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is democracy actually good? what would some alternatives be? (hexbear.net)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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i think it would be neat to be ruled over by a council of benevolent scientists, or perhaps a philosopher king. democracy just seems like a bad idea and it hasn't been working very well. if it's a popularity contest then we just get charismatic populists and demagogues.

the only way i think democracy would work is if we give animals the right to vote. I think with some technology we could figure out how to teach dogs and horses and dolphins to vote, that would be a good start. then maybe have like a council of tree experts and plant enthusiasts to represent the interests of plants in all votes.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 8 months ago

Democracy is just partially implemented by the bourgeoisie. Outside of the military where the Soviets found it didn't work, I like democracy as a check-and-balance. It should just be totally equalised across and extended to economic lines. I should have a union job where I vote for the union officials in a co-op where I vote for my manager and our conditions. As a student I should be part of a student union which meaningfully represents my interests as a check against university power, and I should be able to vote for radicals in that union. I should be able to vote for the local/regional laws and ordinances that directly impact me, the officials who implement them, and I should be able to impact the national government I pay taxes to. That should just be a variation of what the Germans and Soviets tried. Councils becoming councils becoming councils, unions becoming unions becoming unions.