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A comment on Why it’s so hard to keep up with how the U.S. gov't is spying on its own people. Parent comment

Re:Why it’s so hard to keep up with how the U.S. gov't is sp... by swombat on Monday November 23, 2015 @12:21PM (#10615738)
I started by thinking that I disagree with you, but then re-read your comment and I actually agree, except I wouldn't call it the "democratic mindset" because that makes it seem linked to democracy. I would just call it "voting" or maybe "the voting mindset", to clearly separate it from "democracy". Here's what I initially wrote:

"Democracy" is not just "people vote for stuff". Democracy is a whole system of interlocking institutions and practices that have to work together in order for a free society to be able to exist. Unless they are all there and functioning reasonably well, you don't have a democracy - even if people vote on stuff.

Among those necessary parts of democracy are:

- Transparency and accountability of elected leaders

- Separation of powers (legislative, judiciary and executive at the very least)

- A free and competent press

- Freedom of speech

- Freedom of assembly and of association, with the ability for various groups and institutions (everything from the local chess club to the ACLU) to form, organise, and take actions without control or approval from a central government

- Rule of law

- The ability for people to exercise control over the three branches of government (e.g. via voting).

This is by no means an exhaustive list. But it's already a whole lot more than "voting"...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why it’s so hard to keep up with how the U.S. gov't is sp... by vezzy-fnord on Monday November 23, 2015 @12:26PM (#10615773)
These are not at all requirements for a democracy. There is such a thing as an illiberal democracy, or "inverted totalitarianism" as it's also known: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illiberal_democracy
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why it’s so hard to keep up with how the U.S. gov't is sp... by swombat on Monday November 23, 2015 @01:16PM (#10616135)
My whole point is that what you describe and link to is not a democracy. There is a strange movement trying to define "democracy" as just "voting". That's not what it is. It is dangerous to let other people define our most precious words out of existence. Words shape our thoughts, after all.
[ Parent | on HN ]