I have been a proponent of democracy for a long time now.
A few days ago, I asked myself this question quickly after hearing news that Donald Trump called himself a defender of democracy.
It quickly reminded me my observation the day that he announced his candidacy for President of the U.S. back in 2015.
I looked forward to his announcement speech with an open mind thinking he is also a proponent of democracy.
I stopped watching his announcement speech not long after he started speaking and turned away from the TV that I was watching. Through his speech, he quickly came across as an offender of democracy.
My open mind to him as a proponent of democracy was closed at a moment’s notice.
So, when I heard in December 2023 that the man that came across in June 2015 as an offender of democracy claims to be a defender of democracy, I couldn’t help ask myself this question quickly and impulsively. There is no silver lining between democracy and fascism.
I went back to the very definition of the word democracy. Here is its first definition posted online by Oxford Dictionary: “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.”
Oxford Dictionary also makes it clear that the majority in the whole population are entitled to make decisions.
The definition of democracy by Oxford Dictionary assured me that I did not miss the concept of democracy.
I then asked myself if I had ever heard news when Donald Trump had the support of the majority of the whole of the electing population in the U.S. I couldn’t remember a single time.
If this is true, doesn’t this mean that in the eyes of democracy, he is an illegitimate proponent?
Isn’t it that simple?
Off course, he became the President of the U.S. through the Electoral College instead of a majority of the popular vote. This suggests the Electoral College is skewed away from democracy.
The skewed Electoral College win failed to last for more than one term. Wasn’t that a sign of the inertia of the popular vote overpowering that of the skewed Electoral College?
So, how is that a man who was judged to be an offender of democracy by some in June 2015, possibly never received the support of the majority of the popular vote, failed to last for more than one term, would have the audacity to claim that he is a defender of democracy?
Hasn’t this fallacious claim already tainted the shining city upon a hill that the late Ronald Reagan advertised to the world?
Based on my limited reading, I don’t think that there is any other group in Germany that has left a more lasting taint against the country of Mozart than the Nazi.
If so, where are the intelligent American citizens in Donald Trump camp that fail to advise him that such fallacies leave lasting taints in the eyes of democracy that the country advertised to the world that it practices?
Have they been taken hostage by Adolf Hitler in his grave to exact a score for appropriating and exploiting the Nazi’s Enigma Box away from Germany?
Re: What is democracy, really?
For me the beauty of democracy with check and balance prevents dictators from staying in power through manipulation more than the fixed time they are given by the Constitution and that was what happened on Trump( but still he may come back to power, if reelected) . Democracy also respects the God given sovereign right of an individual which is very vital for success. Capitalism as economic model and part of Democracy also enables the free individual to innovate and succeed.
A small and effective uncorrupted government that regulates , enables and supports the free man to succeed also is very vital to transform the society out of poverty to greatness.
Ethiopians do not need to recreate democracy, freedom, liberty and capitalism but to adapt it from USA or Europe in the way it fits to our conditions on an incremental and prioritized manner.
A small and effective uncorrupted government that regulates , enables and supports the free man to succeed also is very vital to transform the society out of poverty to greatness.
Ethiopians do not need to recreate democracy, freedom, liberty and capitalism but to adapt it from USA or Europe in the way it fits to our conditions on an incremental and prioritized manner.
Last edited by Axumezana on 14 Dec 2023, 18:42, edited 2 times in total.
Re: What is democracy, really?
Democracy is two agame wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. 
Re: What is democracy, really?
What is democracy?Naga Tuma wrote: ↑14 Dec 2023, 17:59I have been a proponent of democracy for a long time now.
A few days ago, I asked myself this question quickly after hearing news that Donald Trump called himself a defender of democracy.
It quickly reminded me my observation the day that he announced his candidacy for President of the U.S. back in 2015.
I looked forward to his announcement speech with an open mind thinking he is also a proponent of democracy.
I stopped watching his announcement speech not long after he started speaking and turned away from the TV that I was watching. Through his speech, he quickly came across as an offender of democracy.
My open mind to him as a proponent of democracy was closed at a moment’s notice.
So, when I heard in December 2023 that the man that came across in June 2015 as an offender of democracy claims to be a defender of democracy, I couldn’t help ask myself this question quickly and impulsively. There is no silver lining between democracy and fascism.
I went back to the very definition of the word democracy. Here is its first definition posted online by Oxford Dictionary: “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.”
Oxford Dictionary also makes it clear that the majority in the whole population are entitled to make decisions.
The definition of democracy by Oxford Dictionary assured me that I did not miss the concept of democracy.
I then asked myself if I had ever heard news when Donald Trump had the support of the majority of the whole of the electing population in the U.S. I couldn’t remember a single time.
If this is true, doesn’t this mean that in the eyes of democracy, he is an illegitimate proponent?
Isn’t it that simple?
Off course, he became the President of the U.S. through the Electoral College instead of a majority of the popular vote. This suggests the Electoral College is skewed away from democracy.
The skewed Electoral College win failed to last for more than one term. Wasn’t that a sign of the inertia of the popular vote overpowering that of the skewed Electoral College?
So, how is that a man who was judged to be an offender of democracy by some in June 2015, possibly never received the support of the majority of the popular vote, failed to last for more than one term, would have the audacity to claim that he is a defender of democracy?
Hasn’t this fallacious claim already tainted the shining city upon a hill that the late Ronald Reagan advertised to the world?
Based on my limited reading, I don’t think that there is any other group in Germany that has left a more lasting taint against the country of Mozart than the Nazi.
If so, where are the intelligent American citizens in Donald Trump camp that fail to advise him that such fallacies leave lasting taints in the eyes of democracy that the country advertised to the world that it practices?
Have they been taken hostage by Adolf Hitler in his grave to exact a score for appropriating and exploiting the Nazi’s Enigma Box away from Germany?
Democracy is a tool for the west and US to loot Africa and other undeveloped countries.
democracy is a tool for greedy Africa leader a means to stay in power and loot their own people.
Democracy is a pain killer for half-baked intellectuals.
Democracy is a tool for elites to embezzle and confuse their own people to benefit themselves.
Democracy is a worthless idea to be used for leaders to fool the people.
Then what is the real democracy? Democracy is social justice. You can shout all you want but democracy will never be implemented unless social justice is in action. When social justice is in place, peace regains and then development emerges. How many factories was burned to ashes in Ethiopia the last 6 years? Why? because the people understood those factories don't serve them but the elites. Simply put unless social justice is fair and practiced, democracy is nothing but a term to confuse and betray the people.
Case in point! the Ethiopian government declares that there is democratic system in Ethiopia. Do I have to explain? I don't think so.
Re: What is democracy, really?
Naga Tuma wrote: ↑14 Dec 2023, 17:59I have been a proponent of democracy for a long time now.
A few days ago, I asked myself this question quickly after hearing news that Donald Trump called himself a defender of democracy.
It quickly reminded me my observation the day that he announced his candidacy for President of the U.S. back in 2015.
I looked forward to his announcement speech with an open mind thinking he is also a proponent of democracy.
I stopped watching his announcement speech not long after he started speaking and turned away from the TV that I was watching. Through his speech, he quickly came across as an offender of democracy.
My open mind to him as a proponent of democracy was closed at a moment’s notice.
So, when I heard in December 2023 that the man that came across in June 2015 as an offender of democracy claims to be a defender of democracy, I couldn’t help ask myself this question quickly and impulsively. There is no silver lining between democracy and fascism.
I went back to the very definition of the word democracy. Here is its first definition posted online by Oxford Dictionary: “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.”
Oxford Dictionary also makes it clear that the majority in the whole population are entitled to make decisions.
The definition of democracy by Oxford Dictionary assured me that I did not miss the concept of democracy.
I then asked myself if I had ever heard news when Donald Trump had the support of the majority of the whole of the electing population in the U.S. I couldn’t remember a single time.
If this is true, doesn’t this mean that in the eyes of democracy, he is an illegitimate proponent?
Isn’t it that simple?
Off course, he became the President of the U.S. through the Electoral College instead of a majority of the popular vote. This suggests the Electoral College is skewed away from democracy.
The skewed Electoral College win failed to last for more than one term. Wasn’t that a sign of the inertia of the popular vote overpowering that of the skewed Electoral College?
So, how is that a man who was judged to be an offender of democracy by some in June 2015, possibly never received the support of the majority of the popular vote, failed to last for more than one term, would have the audacity to claim that he is a defender of democracy?
Hasn’t this fallacious claim already tainted the shining city upon a hill that the late Ronald Reagan advertised to the world?
Based on my limited reading, I don’t think that there is any other group in Germany that has left a more lasting taint against the country of Mozart than the Nazi.
If so, where are the intelligent American citizens in Donald Trump camp that fail to advise him that such fallacies leave lasting taints in the eyes of democracy that the country advertised to the world that it practices?
Have they been taken hostage by Adolf Hitler in his grave to exact a score for appropriating and exploiting the Nazi’s Enigma Box away from Germany?
[/quote
You watch too much TV. The US election is not based on popular vote. The rule of the game is winning the electoral college( initially designed to limit the influence of slave holding states). If the election were for winning the popular vote, the candidates would adjust their campaign accordingly.
In my opinion Trump fares better than his recent republican predecessor George W Bush who is responsible for the massacre of millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan or the current gaga who is incapable of understanding that he is helping and sponsoring a genocide.
As for democracy the US was considered democracy even prior the end of Slavery. The Nazis came to power after winning election. Apartheid South Africa practiced democratic election for the privileged.
Israel is considered a democracy while it's 20% Arab population is second class citizens and it brutally occupies Area B and Area C of the West Bank against international law.
Re: What is democracy, really?
You watch too much TV. The US election is not based on popular vote. The rule of the game is winning the electoral college( initially designed to limit the influence of slave holding states). If the election were for winning the popular vote, the candidates would adjust their campaign accordingly.
In my opinion Trump fares better than his recent republican predecessor George W Bush who is responsible for the massacre of millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan or the current gaga who is incapable of understanding that he is helping and sponsoring a genocide.
As for democracy, the US was considered democracy even prior the end of Slavery. The Nazis came to power after winning election. Apartheid South Africa practiced democratic election for the privileged.
Israel is considered a democracy while it's 20% Arab population is second class citizens and it brutally occupies Area B and Area C of the West Bank against international law.
In my opinion Trump fares better than his recent republican predecessor George W Bush who is responsible for the massacre of millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan or the current gaga who is incapable of understanding that he is helping and sponsoring a genocide.
As for democracy, the US was considered democracy even prior the end of Slavery. The Nazis came to power after winning election. Apartheid South Africa practiced democratic election for the privileged.
Israel is considered a democracy while it's 20% Arab population is second class citizens and it brutally occupies Area B and Area C of the West Bank against international law.
Re: What is democracy, really?
ZEMEN
I think you will benefit a lot if you are introduced to ሴረ ቱማ, which means making law. Simply put, democracy meant making laws by putting down spears. I hope someday, more people get introduced to that picture that speaks much more than thousand words about the genesis of democracy or making law, at least the way I understand it.
To his credit, Trump is a natural in the old world of Lords. He is more natural in the old world of Lords than the primordial consumer society of the old British Empire that, along with their primordial munions, felt entitled to the resources of the entire world.
In my view, in Trump’s old world of Lords, President Putin is also a Lord, as is President Xi and Chairman Un. He is more natural than the old British Empire when he says those other Lords in his natural mind should be respected. He just wants to be the strongest Lord of them all.
In his mind, it is not the laws that make a country great. It is the Lord that makes it great.
In the modern world, it is the laws that make a country great. Without any imperial ambitions, an expert of the laws whether it is a man or a woman of Indian heritage is able to teach those laws better than the Lord whether it is in the U.K. or US.
In conclusion of your point, law or justice is the mark between the old and modern worlds.
I think you will benefit a lot if you are introduced to ሴረ ቱማ, which means making law. Simply put, democracy meant making laws by putting down spears. I hope someday, more people get introduced to that picture that speaks much more than thousand words about the genesis of democracy or making law, at least the way I understand it.
To his credit, Trump is a natural in the old world of Lords. He is more natural in the old world of Lords than the primordial consumer society of the old British Empire that, along with their primordial munions, felt entitled to the resources of the entire world.
In my view, in Trump’s old world of Lords, President Putin is also a Lord, as is President Xi and Chairman Un. He is more natural than the old British Empire when he says those other Lords in his natural mind should be respected. He just wants to be the strongest Lord of them all.
In his mind, it is not the laws that make a country great. It is the Lord that makes it great.
In the modern world, it is the laws that make a country great. Without any imperial ambitions, an expert of the laws whether it is a man or a woman of Indian heritage is able to teach those laws better than the Lord whether it is in the U.K. or US.
In conclusion of your point, law or justice is the mark between the old and modern worlds.
Re: What is democracy, really?
After defeating Nazi Germany in WW2, the allied forces divided by ideology separated into two camps: the Western block led by the US, and the Eastern block, led by the Communist Soviet Union, in what was then known as the "Cold War."
When the Communist block started referring to the Western block as "imperialists," and "capitalists," -- terms that carry negative connotations, the Western block decided to adopt the word Democracy to define its brand of influence around the world. Up until that point most people in the Western countries had never heard of the word Democracy.
In the United States, for example, whose founding fathers deliberately avoided Democracy (tyranny of the majority) by forming a Republic (Rule of Law) instead, the people were not familiar with the word Democracy until President Harry Truman used the word in his speech pledging to resist the spread of communism.
Another example, the American Pledge of Allegiance starts with the following words: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands,..." it does not say "to the Democracy for which it stands", because in the words of John Adams, one of the American founding fathers, "Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes exhausts and murders itself."
In Tigray, አብዮታዊ ዴሞክራሲ ራሱን ገደለ።
When the Communist block started referring to the Western block as "imperialists," and "capitalists," -- terms that carry negative connotations, the Western block decided to adopt the word Democracy to define its brand of influence around the world. Up until that point most people in the Western countries had never heard of the word Democracy.
In the United States, for example, whose founding fathers deliberately avoided Democracy (tyranny of the majority) by forming a Republic (Rule of Law) instead, the people were not familiar with the word Democracy until President Harry Truman used the word in his speech pledging to resist the spread of communism.
Another example, the American Pledge of Allegiance starts with the following words: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands,..." it does not say "to the Democracy for which it stands", because in the words of John Adams, one of the American founding fathers, "Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes exhausts and murders itself."
In Tigray, አብዮታዊ ዴሞክራሲ ራሱን ገደለ።