Is not being in a democratic country mean your not free?

Answer 1

Depends on one's definition of "free"

Singapore for example has a non-Democratic Government, but its citizens have material wealth, religious freedom and everything else. Sad thing is they do not have a democratically elected government which means they do not choose their leaders (though by God's grace or by sheer luck most of their leaders are good/sane).

Democracy may not be perfect (rarely anything is)...but I would not trade it for anything else, be it Communism, Islamic/Christian or Religious-Fascism or any other government system.

Answer 2

A better question is, does being a democratic country make you free. The answer is no.

People have to realize is that there is democracy (which is basically letting people elect their leaders) and then there are "democratic" institutions (free speech, fair trials, freedom to form political parties, freedom to petition the government, etc.) that allow for a democracy to flourish. Without the institutions in place, democracy cannot survive.

Simply allowing people to elect their leaders does not guarantee anything without the rights that democratic institutions provide. The Soviet Union was, in fact, a democracy, and that should tell you all you need to know.

Now, you are less likely to be "free" in a non-democratic country, but to define that you have to consider what you mean by free. In a non-democratic country you are less likely to be able to criticize the government, for example, but what if you have nothing to criticize? (Ok, everyone has something to criticize the government about but not everyone is going to be forming a political party or marching on Congress.) Non-democratic countries are more likely to devolve into authoritarianism and anarchy which obviously will impede your freedom.

To me, though, the need for democratic institutions trumps the need for democracy itself. The first generally leads to the other but democracy in and of itself is not essential.

Great question!

Answer 3

I think living in a pure democracy--where every action in government is subject to a vote of approval by the mindless masses--would make one less free, and in fact would make one not free at all. I for one would rather live in a republic such as the United States, with a Constitution and democratic institutions which provide for the freedoms we enjoy (read DR's answer above), than a democracy where everyone has the right to do any stupid thing they want at anyone's expense.

Answer 4

Democracy and freedom have very little to do with one another.

A complete dictatorship can have very few laws and permit almost unlimited personal freedoms. As long as the dictator is benevolent.

And we've seen first hand how a democracy can choose to strip freedoms and dignity from the people, all in the name of paranoia. Democracy is just might-makes-right majority/mob rule. And in a climate where the majority are irrational, that is no guarantee of freedom.

The only requirement for freedom is that those in power respect the people, and allow the people to choose for themselves whenever possible. It doesn't matter how the power is allocated or held. What matters is how it is used.

Answer 5

Freedom in our American democracy is like some addictive drug; it hides many injustices, especially increasing economic inequality that is destroying the lives of working- and middle-class Americans. The trick is have both freedom and economic justice, which a number of other democracies have achieved.

Answer 6

If you are not free to chose your leaders, what freedoms do you really have?

But by the looks of most of the questions on here, I am thinking that the voting age needs to be raised to at least 25.

Peace!

Answer 7

Don't think so but you're free to believe whatever you want.

Answer 8

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