Is our pursuit of the almighty dollar going to undermine democratic ideals? Many suggest that the war is about oil and such . . . Could this be an indicator. Could our pursuit of the maintenance of our life style be causing us to ignore our real values?
2007-01-11 11:58:27 · 5 answers · asked by gpctman 4 in Social Science ➔ Economics
It can -- the modern state is that everyone is poor. People who don't become poor in a democracy become the object of resentment.
Hayek's book is great in explaining this.
2007-01-11 14:29:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Capitalism = winner takes all politics do not agree with democracy - the will and welfare of "we the people".
Most modern governments are influenced (if not run) by multinational corporations and WTO who blackmail governments to do their bidding - OR ELSE! Money is influencing (if not deciding) election outcomes.
That's why voter turnouts in most capitalistic based counties are so low. People have realized that it doesn't really matter who they elect, money takes over and dictates the policies.
Just look at what is (not) being done about greenhouse gases and our environment. Any real action is opposed by giant corporations who fear a loss of profit. Not even convincing polls can persuede governments to override the profit lobby.
Then there are the "religious" lobbies, the anti-anti Semitist lobby which defends the aggression against anything Islamic, and then the "Christian" extremist lobby, which believes that the rich are blessed and the poor are cursed, so they believe in capitalism; and in the U.S. they support Bush, who claims to be a Christian but does not believe in Christ's teaching "to love your enemy".
2007-01-11 21:28:37 · answer #2 · answered by fresch2 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Astonishing. Capitalism can exist without democracy but democracy cannot exist without capitalism. The world is rife with examples. See Saudi Arabia, China, U.A.E., Pakistan, Cuba, Venezuela....
How can a society be called free when everyone is shackled in an artificial economic prison? Capitalism (aka free markets) means people can buy, sell and invest as they please. Hindering that is called oppression. A free democracy isn't "sort of free", it's free or it's not a democracy.
2007-01-12 18:21:43 · answer #3 · answered by stanhold 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but the opposite is already happening. Democracy is undermining the Rule of Law and without the rule of law free enterprize and private property cannot exist. Minimum wage laws, income taxes, and siezure of private property are all happening through democracy.
Democracy is mob rule, where the mob makes the rules.
2007-01-11 21:14:15 · answer #4 · answered by Roadkill 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
what democracy?? we live in a country where corporations are treated like people, actually thier treated a lot better than most people. Our country needs to get its values together and I'm not talking about thr pro-life issues or any of that im talking about war, greed and corruption.
2007-01-11 20:09:33 · answer #5 · answered by thisisabsurd 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋