In brief, a "democracy" is a society in which the people govern the people. Of course, there are many technicalities and details, but all in all, the purspose of a democracy is to uphold the voice of the people.
Many Americans seem to forget the US is but a babe compared to ancient societies. A mere two centuries is a dream in the night in the eyes of history. In only two centures, the US has faced such problems as crime, segregation, abortion, and religious-rights. These problems are decades old, and show no sign of diminishing.
How long can a democracy last without some intervention from the goverment? Can a democracy last a millenium or longer? Will America, in the long run, prove Democracy is superior, or will she only prove a Dictatorship or Communism is more efficient?
2006-07-06 07:32:37 · 11 answers · asked by man_id_unknown 4 in Social Science ➔ Other - Social Science
bmwdriver11, wrong. Greece and Rome may have pondered the idea of democracy, and tested them, but they were still ruled by 1 man or a small group of men. They were hardly a democracy.
2006-07-06 09:26:04 · update #1
according to WIl and Areil Durant democracies tend to fail because the rich get too rich and starve the poor or the poor get too powerful and destroy the rich...
the framers of the US constitution did about all that is possible to set up a government that has some chance of lasting... they were brilliant scholars of the political process...
but even they had their limitations and blind spots... slavery, and women's suffrage...
if I were to allow myself a guess I would say that the US can last a very long time based on it's favorable geography and high standard of living... but then poor management can sink almost any enterprise and we are seeing a lot of fraying around the edges of this democracy lately... particularly the increasing disparity of wealth in the country...
a bad sign for the future, but not irreversible
2006-07-06 07:43:36 · answer #1 · answered by Klaatu Barada Nikto 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I think that you do have some points on this subject, however there are more against it. So far you are right, that the american democracy hasn't nearly lasted as long as many other cizilations in time, and that they were once more powerful and long lasting as well. However, when you ask the question if a communist party or dictatorship would last longer, you also got to look at history, not necessarly human personailties. For example, the american democracy has lasted about 230 years, through the last two centuries. But the histroy of the last two centuries has also shown weaknesses in other goverment tactics. For example, the USSR. THe Soviet Union was once the most powerful nation, but it fell in less than 100 years. HUM? I wonder which one works better???
I think you still have a point though, however if the nation's democracy starts to fail the people, the goverment will have plenty of time to change.
2006-07-06 14:37:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your concern is genuine. When many voices are allowed, there will be problem at sometimes. In a Federal set up like US the chances of survival are longer with the present system. Time always takes with it new ideas of change so as to accommodate all views. May be there will be multiplicity of parties with varying views come together and rule. This experiment when it fails people may tend to vote for a single or only two parties together according to the needs. Though only 60 years the indian experience is there where more languages with more parties combine with a common minimum program.
Ramachandran V.
2006-07-06 15:13:37 · answer #3 · answered by sarayu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You ask, "How long can a democracy last without some intervention from the goverment?" It is when government grows large and intervenes in our daily lives that democracy suffers. A large and intrusive government becomes more like a dictatorship. What we need is less government intervention for our democracy to survive.
2006-07-06 14:43:45 · answer #4 · answered by ebk1974 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A millenium. Can you name a single government anywhere that has withstood a millenium? Most countries as we know them were not around in the year 1006, let alone their form of government.
Democracy as a theory (and in practice) has been around since early Greece- its not the new invention you seem to imagine it to be- it was not born with the US, but with the Greek Republic. The Romans used it (the Senate), and many other society's have as well.
2006-07-06 14:38:36 · answer #5 · answered by bmwdriver11 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. But America is not idiotic like Europe in that we dont have a history of corrupt Kings trying to take over the world. What will destroy America is people abusing the freedom by wanting to take the easy way out, IE Welfare.
2006-07-06 14:52:00 · answer #6 · answered by ndmac 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once we have people that want o have freedom. Everyone wants to be free so this will ensure Democracy to be around for a while. Hitler tried to rule the world but freedom prevailed
2006-07-06 14:52:36 · answer #7 · answered by thomas2202001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Name a real democracy
2006-07-06 14:40:34 · answer #8 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! NOT UNLESS ITS REDEFINED AND LIVED OUT BY THE ACTUAL MEANING OF THE WORD! THAT CANNOT HAPPEN IN A CAPITALIST SOCIETY AS WELL AS A SEXIST SOCIETY! NO IT CANT!
2006-07-07 11:48:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd say write that on paper & put it in a time capsule marked "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 2506"
2006-07-06 14:37:09 · answer #10 · answered by Tygirljojo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋