Democracy Part-1

A discussion on democracy between Arundhathi Roy and Prof. Howard Zinn.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Arundhathi
• Roy
• Howard
• Zinn
• Democracy

[raazs35]

when is the last time people in the u.s.a went on a major public demonstration or a general strike?is it for gay rights or vietnam war

[mikeybrumbrum]

Although america appears to be becomming the next terror regime in the world, it is also apparent that many foreigners, who would previously have been hidden from our eyes (westerners), arenow able to show us that they are NOT barbarians, and are NOT stupid.

Now we feel lied to, and cheated, and guilty of thinking less of people just because oru masters told us you were stupid !!

So, the people will become more friendly towards each other, and less friendly toward the bankers !! Obvious !

[deonderzoeker]

let's hope so yes indeed....

[jgcooper]

ok, glad we agree. we've acheived the unlikely objective of a two person concensus. peace!

[DANxCHORIN]

Yeah I thought you meant it's when the government regulates only SOME aspects of non-public life.

[jgcooper]

i beg to differ, authoritarianism is when a political party or force seeks to control and monopolize the political power and government structure. whereas a totalitarian government seeks to expand its control over the citizens' private lives, most often imposing a certain ideology.besides, what you just said was bascially what i first said; perhaps i wasnt clear enough.

[DANxCHORIN]

I would generally just call that 'authoritarianism'. Totalitarianism is when the state regulates almost EVERY aspect of public and private life.

It can be summed up by a quote by Mussolini: 'Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state'.

So I would say the U.S. government is authoritarian, as opposed to totalitarian.

[jgcooper]

well, it's a good idea to separete the terms, the way at least i see it, fascism, naziism, aswell as soviet russian and communist china, are subgroups of totalitarianism. not to specifically say that communism or socialism itself [of which communism is a subgroup] would be totalitarian. so in the basic form totalitarianism is when the government regulates private life and other spheres other than public affairs. like telling you what to eat and consume [like illegal drugs], wear, think, do, etc

[DANxCHORIN]

I would agree that the United States is undemocratic, but I really wouldn't go as far as saying it's 'totalitarian'. How is it totalitarian?

[jgcooper]

it is neither, it is a plutocratic dictatorship, since there is no real separation of power, and i sould add totalitarian, for obvious reasons. that's what it is in practice, in theory? well, in theory it's a democratic [representative] federative republic