"Democracy forever teases us with the contrast between its ideals and its realities, between its heroic possibilities and its sorry achievements."
- Agnes Repplier
"... the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy"
- Alex Carey
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
- George Orwell
There are two kinds of countries in this world - those with no democracy at all and those with a very little bit. We who live in the countries with some democracy are expected to be ever so grateful for the fact that we have a very minimal say in what occurs politically. And, to a degree, rightly so - better to have some say than none at all.
But Democracy defined is a system in which ultimate power is vested in the people and their elected representatives carry out the people's will, and by that definition there is no democracy on this planet. If there was, we would not have the shocking levels of cynicism and dis-satisfaction. People are frustrated specifically because their elected representatives do not carry out their will.
Expanding democracy implies people having a greater say in political decision-making because that is the only way that the greater good is served. Democracy as we know it allows a small number of people to control the agenda. Choices are both limited and pre-determined by a system which is the furthest thing from grass-roots. The system is in the control of the powerful and wealthy few and it serves their purposes. Pure and simple. And their purposes do not tend to meet the needs and aspirations of the majority of humans.
Extending Democracy is about getting democratic systems to those people who have none at all. The free market system, contrary to popular belief (at least in some quarters), will not accomplish this lofty goal. At the very best it will give them the appearance of some form of democracy, but the fact is that freedom and democracy run counter to a system which is geared to maximize profits for a very few at the expense of the very many.
How do we accomplish the dual goals of extending and expanding democracy?
In the same way that we stop all the insanity that goes on in this world - by enough people speaking at the same time in one voice to say "I'm drawing my line in the sand. I've had Enough. And as one member of the human race and a citizen of this planet I demand that these changes be made.
Does it sound too simple? Imagine if we picked a day and if millions or even billions of people in fact used their voices to make this point. Imagine what the news would say that evening. Imagine what they'd say in the White House and every other government office in the world.
It wouldn't quite make the change but it would start the ball rolling; it would be the beginning, and a more sane world has to begin somewhere.
Let us make the dream come true. Let it start with you.
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