Re: [Openquartz-general] Re: [Quake-devel] how far have you planedtogo?

[Seth G. <sga...@li...>]

On Sat, 24 Mar 2001, Jeff Teunissen wrote:

> Seth Galbraith wrote:
> 
> >  * Majority rule is just one of several systems labeled "democracy"
> >  * The largest group in any society is not necessarily a majority
> >  * The majority is not always tyrannical
> >  * Witch-hunting is not characteristic of majority rule societies
> 
> All of the above statements are false.

Here is how you can know that each statement is true:

1. Look up "democracy" in any dictionary, encyclopedia, or other reference
2. A majority is more than half, the largest group may be a plurality
3. If the majority is always tyrannical, the only alternative is anarchy
   (see the "laws exist to protect the weak ..." rebuttal below :-)
4. Look at all of the societies in which witch-hunting has occured

> Laws exist to protect the weak from the powerful; that is their only
> function.

Who enforces laws if the powerful do not?  Law organizes power but never
trumps it.  (Hence increasing Federal power throughout US history, every
time there is an issue of state's rights power trumps law.)

The first codified laws we know of were written by powerful men to keep
their competitive subjects from killing each other - if someone gouges
you this way, then you are entitled to this much restitution.

> The very existence of a "majority" depends on a common agenda.

So any group with a common agenda who acheives a majority is tyrannical?
I wonder how a group can realize their agenda without being tyrants?
Or do you imagine that any agenda is tyrannical and anything but the
status quo is tyranny?

> Anarchy has no majority, no politics at all -- just a bunch of
> individuals with no ties to each other -- which is why anarchy is
> impossible. An anarchist society cannot possibly exist, because humans
> are social animals.

Now that I agree with!
  __    __    _                                    _    __    __
_/  \__/  \__/  Seth Galbraith  "The Serpent Lord"  \__/  \__/  \_
 \__/  \__/  \_ sga...@kr...  #2244199 on ICQ  _/  \__/  \__/
_/  \__/  \__/    http://www.planetquake.com/gg     \__/  \__/  \_