Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Democracy and Tyranny

Democracy and Tyranny
Excerpt: John Adams captured the essence of the difference between a democracy and republic when he said, “You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe.” Contrast the framers’ vision of a republic with that of a democracy. In a democracy, the majority rules either directly or through its elected representatives. As in a monarchy, the law is whatever the government determines it to be. Laws do not represent reason. They represent power. The restraint is upon the individual instead of the government. Unlike that envisioned under a republican form of government, rights are seen as privileges and permissions that are granted by government and can be rescinded by government.” [Walter Williams is near the top of my list of political economists, right next to Thomas Sowell.  Williams points out some very interesting demographic facts in this article. The unfettered rule of the majority is identical to the rule of a mob. The problem is mobs come and go by the whim of the moment. We need protections that are NOT by whim. Ron P.]

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