March 6, 2011

Democracy? Wins at all costs?

This past week, at a non-partisan celebration in Quebec, staffers of the party currently in power in Canada hustled media from the room following the Prime Minister's speech and just as a leader from a popular opposition party was taking the stage.

Some people in Canada are celebrating this move as triumph for their party.

I have noticed that, regardless of the party in power, many voices express support for such "winner" moves, or bemoan these same moves as anti-democratic if the other party plays the "winning" hand.

I have to say, I can see why democracy failed the first time it was implemented (ancient Rome, if I am not mistaken).  I can also see why our societies are bound and determined to fall into chaos if this type of attitude prevails.  Are people truly this stupid?

These types of maneuvers, currently happening across the developed world, remind me of things that are commonplace in third world dictatorships and pseudo-democracies.  Is this the future for our own children?  Or do we insist on something better?

Democracy is only going to work if the wealthiest people pay a portion of the taxes, rather than amassing all of the wealth.  Democracy will only work if the poorest of the poor learn to vote in their own interest.  Democracy will only work if we have an open, free and unfettered media, not one owned by the wealthiest or those who follow a very strict dogma based upon economic theory alone.

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