Saturday, November 23, 2013

Is Democracy the Answer?

 
Do you believe in freedom? Do you believe in liberty? Do you believe those are American principles? Do you believe the founding fathers wanted freedom? I believe you do believe in freedom and liberty and that's what America oozes and that's what the founders sought to give Americans. If you truly believe in those things, then stop talking about the greatness of democracy. Stop claiming America needs to spread democracy. Democracy isn't freedom; it's tyranny with a fancy name to make it look like freedom exists under democracy.

Seriously, do a search for the United States Constitution. Bring up the text. Now do a search of the document and tell me how many times the word "democracy" appears in the damn thing. I'll wait. Done? That's right, the word "democracy" doesn't appear once in the writing. What does appear in the screed? A republican form of governments. What is a republican form of government? A government that keeps the majority in check and protects the rights of the minority. You know, what freedom really means.

So, if a republic keeps the rights, liberties, and freedoms present for all, what is a democracy? I didn't graduate from Harvard University, but I did graduate from the University of Memphis which is the Harvard of Memphis, and even I know a democracy is majority rules; the rights of the minority are not safeguarded. If the majority says it is so, then it is so, others be damned what they want.

Even the founding fathers knew this. Thomas Jefferson said, "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself," said John Adams. Benjamin Franklin claimed, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"

So you see, if you truly love freedom, liberty, and rights, by looking to our founding fathers and the document they created, and knowing what democracy means, you understand why they created a republic. "I see, mi querido príncipe. We must go back to our republican roots for freedom to exist once more! Democracy isn't the answer for freedom, republicanism is the answer!" Not quite. Murray Rothbard has the answer. Read his work; I don't want to do everything for you.

3 comments:

  1. I agree wholeheartedly that democracy is not freedom. Also, republics do have a (marginally) better chance of preserving liberty for the minorities. But ultimately, both forms of government have an inertial tendency to evolve into bloated, angry, self-serving beasts.
    I'll have to pick up some Rothbard. I keep hearing great things about him, but have yet to read any of his stuff.

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    1. "Tim, you are absolutely correct republics have a slightly better chance than democracies of protecting freedom. However, look at our own republican form of government and see how it fairs. Rothbard believes for freedom to truly exist we need Anarchy. Don't let that word scare you: it simply means without rulers; it doesn't mean there will be lawlessness. Read his book "For a New Liberty" where he explains such a thing and search for the non-aggression principle. And of course... beard on!"

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  2. Benjamin Franklin claimed, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" -and there you have it. Great, relevant and urgent topic.

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