June 22, 2003

DEMOCRACY WRONG, BAD, FLAWED, ETC

Terry Lane in The Age:

The best Americans ask themselves daily how it is they come to be governed by the worst Americans. Is there some fatal flaw in democracy itself that tends always and irresistibly to government by the malign?

As opposed to dictatorships, which are never governed by the malign.

There is a theme developing in the writings of the best analysts that democracy has been so corrupted by money that what rules from Washington now is a committee that does the bidding of the American corporations. It may have taken more than 100 years for the penny to drop, but here it is. Karl Marx was right: in the end, the politicians in a liberal, capitalist democracy are the messengers, couriers and enforcers for their corporate owners.

No doubt Terry will refuse any payment for this column from the capitalistic John Fairfax corporation, owners of The Age. Their money is tainted with workers’ blood!

Posted by Tim Blair at June 22, 2003 04:48 PM
Comments

I do not know anything about this Terry Lane, but it is clear that he is a deep thinker and a thorough researcher.

Take his comment about Karl Marx being right after all: that the government is there only for the Capitalist Lords. You only have to look around the world today to verify that, as Marx said, the ordinary people are far better represented in a socialist system (why else would the contented North Koreans call the head of their ruling party "Dear Leader"?).

And although Terry was startled about the opinions of the Indonesians toward the Americans, it is no surprise. Coming from a long history of benign and honest rule, and peaceful co-existence with her neighbours, Indonesia would naturally disapprove of an aggressive, expansionist USA. Look at how they now have Alaska. World domination in progress.

The only worry there is that now that Indonesians vote for their leaders, the leaders will be contaminated with democracy, and will naturally become corrupt, greedy and mendacious.

But, as Mr. Lane observes, there are some good Americans: the ones who denigrate their country and hate themselves. The "best" Americans.

Posted by: The at June 22, 2003 at 07:21 PM
"No doubt Terry will refuse any payment for this column from the capitalistic John Fairfax corporation, owners of The Age. Their money is tainted with workers’ blood!"

so says tim blair, who is a capitalist yet writes a blog i can read free of charge. isn't irony amazing.

Posted by: adam at June 22, 2003 at 08:19 PM

You're reading this FOR FREE? You mean you've somehow avoided paying the $50 subscription?

I'll have a word to the tech department. Something is clearly amiss.

Posted by: tim at June 22, 2003 at 08:39 PM

This line says everything, "Our neighbours may be powerless to strike at the imperial heart, but they can certainly reach the court jester."

This jerk is scared to death, he wants to run and hide, maybe the bad people won't notice him if he just stays away from the mean old Americans.

The striking thing about a coward is that they lash out at everyone around them, except the ones they fear. Then they suck up.

He should go find a closet to hide in.

Posted by: puggs at June 22, 2003 at 09:21 PM

One suspects that, for Mr. Lane, this systemic flaw in the very heart of the world's second oldest democracy emerged only with the election of GW Bush. I doubt that he would say that BIll Clinton represented "government by the malign" at the behest of a secret cabal of capitalist "corporate owners."

Posted by: T. Hartin at June 22, 2003 at 10:32 PM

"The best Americans ask themselves daily " Who might these be? Let's see...Alec Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Susan Sarandon, Barbra Streisand...

"There is a theme developing in the writings of the best analysts" Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky, Norman Mailer, Helen Thomas, Maureen Dowd, Robert Fisk...

I guess it all depends on what the meaning of the word "best" is.

Posted by: Ernie G at June 22, 2003 at 11:48 PM

Terry Lane is in great company. Adolf Hitler thought exactly the same thing only he added the jews into the controling equation as well as the corporalists. Given the ABCs predjudices in this area I am surprised Terry did not include them. Maybe he just forgot.

regards

Philip Breen

Posted by: Philip Breen at June 22, 2003 at 11:49 PM

> so says tim blair, who is a capitalist yet writes a blog i can read free of charge. isn't irony amazing.

What's the irony? Tim Blair does somethings for profit to support his "not profit" activities. (Some he may hope to turn profitable.)

The surprising thing is that some folks think that they/society can do everything at break-evenn or a loss and still come out ahead. Do they think that volume will make up the difference?

Posted by: Andy Freeman at June 23, 2003 at 12:58 AM

Meh, good Lord Terry Lane is boring.

Karl Marx isn't the boogeyman. You can say he was right until the cows come home, but it doesn't actually make it right.

And what the hell is the deal with these elitist fucks who decide that democracy isn't working just because stuff is happening that they don't like. Obviously the only political system they'd agree with is one where they're in charge.

Hmm, could you imagine the Australians rallying around boring old farts like Lane as their 'glorious leader'? I certainly can't.

Posted by: Korgmeister at June 23, 2003 at 02:57 AM

Anyone who thinks money doesn't corrupt democracy just isn't paying attention. Do you suppose all those senators were millionaires BEFORE they got there? That said, paid-for politicians are better than the kind wearing fatigues or turbans.

I think William Buckley was onto something with his "first 100 names" in the phone book idea. I would like our leaders selected by lot and paid the minimum wage for one term then disqualified. I trust my neighbors Jones, Menendez, Steinberg and Kowalski FAR more than I do the Schumers, Cornyns, Byrds and Hatchs of this world.

Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at June 23, 2003 at 03:53 AM

Nobody said that it didn't, Theo.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at June 23, 2003 at 04:43 AM

Neither did I, Andrey. V. sup. "Anyone".

Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at June 23, 2003 at 04:56 AM

As I recall, Terry Lane used to be a rightist of sorts. I am fairly sure he supported the first Gulf War, but then again maybe I am wrong. I do know that there is not one rightie fronting a TV or radio show on the ABC today. There are dozens more just like Lane, and we pay taxes for the privelege.
Alan

Posted by: Alan McCallum at June 23, 2003 at 04:59 AM

Alan,

You said "...and we pay taxes for the privelege." OUCH!!! So Australia's official motto has become:

Thank You Sir, May I Have Another!

Posted by: David Crawford at June 23, 2003 at 05:22 AM

"Karl Marx was right: in the end, the politicians in a liberal, capitalist democracy are the messengers, couriers and enforcers for their corporate owners."

Unlike, of course, the politicians under Mr. Lane's preferred system of government, who are the messengers, couriers and enforcers for psychopathic mass murderers.

Posted by: Susan at June 23, 2003 at 05:38 AM

Ah-hem: Marx explicitly exempted the US and UK (and presumably Australia) from the Revolution...

"The best Americans ask themselves daily how it is they come to be governed by the worst Americans. Is there some fatal flaw in democracy itself that tends always and irresistibly to government by the malign?"

Nope: we dumped the Democrats in two elections running.

BTW, a number of our States are adopting can-carry weapons laws. One State, which does not itself have such a law, has agreed to honor them with respect to people passing through or vacationing.

Posted by: John Anderson, RI USA at June 23, 2003 at 06:01 AM

Re: Righties fronting ABC radio programs.

Here in Perth, we've got Eoin Cameron, a former Liberal MP. Then there's Liam Bartlett, who's fishing for a Liberal preselection.

Posted by: Robert at June 23, 2003 at 11:56 AM

It is time for Terry to escape this despotism and settle in a truly free country (his definition):

Cuba (take about a years supply of protein - both of his legs should suffice)and dont badmouth the boss!!!
North Korea (see above - make it 2 years worth to bribe the guards - that takes care of his arms)
China (not so bad protein - wise but get your friends to send you inaccessable websites on CD rom)

I mean if it is so bad then he can at least live there where his intellectual freedom can flourish jeez.

Posted by: Rob at June 23, 2003 at 01:42 PM

To paraphrase Winston Churchill "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others."

Posted by: Korgmeister at June 23, 2003 at 02:47 PM

Well, of course democracy doesn't work.

But I guess those who wish to criticise it should at least make an attempt to put forward some sort of alternative.

Put up or shut up, sez I.

And yes, GWB deserves a place far higher up the scale of malignity than Clinton. He's a bad man.

Posted by: Me at June 23, 2003 at 03:06 PM

Speaking as an American I don't think I'm governed by bad guys or gals. In Indiana we keep a pretty close hold on the politicians. Got concealed carry and all that. I'm pretty damn happy about where I live and who my reps are. They are not all bad or all good, generally its a mix like most people. Its the handlers you have to watch close. This guy sounds like he pulled some analysis out of his behind and put it on paper. Not a good practice.

Posted by: Richard Cook at June 24, 2003 at 01:05 AM

Puggs and Korgmeister:
If you put your two comments into the merg-o-matic, you'll get this Churchill paraphrase: "The Germans are either at your feet or at your throat."

Posted by: Jabba the Nutt at June 24, 2003 at 02:48 PM