Cartoon 716: Democracy

If you were to ask Americans two questions, how many would get it right? The first question is what is the largest democracy in terms of numbers of people in the world? The second question is what is the longest continuous running democracy in the world? About 99% of the time Americans of all ages will answer “America” to both questions. Yet, America is not the answer to either question.

Americans labor under the myth that “democracy” is always the answer in government. In order for democracy to be effective a certain set of criteria must exist. The people must be alike in terms of income, race, religion or creed, and have a shared set of values. Diversity results in excluded segments that are not effectively represented.

Another criteria is now gaining increasing importance. You must not assign equivalent value to inanimate institutions, such as corporations. They garner the power of government and usurp the democratic process.

America is an evangelizing nation. It seeks to clone the world in its image. In the case of democracy that is not always wise. The factors may not make it the best political system. Authoritarianism and Socialism are a better match where there is entrenched economic disparity. Democracy under these circumstances just further cements the existing system of wealth and power. The powerful and wealthy craft the system to work in their favor. We are seeing this around the world with “democratic elections”. The Afghanistan government of Hamid Karzai is crooks in elected office.

What about when the election process works, but a power external entity wants to null and void the result? America did so with Chile and the election of Salvador Allende. Both American and Israel are doing so with Hamas being elected in Gaza. American did so with an election in Somalia and it has resulted in the years of dysfunction.

Democracy also fails when it is imposed. This is especially true of peoples and cultures that have no affinity for the institution. Today America and many other so called, “democracies”, are a bad witness. In America power rests with oligarchies, the rich with their “Hessian” of Wall Street. The other bad witness is the anarchy. Under these conditions the government is stymied. There can be little negotiation or compromise to bridge political and ideological divides to act in the nation’s best interests.