  7. The_Great_One's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,381
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    A dictator or monarch whos family have been running a country for hundreds of years knows more about the people and the economy of that country than a here today gone tomorrow politician.
  8. Endless Blue's Avatar
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Posts: 1,959
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by The_Great_One)
    At least under a dictator or absolute monarchy everythings on a leash and they know what people are doing.
    :lolwut:

    So the ability to act with unrestricted authority keeps everything 'on a leash'? :toofunny:

    Why should the government know exactly about everything we do?
  9. JacobW's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Location: Oxford
    • Posts: 1,139
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    It's absurd to discuss whether democracy is a good form of government in the abstract. Forms of government don't exist in the abstract but in complex relationships with social, cultural, and economic variables. A country that isn't prone to despotism or revolutionary upheavals will develop a constitutional settlement adapted to its circumstances; in Britain this settlement includes a large element of democracy and it would be churlish to criticise it on the basis of some half-baked, pseudo-scientific, speculative theory.
  10. Aesc's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 1,002
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by The_Great_One)
    A dictator or monarch whos family have been running a country for hundreds of years knows more about the people and the economy of that country than a here today gone tomorrow politician.
    While this is a very useful ability to have, it can lead to deep conservativism not conducive to adaptability, which certainly seems necessary nowadays. Consider the massive leaps in technology in just the last 25 years - it's important to be able to adapt to that change

    Although I do agree that short-termism is a massive, massive problem, it's good to have a mixed system to get the best of both worlds
  11. lambert1's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,016
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by The_Great_One)
    A dictator or monarch whos family have been running a country for hundreds of years knows more about the people and the economy of that country than a here today gone tomorrow politician.
    How does having ancestors that ruled the country mean you will know more about it? My dad could be a surgeon does that mean I am qualified to perform delicate surgery?
  12. The_Great_One's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,381
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by lambert1)
    How does having ancestors that ruled the country mean you will know more about it? My dad could be a surgeon does that mean I am qualified to perform delicate surgery?
    If you were trained since exiting the womb how to run a country then you would be good at it too. The same for surgery.
  13. lambert1's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,016
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by The_Great_One)
    If you were trained since exiting the womb how to run a country then you would be good at it too. The same for surgery.
    They aren't training how to run a country though I don't know where you learned this nonsense. I'm guessing you just assumed it based on nothing.
  14. Aoide's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Posts: 707
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    Except the majority of the time that isn't the case. Dictators born into their position often have very different lifestyles to the rest of the population and so have very little appreciation for how people live. This makes them one of the least suitable to rule.

    It is very easy for dictators to forget their role and then everyone else suffers. Often dictators aren't brought up in a way that improves their ability to rule.
  15. Gwilym101's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Posts: 344
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by The_Great_One)
    In my opinion democracy makes things worse, the euro zone crisis was caused by politicians promising the earth just to get voted in and look where thats got us. At least under a dictator or absolute monarchy everythings on a leash and they know what people are doing. Iraq and Libya are in the mess now and they were better off with the dictators.
    "Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Sir Winston Churchill

    Are you aware of how many war crimes were commited by the dictators running those countries? Sadam was executed for them by the Iraqis, the Libyan people had a civil war to get rid of Gaddafi. The countries may be a mess now but they can improve.

    The eurozone crisis was caused by bankers lending money they didn't have to people they knew couldn't pay them back, not politicians. Politicians are now the ones stuck trying to fix the problem, even if they do sometimes make mistakes they can atleast be held acountable or publically critisized for them. If it were a dictatorship anyone opposing them could be arrested or executed.
  16. The_Great_One's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 1,381
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    Yeah but before the iraqis decided to kick up a stink things were better then than they are now so i bet most of them regret that. The same in egypt.
  17. ukip72's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Location: European Union
    • Posts: 1,263
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    With your attitude to democracy you could be a Eurocrat
  18. ANIGAV's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Posts: 465
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    Democracy is the freedom to elect our own dictator.
  19. Bill_Gates's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Posts: 3,004
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by ANIGAV)
    Democracy is the freedom to elect our own dictator.
    Democracy is the freedom to change a dictator every now and then.
  20. ANIGAV's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Posts: 465
    Re: Why does the word democracy mean things are better?
    (Original post by Bill_Gates)
    Democracy is the freedom to change a dictator every now and then.
    Don't copy me, broh.
Sign in to Reply
Share this discussion:  
Useful resources
Article updates
Moderators

We have a brilliant team of more than 60 volunteers looking after discussions on The Student Room, helping to make it a fun, safe and useful place to hang out.

Reputation gems:
The Reputation gems seen here indicate how well reputed the user is, red gem indicate negative reputation and green indicates a good rep.
Post rating score:
These scores show if a post has been positively or negatively rated by our members.