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UK economy overtaken by Italy
Edinburgh said:
<China and Iraq are, in my opinion, not mature enough to form functional democracies> How exactly can nations of millions of people be "mature" (or "immature", for that matter)? It is a meaningless phrase.
"Mature" in the politically correct terminology refers to "not Western enough".
"How exactly can nations of millions of people be "mature" (or "immature", for that matter)? It is a meaningless phrase."
True. It's not really people I was referring to, though, but rather the society in light of (1) socioeconomic circumstances, (2) provision of education + equality of access to education. Societies which are largely poor and uneducated rarely establish functioning democracies (yes, China is still largely poor and uneducated, if you venture beyond the coastal margins). India, for example, is ostensibly a democracy but it certainly doesn't function in the way one would expect a democracy to function. Extralegal human rights violations in India rival those in China despite the fact that India is a democracy whilst China is a dictatorship. At the end of the day, all I am trying to say is that dictatorship is not, by definition, "bad". Under certain circumstances, it can be the better of several undesirable alternatives. Under no circumstances is it ideal. I think it's healthy to have such debates. Unfortunately, they rarely occur without sneering and flaming hostility. Many in the West are firmly convinced that anything other than democracy is inherently evil, with no redeeming factors whatsoever. At the same time, many Chinese people labour under the delusion that they are fighting alone against the world. As an Anglo-Chinese, I am often caught in between...
<India, for example, is ostensibly a democracy but it certainly doesn't function in the way one would expect a democracy to function. Extralegal human rights violations in India rival those in China despite the fact that India is a democracy whilst China is a dictatorship. >
Here, you have simply extended the meaning of the word "democracy" to include criteria which you know India doesn't meet; and then you have declared that India isn't a functioning democracy. I might as reasonably extend the meaning of "football team" to "11 players, 6 of which must be over 6 feet", and then declare that most of the world's football teams weren't in fact football teams at all.
<<Here, you have simply extended the meaning of the word "democracy" to include criteria which you know India doesn't meet; and then you have declared that India isn't a functioning democracy.
I might as reasonably extend the meaning of "football team" to "11 players, 6 of which must be over 6 feet", and then declare that most of the world's football teams weren't in fact football teams at all. >> Meh, let's not get into semantics. A functioning democracy is very different than an ostensible democracy. Otherwise you can call anything a democracy. Azerbaidjan, Belorussia... Even North Korea has "democratic" in its name for some reason, does anyone know what the heck that's all about??
...or better: first of all CHRISTMAS PUDDING and then, closure with an after dinner drink :-DDD
<Otherwise you can call anything a democracy>
You can call it a democracy if its political system = government by the people.
The Kims of North Korea are leading their country towards communism, which is in the best interest of the people, therefore people are in control of the government, therefore it is a democratic political system. There's their logic. And I don't find it to be alot different from the logic of the American politicians.
I think the Kims of Korea are right. Who said life is all about GETTING EVERYTHING YOU WANT????? Yeah, sure I'd live in the West any day, but that's because I'm greedy and selfish and like luxury.
<communism, which is in the best interest of the people, therefore people are in control of the government, therefore it is a democratic political system>
You can call it a democracy if its political system = government by the people, i.e. if the people decide who governs. Otherwise, it isn't a democracy.
Hello, Edinburgh Medic.....LTNS! I'm heading back home to Edinburgh on Tuesday morning and back to the grind again.....great! See you around town if you identify yourself...I shall be holding aloft a placard bearing the words: "Are you Edinburgh Medic?"...most probably in the George Square area.....
And yes, I am Damian with an A....there's nothing diabolical about me.
Going back to the topic. How come a sunny yet chaotic, unorganised Mediterranean country like Italy can surpass the industralized and well organized UK? This reality must be unconceivable for the British minds full of prejudices.
Armada.....does the name Gordon Brown or the British Labour Party mean anything to you? Therein likes the answer....but come next spring a New Day will Dawn and we will be able to get rid of the pestilence. A landslide is in the offing...... ;-)
For one thing Britain is far more dependent on finance and banking than Italy ever will be, and we all know what has been happening of late globally in the that respect, do we not? |