ForumsWEPRIs the US really a Democracy?

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EmperorPalpatine
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EmperorPalpatine
9,439 posts
Jester

A lot of people, when talking about freedoms on here, claim, "We live in a DEMOCRACY! Everything is decided by the people!" Technically, we live in a Republic. Why do people argue immediately, when freedoms are in question, that we live in a fair democracy? Support your reasoning.

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Avorne
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Avorne
3,085 posts
Nomad

There's no such thing as a democratic country, not truly anyway, the decision-makers will always be elected by the majority and not the whole and the decisions they make may not even be in line with what the majority wants.

Armed_Blade
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Armed_Blade
1,482 posts
Shepherd

No, it is a Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic.

chang
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chang
846 posts
Nomad

No its a Republic with Democratic Traditions. It is a common mistake for people to call it a republic...

chang
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chang
846 posts
Nomad

t is a common mistake for people to call it a Democracy...

Fixed
sprooschicken
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sprooschicken
1,143 posts
Nomad

technically America is a democracy yes, but in practice far from it, basically I am posting here but in a much less developed way what i posted in frostys thread, that because America has only two main parties that have actively worked together to suppress third parties, all they have to do is be better than the other to get into office, which simply turns all elections into slagging matches and all terms in office into opportunities to push personal agendas

EmperorPalpatine
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EmperorPalpatine
9,439 posts
Jester

It is a Democratic-Republic, but a Republic nonetheless. That's how Bush got elected without the popular vote.

I agree with sproos's statement about the Political Party dominance. It's kind of like Coke vs Pepsi; they're so big that smaller cola companies don't stand a chance. It could be worse; a one-party system like communism, where a single majority party always wins, kind of like Wal-mart did with the shopping industry. It's wierd how governments can mirror business and vice versa.

akqpars
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akqpars
183 posts
Nomad

Technically yes.Really no.

Armed_Blade
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Armed_Blade
1,482 posts
Shepherd

How is it technically yes? Look it up anywhere on the internet. We. Are. A. Republic. More like Rome than Greece. [Rome before AD]

Also, it's a little off tppic, but to all those people who do not like America's party system -- How do you guys pose America gets rid of it, or add more parties into the mix? It is, obviously, in the end, the people's decision as to whom they vote for.

Coke and Pepsi are big because they taste good, but Coke clearly has larger dominance than Pepsi [in America], and if they were having a presidential election then the Coke party would be holding Presidential Office eternally.

Also, smaller cola companies do stand a chance. People drink loads of stuff. If cola were to resemble America, then all the other cola companies would have been bought out and either removed from the shelf by the two companies or sold with a little "Product of the [name] company" tag on the bottom.

AnaLoGMunKy
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AnaLoGMunKy
1,573 posts
Blacksmith

We. Are. A. Republic.


Agreed, after looking at the definition Im in no doubt. I would also say that we lean heavily towards a commercial republic. Everything is about money and trade. There is very little within western society that doesnt involve advertising or commercial pursuit.

to all those people who do not like America's party system -- How do you guys pose America gets rid of it,


Good question.

Perhaps combining the Republic, communist and democratic systems would be a far better way of doing things.
Keyara
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Keyara
370 posts
Nomad

We live in a Republic. We simply hold many Democratic traditions. The US was ment to be a Democracy but as it developed and it became harder for eveyone to directly vote it became more of a Republic. The US simply held on to some of its Democratic roots.

akqpars
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akqpars
183 posts
Nomad

America has the best democratic structure i can tell.Read other countries claiming to have democrasy.In my country no one can even critise systems faults.If so,they end up torture chambers and jail.

grimml
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grimml
879 posts
Nomad

America has the best democratic structure i can tell.

Not really. According to the Democracy Index the US is the 17th best democracy. "DemocracyRanking" and "WorldAutdit say it ranks 15th.

In my country no one can even critise systems faults.If so,they end up torture chambers and jail.

Where do you live (if I may ask)?
akqpars
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akqpars
183 posts
Nomad

Not really. According to the Democracy Index the US is the 17th best democracy. "DemocracyRanking" and "WorldAutdit say it ranks 15th.

Press choose micheal dougles most sexy man too i recall.In all over europe,they have prohibitions to peoples lives.In faith,clothing,education etc.Dont need to talk about the asian or african countries.
Where do you live (if I may ask)?

Turkey
HahiHa
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HahiHa
8,256 posts
Regent

Press choose micheal dougles most sexy man too i recall.In all over europe,they have prohibitions to peoples lives.In faith,clothing,education etc.Dont need to talk about the asian or african countries.

Have you actually clicked grimml's first link for example? Have you read it? I'm sure it's a lot better and more reliable than those stupid celeb magazines..
what makes you so sure that America is so much better than the rest? Have you been in any of the countries listed above them in the lists?
grimml
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grimml
879 posts
Nomad

Press choose micheal dougles most sexy man too i recall.In all over europe,they have prohibitions to peoples lives.In faith,clothing,education etc.Dont need to talk about the asian or african countries.

Well this wasn't chosen by the press but by several criteria. E.g. the Democracy Index uses the following:
1) A competitive, multiparty political system
2) Universal adult suffrage
3) Regularly contested elections conducted on the basis of secret ballots, reasonable ballot security and the absence of massive voter fraud
4) Significant public access of major political parties to the electorate through the media and through generally open political campaigning


Well Europe isn't all the same. The Northern countries are very democratic (Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland rank very high), the Eastern countries aren't so much. In Switzerland we even have a direct democracy.
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