From: Michael S. Lorrey (mike@lorrey.com)
Date: Fri Mar 19 1999 - 07:36:35 MST
Terry Donaghe wrote:
> If there is another, more constructive way of looking at democracy,
> then maybe the above statement is not necessarily true. I asserted
> that democracy simply enforces minority rule over the majority because
> politicians are forced to appeal to minorities (who vote in blocks -
> unions, blacks, fundie christians, etc) in order to be elected.
> Politicians are also forced to respond favorably to the special
> interests which fund their campaigns.
>
> Can anyone describe a different version (or any version) of democracy
> which could possibly be in line with the Extropian principles? Open
> society and perpetual progress come to mind as key principles to
> consider?
Hyperdemocracy, which instead of having one man, one vote, it has a one man, one veto system, which
requires 100% consensus to pass a new law (of course, you will need 100% consensus of a group to
impose this system and its original set of laws (constitution) on a group without using force.)
Other ideas for less stringent systems:
require a 3/4 majority to pass new laws, but only a simple majority to rescind old laws. Pass a
constitutional amendment requiring all laws to 'sunset', or expire in a given time frame, thus old
obsolete or unpopular laws are allowed to die (like the current Independent Counsel law).
Return the Senate to the old system of being appointed by the State Governors and approved by the
state legislatures. Thus they will be independent of the electoral system, and will return to their
old position of being a check on the mercurial whims of the masses.
At the same time, either eliminate the house of representatives, and replace it with, or add in
parallel, a system for national referendums. The senate and the president can still veto these
referenda, but their vetos could be overruled by a sufficient percentage, say 75% or 80% of the
popular vote, to override their vetos.
>
>
> My thoughts have been for the past several months that either a
> benevolent dictatorship (monarchy, etc) would be a lot better than
> democracy...
I'm fine with a monarchy, so long as I get to be King.
"An egalitarian can live in an aristocratic society, so long as they get to be an
aristocrat." - Lois McMaster Bujold
Mike Lorrey
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