| From: | "Bruce Eggum" <bruceeggum(at)gmail.com> |
|---|---|
| Date: | Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:57:17 -0500 |
| Subject: | Re: [WDDM] Getting the whole picture about DD |
Democracy
The word Democracy comes from the word
Demos = People and Kratia = rule.
It means rule by the people.
This is all the meaning needed.
We seem to discuss various governments
which "claim" to be democracy's, often falling far short.
We need "government" but the key is who rules the
government? Representative democracy was "accepted" (at
least not rejected) by the people of many governments. So that is
their chosen "democracy". They did not revolt and demand
differently, that of course is their choice.
The term "Direct Democracy"
came from the manner the Swiss decided to govern themselves,
utilizing Initiative and Binding Referendum to change law, change
their Constitution, recall politicians. This provides a method for
"the People" to oversee and rule their government.
The founders of WDDM decided to provide
an organization to advocate, advertise and support the Swiss method
by providing information and a meeting place for people to develop
ways to bring this Swiss Direct Democracy to their own government.
That is all WDDM is to do. It is
enough, a huge undertaking. WDDM has not even begun to advertise,
provide video's, provide pamphlets and information for schools and
community's.
More confusion came with the term "True
Democracy" which seems to mean the people would end all
government and make all decisions themselves. This ideology is nuts.
If we can not even get enough people together to operate a Swiss
Style DD, we certainly could not do "True Democracy".
If the people, using I&BR ever
decided to develop some type of "True Democracy", they
could do it simply by introducing an Initiative. Please note the
people of Switzerland have not done so. Perhaps they realize they are
to busy with children, family, community, work, education etc.
I do believe the people need an "Assembly" to organize and evaluate their government together, developing Initiatives as needed. The people need this organization separate from their "government". Georges has previously noted a "shadow government" was needed. I believe the People's Assembly could accomplish this needed people's organization and not be "parliamentarian" in design as a shadow government may be, which would be another "government" to maintain.
Of course giving the people the choice,
does not guarantee the right choice. However DD allows the people to
correct mistakes.
I appreciate all the discussion on this
topic. Please continue.
All the Best, Bruce
>============
> Jim Powell wrote:
> > Hi Antonio,
> >
> > Compare the best dictatorship to Switzerland.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Jim Powell
Fascism is usually considered to be wrong as such,
in the deepest layers of its essence and Democracy
as right and good.
Yet, Franco was a Fascist, but he saved more Nazi
victims and Resistance agents than all Direct or
indirect Democracies together.
Switzerland, so wonderfully Direct-Democratic and
human has been Nazis accomplice by mishandling and
sending back the refugees without being in any way
obliged to do it. It made fortune on washing money
robed by SS from murdered victims and on steeling
victims' money deposited in Swiss banks.
Allies are directly responsible for hundreds of
thousands of Hungarian Jews, by having refused the
famous Eichmann deal and indirectly for millions by
having refused the request of Polish exile president
to bomb access ways to camps and the gas chambers.
And Poles volunteered their own pilots for these
dangerous missions. But every surviving Jew meant
additional trouble for Britain in Palestine, so why
prevent Hitler to do the dirty work for her?
Working for Polish Resistance I have been involved
in designing routes for our agents and some victims.
We have considered Spain as a paradise, followed
closely by Rumania, fascist and collaborating with
Nazis.
Thus, from certain points of view, certain
dictatorships were by far morally superior to
Democracies.
But it's here of no avail. We postulate DD as
desirable and look for ways to implement it (without
much success), leaving to the eventual DD Forum the
choice of being bastards or not.
Georges.
============