Mob rule

[fluffymark]

Can someone, anyone, explain to me just WHY democracy is supposed to be a good thing? I could never understand this. While you're at it, can anyone explain just how having elected representatives in a parliament constitutes "democracy", as it still doesn't seem that democratic to me!

Just because a plurality (or even a majority) of people want something doesn't make it right, or even the best thing to do.

When I rule the world everyone will have chocolate, and life will be perfect

Comments

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

I'm confused as you are. I can see that there is a pragmatic argument for democracy (it works better than the alternatives) but that doesn't explain why people say that reform of the upper house is better because it is more democratic, which rather suggests that democracy is seen as a good per se.

As to elected representatives, although such a system would not have been considered democratic by the Athenians (as no doubt you know), I think the idea is that they represent the people, so the people govern through them. The problem with a list system is that the election is carried out, to a very large extent, by the party rather than the people.