...someone speaks who considers those they disagree with as friends anyways.
HERE
Gorbachev, speaking--with wisdom--on a few things.
A note: Gorbachev is correct when he sees democracy as a tool, not and end. Democracy and about a buck and a half will getcha a cup of coffee. Like any tool, you have to use it only when and where it's proper and useful. In the case of democracy, it's a useful tool only when and where group decisions are proper--and that's not near as often as you might think,
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8 comments:
it is a tool indeed. i was dissapointed he didn't have more to say about afghanistan and advise for america (and canada's) involvement. interesting man....he's reportedly made uber millions as a consultant apres soviet leadership.
scout: I wouldn't be surprised that Gorbachev's's done very well since he left office; he's a smart and non-dogmatic man.
Unfortunately, too may folks see "democracy" as an end in itself--but democracy is a method for doing something--no more and no less. Give twenty-five thieving thugs democracy and all the voting will be about who's the next victim. They won't all of a sudden turn "nice" just because they're now democrats.
And that doesn't speak to the millions of choices that people can make about their lives that are simply not anybody's business, and that are certainly not properly "up to a vote".
"Gorbachev is correct when he sees democracy as a tool, not and end."
Excellent point.
I still can't get over Putin being ex-KGB. It just doesn't work for me. Have you seen the movie "Kasparov and the Machine" -- You would enjoy it. Kasparov is trying very hard to bring about real change in the Soviet Union instead of this Oligarchic mess that's been falsely described as Capitalism, and he's got some very valid crit of Putin.
Like for instance, I learned through ISIL that one of ISIL's members got Putin to read Atlas Shrugged. Putin loved it. WHich is good right? But then Putin gets the idea that it should be made mandatory reading... as in the government should force every child to read it.
So.. Yes...I guess he liked the plot... just didn't integrate too much of the principles.
Meaghan: mybe it lost something in the translation....
...by the way, meaghan, nice to see you here :-)
ron, that's why democracy is in need of augmentation....when we think of it now we think of it in it's form that we use. but if you compare it with the two row wampum, the iroquois constitution, western democracy pales. this still does not undermine that it is a tool and creeps can use it to suit their means......but the two row wampum has a lot more built into it to cricumvent that.
scout: I'm sure you know that I'm up for any improvement. Fill me in or point me to some stuff...
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