are democracies peaceful ?
I am watching hardball right now and John Macaine is being interviewed...a man I like... and he has made a statement that I have been hearing from the present US administration quite a lot.. that is.
"Democracies do not tend attack other countries".
Is this true ? after all the US has attacked a few.. I am using the US as it is the the country saying it and the most recent example and to non democratic nations the USA probably seems very hostile indeed.
Is it also true that a country that is not a democracy will be more likely to be hostile? after all there are many that are not.
Of course there is no set rule and and every argument for has a equal argument against.
This is not a pro or anti spread of democracy thread, it is about dangerous nations based on being one or the other.
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
An interesting point to think of before answering that is this: Can any country truly be called a democracy?
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law defines dictionary as:
Quote:
government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
The bold point defines what most people consider a democracy. Now here's the clanger - Suppose the government plans to take a severly needed action (not just in the view of the government) and the people of a nation refuse said actions, what happens? Does the government stand down, letting the people's will go but possibly looking weak, or does the government stand firm and effectively make themselves a dictatorship? Welcome to the problems of democracy, ever present despite the evangelism of the ideology.
To be honest, electing representatives to make the decisions only go so far for true democracy - The only regular decision are elections for terms in office, but is so standardised it seems more of a window of democracy rather than plain democracy.
Now have another look at that question and see if you can see it in a different view. My point was that democracies may not bomb other countries (self-defence is a different matter altogether in terms of direct assault & occupation) but that there isn't really a true democracy present in the world.
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
"Democracies do not tend attack other countries".
no. they liberate them
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
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Originally Posted by TheDave
no. they liberate them
Clever
You should apply for a job as a word spinner at the white house. did you send in the one where Mrs . Bush sacked the chef and it was called "allowing him the opportunity to expand into the market place"
:01:
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vidcc
I am watching hardball right now and John Macaine is being interviewed...a man I like... and he has made a statement that I have been hearing from the present US administration quite a lot.. that is.
"Democracies do not tend attack other countries".
Is this true ? after all the US has attacked a few.. I am using the US as it is the the country saying it and the most recent example and to non democratic nations the USA probably seems very hostile indeed.
Is it also true that a country that is not a democracy will be more likely to be hostile? after all there are many that are not.
Of course there is no set rule and and every argument for has a equal argument against.
This is not a pro or anti spread of democracy thread, it is about dangerous nations based on being one or the other.
WTF are you talking about? :blink:
We are not a democracy, we are a republic.
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Busyman
WTF are you talking about? :blink:
We are not a democracy, we are a republic.
:sleep1:
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Busyman
WTF are you talking about? :blink:
We are not a democracy, we are a republic.
Oh ok, blow them away then. :unsure:
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vidcc
:sleep1:
Sleep if you want but we aren't.
The people don't vote on whether we go to war, their elected officials do.
Republic.
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Busyman
Sleep if you want but we aren't.
The people don't vote on whether we go to war, their elected officials do.
Republic.
Congratulations .... you have knocked jpol off the spot of being ten of the most boring people i know
Re: are democracies peaceful ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vidcc
Congratulations .... you have knocked jpol off the spot of being ten of the most boring people i know
Thank you but you don't know me. I appreciate the sentiment though although I'm anything but boring.
Tbh dictatorships, monarchies, etc are considered more dangerous because there is a perceived unfairness to who is picked/not picked to run affairs that affect their personal lives.
A republic is considered less dangerous due to there being a balance of differing views to hopefully keep decisions in check and not of ONE VIEW.
A dictatorship, for example, suffers from the "this one guy doesn't like this country, blow it to hell". There is nothing to keep him in check.
Thanks again. ;)