Philosophy
A couple of insightful quotations:
Helmut at phronesisaical quotes Habermas,
and singpr at My Life and Times, V.S. Naipaul,
Both of these quotations point to the failure of the basis premise of neo-conservatism, Fukyama's idea that everyone else in the world has the all-consuming desire to be America to such a degree that if we simply removed the impediments from any country on Earth a liberal democracy with free market economy would spontaneously appear. It's as if Algeria were never there. If there is not the widespread commitment to democratic notions, of course, it will not take root.
Of course when you take the lid off, old unsettled animosities would run rampant trampling any seeds of democracy that might have been planted by well or not so well intentioned foreigners. Of course a working democracy requires a commitment to the democracy on all parts that is at least as great as commitment to one's own cause within the democracy. Why would you be willing to share power with those you disagree with when there is the chance that you could have all the power?
What, then, are the most important elements needed in setting the ideological table? What pieces of social and intellectual infrastructure are the most crucial in giving rise to a pluralistic democratic urge within a country? What needs to be in place to create a space where deep, divisive differences get worked out in non-violent political ways, through the heated exchange of arguments not the heated exchange of small arms fire? Free press? Vibrant universities and a well educated population? A fair distribution of wealth? Satisfaction of the basic needs of food, shelter, and security for all? Women's rights? Separation of church and state?
- Dc Congressional Representation
Today is the 51st anniversary of the ratification of the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution which granted the residents of Washington, D.C. the ability to vote electors for the Presidency to the electoral college. Folks who live in the District...
- The 2nd Amendment, Military Spending, And Abortion: A Curious Conservative Conundrum
Contemporary American conservatism has a deep commitment to originalism as a means of interpreting the Constitution. We need to understand the words of the Constitution, they argue, in the sense that they were intended by the framers. The Constitution...
- Is It Good To Have A Check On The Voters?
Alexander Hamilton said ?The masses are asses.? Thinkers as far back as Plato agreed. Pure democracy puts power into the hands of the great unwashed. Political parties are not mobs bound together by rough ideological similarities. To be successful, we...
- Hanno On The Virtues And Vices Of Democracy
A few posts back there was an interesting discussion about the utilitarian concerns about Democracy that go all the way back to Plato -- if you leave the power to make decisions in the hands of the people, how do you know they won't completely screw...
- Democracy, (oligarchy), Tyranny And The Economy
Kyler M. Robinson The tyrannical man in the United States can be found everywhere. It lives in all of us, our desires that drive us past reason and logic, relying on the craving and eros. The desires of the tyrannical man seemingly mix with the...
Philosophy
Growing Democracy
A couple of insightful quotations:
Helmut at phronesisaical quotes Habermas,
The universal validity claim which binds the West to its 'basic political values,' that is, to the procedure of democratic self-determination and the vocabulary of human rights, must not be confused with the imperialist claim that the political form of life and the culture of a particular democracy - even the oldest one - is exemplary for all societies...It was precisely American pragmatism that made insight into what is in each case equally good for all parties contingent on reciprocal perspective taking. The 'reason' of modern rational natural law is not instantiated by universal 'values' that one can own like goods, and distribute and export throughout the world. 'Values' - including those that can count on winning global recognition - do not float in mid-air, but acquire binding force only within the normative orders and practices of particular cultural forms of life.
and singpr at My Life and Times, V.S. Naipaul,
As democracy offers a promise of freedom and equality, in a society shackled in age-old unfair, discriminatory societal hierarchies, it consequently has the effect of creating a seemingly hostile, retributive environment. Grievances are voiced, discriminations challenged, and the status quo questioned by a 'million little mutinies.'
Both of these quotations point to the failure of the basis premise of neo-conservatism, Fukyama's idea that everyone else in the world has the all-consuming desire to be America to such a degree that if we simply removed the impediments from any country on Earth a liberal democracy with free market economy would spontaneously appear. It's as if Algeria were never there. If there is not the widespread commitment to democratic notions, of course, it will not take root.
Of course when you take the lid off, old unsettled animosities would run rampant trampling any seeds of democracy that might have been planted by well or not so well intentioned foreigners. Of course a working democracy requires a commitment to the democracy on all parts that is at least as great as commitment to one's own cause within the democracy. Why would you be willing to share power with those you disagree with when there is the chance that you could have all the power?
What, then, are the most important elements needed in setting the ideological table? What pieces of social and intellectual infrastructure are the most crucial in giving rise to a pluralistic democratic urge within a country? What needs to be in place to create a space where deep, divisive differences get worked out in non-violent political ways, through the heated exchange of arguments not the heated exchange of small arms fire? Free press? Vibrant universities and a well educated population? A fair distribution of wealth? Satisfaction of the basic needs of food, shelter, and security for all? Women's rights? Separation of church and state?
- Dc Congressional Representation
Today is the 51st anniversary of the ratification of the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution which granted the residents of Washington, D.C. the ability to vote electors for the Presidency to the electoral college. Folks who live in the District...
- The 2nd Amendment, Military Spending, And Abortion: A Curious Conservative Conundrum
Contemporary American conservatism has a deep commitment to originalism as a means of interpreting the Constitution. We need to understand the words of the Constitution, they argue, in the sense that they were intended by the framers. The Constitution...
- Is It Good To Have A Check On The Voters?
Alexander Hamilton said ?The masses are asses.? Thinkers as far back as Plato agreed. Pure democracy puts power into the hands of the great unwashed. Political parties are not mobs bound together by rough ideological similarities. To be successful, we...
- Hanno On The Virtues And Vices Of Democracy
A few posts back there was an interesting discussion about the utilitarian concerns about Democracy that go all the way back to Plato -- if you leave the power to make decisions in the hands of the people, how do you know they won't completely screw...
- Democracy, (oligarchy), Tyranny And The Economy
Kyler M. Robinson The tyrannical man in the United States can be found everywhere. It lives in all of us, our desires that drive us past reason and logic, relying on the craving and eros. The desires of the tyrannical man seemingly mix with the...