Re: The joy of Democracy

On 20/10/2024 04:57, Charlie Gibbs wrote:

On 2024-10-19, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
 

On Sat, 19 Oct 2024 17:26:15 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>

On 2024-10-19, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
>

The ancient Greeks had the only solution: checks and balances. Because
“power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

>
In one of his thought-provoking editorials, John W. Campbell, editor of
Analog Science Fiction (formerly Astounding), corrected that saying.
He pointed out that it's not so much power that corrupts, but immunity.
After all, you're less likely to abuse power if you know you might be
called to account for it.

>
That’s what “checks and balances” are all about.

 Which is why the dangerous politicians try to dismantle or circumvent them.
 

If you study the history of modern democracy, you find that regime change was traditionally accomplished by a civil war, a palace coup, or unfortunate accidents to the reigning monarch.
This, in Britain culminated in the beheading of Charles I, but what followed - a sort of puritan theocracy/communism - was so distasteful that the rich chaps got together and asked Charles II to come back and take over.
Then to stop it happening again, parliament was given more powers and the price of its support was that the King had to toe the line, and regime change happened via elections instead.
France failed to learn the lesson, and its revolutionary change led eventually to YAEDEWIA  - Yet Another European Dictator-Emperor With Attitude.
And sadly that has been the pattern in Europe, No more kings and queens, just nasty little men in suits doing shabby little deals more or less without the public's consent.
Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, Caecescu, Putin.
Europe isn't happy with democracy. It is in love with communism really - the EU was designed by a communist Italian whilst in jail - and it has been thoroughly infiltrated by communists ever since.
And is busy removing all the checks and balances.
Did you know that no member of the EU bureaucracy can either be sacked lose their pension or be prosecuted?
They are literally above the law.
--
“Progress is precisely that which rules and regulations did not foresee,”
  – Ludwig von Mises