tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301999496344158780.post207892471323426732..comments2023-10-02T04:54:51.199-07:00Comments on The MacGuffin: This Is Not A DemocracyNeuroPsychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10654138293659468787noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301999496344158780.post-57409203191537094062009-09-25T15:25:00.250-07:002009-09-25T15:25:00.250-07:00Yes, I saw the piece about democracy = rule of the...Yes, I saw the piece about democracy = rule of the majority. The late constitutional traditionalist, Lord Hailsham, labelled this 'an elected dictatorship'.<br /><br />But - with respect - you are wrong almost totally about Athenian Democracy. <br /><br />It was carefully designed - and constantly refined in its 200 year history - to ensure that every shade of citizen opinion was included in the agenda-forming and policy-making process. Bad decisions could be made but they could also be quickly rectified, reflected upon and learnt from. <br /><br />The best US scholar on this topic is Josiah Ober, and he says that Athenian-model democracies, (designed for very different purposes than the US/UK 'competing elites' model)<br /><br />".. have the potential to do well because rational cooperation and social flourishing emerge when each of us enjoys an enhanced opportunity to fulfill our human potential. That potential prominently includes an ability to innovate and to learn. In a truly democratic community, among other things we would learn that when each shares knowledge with others, our individual prospects expand as our society changes for the better." <br /><br />If you really want to explore this issue in the depth and detail it deserves, I do commend Ober's work and that of British scholars like John Dunn.Roy Madronhttp://www.gaiandemocracy.netnoreply@blogger.com