"We cannot trust ourselves to behave with decency - We cannot trust our consciences and the remedy is to elect a round body of our neighbours pretty much at random and say to those:
"Be ye our conscience make laws so wise and continue from year to year to administer them so wisely that they shall save us from ourselves and make us righteous and happy...."
Extracted from an essay by Robert Louis Stevenson - The Day After Tomorrow
2006-09-07 23:50:21 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
I like this quote, it somes up governance.
2006-09-07 23:56:24 · answer #1 · answered by thebigtombs 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Poor soul, you don't have a clue do you? When looking for a fair, decent, and honest way to have a government, is it not in the best interest of everyone to have a say, or do you find it fair to have a heavy fisted government that tells you every move you can and cannot make? For the people, by the people, IS the only way one can have a leadership that everyone has a chance to stand up and have a say. I may not agree with how a democracy is ran in some countries, but you are not going to find the perfect government any where in the world. I'm not sure there would be a better way to have a government than one that is elected by the people. One thing that would be nice, is to make it manditory that all political figures submit to lie detector test just like atheletes must submit to drug tests. It is time we force our government to do what they say they were going to do, when they were running for the position. Too many secrets are kept from the people in the name of national security. Political figures as well as policemen need to be made to take lie detector tests at random to keep them honest. You cannot acheive democracy until everyone is forced to tell the truth, or get on down the road! Our government may be messed up, but we still have the best country in the world to live in. We do need to get a handle on the corruption. One thing that comes to mind is the people that investigate plane crashes. They go out looking for a black box to see what happend. This is crazy! We have the technology to have streaming video as well as audio in order to KNOW what happend. How long has audio tape been around? Why do they use an audio tape (1930 technology) to determine the cause of an airplane crash. Simple; to hide all they can from the families of the crash victims! The government is ran like that! Reminds one of a cat in the corner covering up sh-t!! Have fun!
2006-09-08 07:25:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the definition of democracy be- a system where people have the right to choose their leader and freedom.
the definition you talk about be the true definition of an ordinary man.he always needs someone to guide him. Every one can't be leaders, or there'll bw a total chaos. However with the corruption becoming rampant and the people still remain misrable fools who can be easily bribed to vote when being provided by few perks, the situation can be very well represented in this way.
2006-09-08 06:57:45 · answer #3 · answered by Ginna Y 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's far simpler.
Democracy is the process by which a population will elect a leader to represent their interests. Be it a majority system, or proportinal representation system, you can be sure that power will change if the government does not work to support it's people.
2006-09-08 07:03:38 · answer #4 · answered by boacuts2k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you are making a big mistake democracy is the empowering people or general public to make decisions for society as a whole.
This passage (and fine may it be) is outsourcing your conscience
lol
2006-09-08 06:55:31 · answer #5 · answered by philipscottbrooks 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That can be taken as a loose definition of any form of government.
2006-09-08 06:52:48 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Where the people fear the government, there is tyranny;
where the government fears the people, there is liberty."
-Thomas Jefferson
2006-09-08 10:27:48 · answer #7 · answered by platukism 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
kind of
2006-09-11 03:34:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋