Liberal Democracy

[poliphilo]

Western Liberal Democracy tolerates and even protects those who desire its downfall. That's its nature.  It cannot launch pre-emptive strikes against its internal enemies without destroying itself. 

It values freedom of speech so highly it allows the speech that could bring it down.

It accepts that freedom cannot be defended by curtailing freedom.

It gambles on goodwill always being stronger than evil will, on love being stronger than hate.

It is prepared to take risks with its own security.

Its enemies call it weak; it would be more accurate to call it complacent in its strength.

It may seem fragile, but it is held together by a balance of forces, by tension- like a gothic cathedral or a suspension bridge.

We should be proud of it. 

For all its faults, it is the best society we've built- as yet.

Comments

[oakmouse]

Very good; well-stated also.

I think it's a measure of the trouble that Western democracy is in at present that it's falling away from several of those difficult yet worthwhile ideals.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I believe we're in serious danger of giving up on our liberties.

[oakmouse]

We've already given up some of them. The question is whether or not we can manage to get them back.

The bureaucrats who are happy to strip away your second premise are getting so absurd that they're likely to spark a serious rebellion. Things like the five-hole salt shaker episode are fairly over the top. Once rebellion against the silly little tyrannies begins, it may lead to a broader groundswell.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard about the five hole salt shaker. What's that all about?

America has been through worse, more repressive times- the McCarthy era for example. Sooner or later- maybe under president Obama (God willing)- you'll get your groove back.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Well, it looks like he has switched on most of the key points in his platform (see my journal for today - it's copied from the New York Times). What we really do NOT want is four more years of Bush policies.

[oakmouse]

Here's an article about the five-hole salt shakers:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1030164/Now-health-safety-cut-number-holes-chip-shop-salt-shakers.html

I know America has been through worse, and inevitably the pendulum swings back again. I'm just not sure where the end point of the far arc is.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link.

Someone high up in the Council should have said, "They'll laugh at us for this," and killed the project stone dead.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Amen to that! I view with alarm....