Do you like dictatorships?

Discussion in 'Politics' started by BigBlueHead, Jan 21, 2004.

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Do you like dictatorships?

  1. Yes.

    23 vote(s)
    65.7%
  2. Yes.

    12 vote(s)
    34.3%
  1. BigBlueHead Great Tealnoggin! Registered Senior Member

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    1,996
    Sometimes you are permitted an apparent choice, where actually there is no choice at all.
     
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  3. spuriousmonkey Banned Banned

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    24,066
    I was an editor-in-chief once of a journal. I ran it as a dictator in the sense that I controlled everything. I also did most of the work. It was all very efficient.

    I also got most of the credit.

    That part didn't go down well with another member of the editorial team. He stopped talking to me and then produced a huge list with all the things I did wrong.

    I quite as editor-in-chief. I was doing it for fun and now the shit hit the fan.

    moral: dictatorships can be efficient in producing results, but people may rebel.
     
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  5. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    33,264
    Depends upon who the dictator is. Since most dictators presume to want to help everyone in their kingdoms they don't always do so without hurting many of the inhabitants as well. If you look at any dictator in history you will see that there were many people who suffered while a few made millions or lived very well above the rest of the country. Dictators want you to believe they want to help everyone when in actuality they are only out for themselves and their friends.

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  7. thefountainhed Fully Realized Valued Senior Member

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    2,076
    I enjoy the poll as a reflection of the question.

    But yes, of course I like dictatorships as long as I am the dictator. Otherwise, I quite frankly like the visage that I have a choice,even if none exists.
     
  8. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    13,105
    And the difference with the current governments is???
     
  9. Hastein Welcome To Kampuchea Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    379
    All governments are akin to totalitarianism in some respects, it is the nature of any human society. In America it is the will of the people, but their veiws are shaped by the factors around them, thus limiting certain actions and opinions.
     
  10. exsto_human Transitional Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    473
    Enlightened despotism is the only way to lead a people into an existance of harmony with our fellow sentient beings. Sadly, we have expired this option a long time ago. All that remains is conformity to society or the heavy burden of enlightened non-conformity of the self.
     
  11. Hastein Welcome To Kampuchea Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    379
    Despotism would be the ideal society in my head, but as of now it is not a reality and it I am certainly not in the career to do it. I think dictatorship has some benefits:

    1. Democracy is based on 'feel good' politics, and not necessarily what is best for the community, economy or environment.
    2. Democracy assumes that people understand the political climate and will do the right thing.
    3. Despotism has a purpose and direction.
    4. Despotism beleives in the whole rather than the individual.
    5. Despotism is the best way to conserve natural habitats.
    6. Despotism is post-moral.
     
  12. orthogonal Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    579
    Hello Hastein,

    I agree with your list up to and including #3.

    Charlie Rose (American PBS) interviewed a writer some months ago (I forget who it was) that remarked, "In this democracy we choose our dictator." I've been wondering about that ever since.

    Michael
     
  13. CounslerCoffee Registered Senior Member

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    4,997
    I find dictatorships interesting, horrible; but interesting. Am I the only one who feels this way?
     
  14. Hastein Welcome To Kampuchea Registered Senior Member

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    379
  15. Joeman Eviiiiiiiil Clown Registered Senior Member

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    2,448
    Checks and balances. In theory presidency is just one of the three branches and each branch has equal power. In theory. Dictatorship doesn't have checks and balances.

    Recently I learned that Taiwanese democracy has 5 branches instead of three. That's kinda cool.
     
  16. cthulhus slave evil servant Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    754
    depends on the dictator, doesnt it?
    but can any human realy do a sufficient job of singlehandedly governing any number of his fellow men?
    their is no way an individual can possibly represent anymore than himself, and hes lucky if that much.
    but we'll leave representation up to democracy, this is a dictatorship were talking about.
    the way i see it, if a person were intelligent and unbiased enugh that they could rationaly controll and govern a state of people, then fine.
    bue such a godlike person surly doesnt exhist, so i say no. in any realistic sence, i would not like dictatorship.
     
  17. Dr Lou Natic Unnecessary Surgeon Registered Senior Member

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    5,574
    I would enjoy being a dictator and wouldn't mind being ruled by a dictator that was exactly like me in every way.
     
  18. Godless Objectivist Mind Registered Senior Member

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    4,197
    My vote would be yes!!! Only if I were the dictator.

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  19. BigBlueHead Great Tealnoggin! Registered Senior Member

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    1,996
    Your vote would be yes anyway, unless you didn't vote.
     
  20. Overlychallenged Registered Member

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    2
    Isn't the poll a rather gargantuan simplification of a multi-faceted question? The word 'dictatorship' usually conjures up images of the bloody coups in South America and Chinese repression, but equally there are others that have had hugely liberating aspects to them. One that comes to mind in the present climate, is the dictatorship in Pakistan. More liberty, freedom and transperancy exits there today than under any democratic gobernment throughout its history. Not to say democracies are wrong...... like I said this is a hugely multi-layered!!!
     
  21. candy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,074
    When I get to be dictator things will be different.
     
  22. BigBlueHead Great Tealnoggin! Registered Senior Member

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    1,996
    Welcome to Sciforums Overlychallenged!

    Of course it is a simplification.
    Within a dictatorship the truth can easily be normalized.
    Take the children from their parents for ideological education.
    Burn the schools... burn the books... destroy anything that ever criticized.
    All knowledge can be destroyed within one generation.

    That leaves you with one choice... yes or yes?

    EDIT: It doesn't have to happen this way, but ETHICS are the first casualty of a CRISIS.
     
  23. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    10,943
    Can't all of this take place in a democracy? A democracy is simply the despotism of the majority unless the rights of the individual are guarenteed.
     

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