26042: Walton (thoughts) Does Haiti really want to be a "democracy?" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

waltonr@hotmail.com <mailto:waltonr@hotmail.com>

The definition of democracy below seems to fit the  Aristide-Lavalas
government of Haiti's recent past- except for the fact that the will and
needs of the majority - those outside PAP - were largely disregarded by the
government it swept into power.  The "interim government" has arguably
evolved into a dictatorship.

republic: "a form of government in which supreme power resides in a body of
citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and
representatives responsible to them and governing according to law."
(Websters Unabridged Dictionary)

democracy: "a government of the masses. Authority derived through mass
meetings or any other form of direct expression. Results in mobocracy.
Attitude towards property is communistic-negative property rights. Attitude
toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it is
based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice and impulse,
without restraint or regard to consequences. It results in demagogism,
license, agitation, discontent, anarchy." (U.S. Army Training Manual)

Modern liberal democracies are important examples of "representative
democracy." In the United States this term is often used synonymously with
"republic."   Our Republic was founded upon the principles of Liberty (the
right to do whatever one wishes so long as those actions do not infringe
upon the equal rights of others) and limited government, not democracy.
(Interesting, if we are suppose to live in a democracy as our politicians
tell us?)

Food for thought.  ... Democracies self-destruct if the non-productive
majority or power-elite votes itself handouts from the productive minority
by electing the candidate promising the most benefits from the public
treasury or simply by raiding the public treasury. To maintain their power,
these candidates must adopt an ever-increasing tax and spend policy to
enrich themselves and provide handouts to their backers.  As government
confiscations, impediments to small enterpises and taxes increase, both
abilty and incentive to produce decreases, causing many of the once
productive to drop out and join the non-productive. When there are no longer
enough producers to fund the legitimate functions of government and its
socialist programs, the democracy will collapse, to be followed by an
authoritarian oligarchy (we're approaching this) and ultimately by
dictatorship.  An authoritarian oligarchy is reversible, given an
enlightened public and a fair election.  A dictatorship is normally
reversible only by revolution or rarely, by the death of an "enlightened
dicator" as was the case in Franco's Spain.

The cure and the prevention of this state of affairs is to choose public
leaders whose hearts and minds are devoted to the public good rather than
self-enrichment or the pursuit of political power.  Haiti has not excelled
in this regard...but with the oncoming election it has at least the
possibility of doing so.