The Problem with Democracy
As I watched the news today, looking at footage of 44 ill-educated people who had been sequestered at a resort to prevent them from being bought and persuaded to support another party, as I noted that an emotionally labile, narcissistic bigot with an ill-informed disrespect for science wants to promote coal mining on protected lands, it seems clear that democracy is not working. In theory, democracy seems like the best form of government we have tried so far. Certainly it is better than being subject to the despotic notions of a dictator or a monarch. However, the only aspect of democracy which seems to be working is the ability to remove from power a particularly disastrous government. Ideally, we would elect competent people who are honest and have a good working knowledge of economics, politics and history. Unfortunately, it is clear that what wins elections is not the ability to lead but the ability to fool people. It seems increasingly incidental that leaders like Nehru, Ob...