Why are you sceptical to government?

[Arnfinn Madsen]

It seems to me the majority of Americans is sceptical towards the government? Why?

[wtfsvi]

Chill on the contentless post-creating.

[SpearsBritney]

WOW!

[Arnfinn Madsen]

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Chill on the contentless post-creating.

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I am seriously curious, since in my country people have a very positive opinion about the government. I wonder what makes the difference.

[wtfsvi]

Your country wouldn't by any chance be Norway? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Arnfinn Madsen]

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Your country wouldn't by any chance be Norway? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes,
and the sentiment is very different. Why?

[wtfsvi]

Check my location. Shame on you for being awake at 5 am anyway. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'm not saying anything to defend US politics and I have nothing against your curiosity. Just critizizing you for making lots of not very well balanced 1-question posts during a short time period.

EDIT: Oh well, maybe I'm exaggerating. Please ignore my rudeness.

[Arnfinn Madsen]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not saying anything to defend US politics and I have nothing against your curiosity. Just critizizing you for making lots of not very well balanced 1-question posts during a short time period.

[/ QUOTE ]

Saw your location /images/graemlins/cool.gif. Go to bed! /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Did not mean to attack US or its politics in this thread (I do so often anyway /images/graemlins/tongue.gif). Just curious of the basis of the near consensus that government is a "bad" thing. Something in the public-government relationship must be different.

Do you have any opinion on the subject or are you just creating contentless posts? /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[wtfsvi]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar på:</font><hr />
Do you have any opinion on the subject or are you just creating contentless posts?

[/ QUOTE ]Now that hurt /images/graemlins/blush.gif You evil Norwegian guy.

I do have an opinion actually, even though I'm not American. Government equals power. People has to be sceptical to any arrangement that gives one individual or one group of individuals power over another individual/group of individuals. Be that some multinational corporation or any government.

The final goal for a society should, in my opinion, be to eliminate any power one individual would have over another. (I'm not saying any society will ever reach it.)

But regarding America: Skewing power from (a democratically elected) government to whoever owns the most money/resources won't help obviously. At least not as I see it /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[MMMMMM]

Let me turn the question around for a minute: Why do you trust government so much?

Do you realize that most of the worst horrors in the history of the world, have been perpetrated by governments?

Maybe it hasn't happened yet in Norway--but just look at the history of most other major countries--Russia, China, France, Germany, etc.............Throughout the ages, governments have perpetrated wholesale slaughters of millions. So...why give government much trust?

Is it not better to structure the Constitution of a country in such as way as to limit the powers of government...and hopefully thereby avoid the tyanny and slaughter which, sooner or later, seems otherwise eventually to flow against the citizens from the powers of government unchecked?

[Arnfinn Madsen]

So basically you are sceptical to the concept of representative democracy, because you think that power may corrupt the rulers even if democratically elected?

[MMMMMM]

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So basically you are sceptical to the concept of representative democracy, because you think that power may corrupt the rulers even if democratically elected?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, for that reason; and because in a pure democracy a majority can easily oppress a minority and deny them equal rights.

Those are two reasons is why it is essential for there to be a Constitution setting in stone certain basic rights for citizens, and why limiting the powers of government is essential to long-term liberty.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I'm skeptical enough of human nature to understand that power tends to corrupt. Thus the only way to adequately control the necessary evil that is government is a strong constitution that is extremely difficult to amend.

In a democracy, 3 wolves and 1 sheep vote on what's for dinner.

In a republic, 3 wolves and 1 sheep elect representatives who vote on what's for dinner.

In a constitutional republic, dinner is not subject to a vote and sheep are permitted to have guns.