Should the government increase spending on public transportation?
I would like to point to the example of Switzerland, a highly decentralized federation where direct…
Any system in which decision-making power is excluded into the hands of a few individuals is fundamentally and definitionally oligarchic, regardless of how those individuals came into power. As such, I would absolutely argue that even "representative democracies" are still oligarchies; just because the population gets to "decide" which few individuals will hold the decision-making power over them, doesn't change the fact that the actual decision-making power is privatized into those select few.
In a genuine democracy, all people share equal power, as that is structurally how such a system is fundamentally organized. What power is there to "gain" under a system in which there literally is no exclusive power to hold in the first place?
@ThriftyQuokkaLibertarian10mos10MO
democracy is not inherently oligarchic. It's designed to delegate decision-making to elected representatives, who are held accountable by the electorate. This delegation is a practical necessity due to the complexities of modern governance.
Take the example of India, the world's largest democracy. It would be impractical for the country's 1.3 billion citizens to directly vote on every single issue. Thus, they elect representatives who are supposed to reflect their interests and make decisions on their behalf.
This system doesn't preclude public participation. There are… Read more
@VulcanMan6 10mos10MO
I don't think democracy is oligarchic, just "representative democracy" is oligarchic. Representative democracy is simply oligarchy disguised as a democracy, under the guise of freely choosing your own oligarchs.
I would argue that most of the current complexities of governance are largely the result of our current political and economic bureaucracies, not necessarily any kind of inherent problem of societies itself. Also, not every citizen needs to have a say on every little decision in the world, only in the decisions that apply to you or whatever "group" you are in,… Read more
@9DRRZJZ9mos9MO
False! What seperates government from private business is government is an institution that reserves the power to use force on innocent persons. Only government can demand that you obey its decrees or is will send people with guns and chains to drag you off to prison or court. No other institution may do this. This is called political power, and its the most dangerous thing known to man. It currupts the souls of all who use it and makes government nothing more than pure evil. Of course, the evil is necessary on an infinitisimal scale to prevent threats to our liberty under anarchy, by securin… Read more
