Re: Health “And how did the Nazis come to Power?!? With a Democratic Germany.”
The typical system of governance for most of human history has been ultimately based on “might makes right.” If my side is physically stronger, than I could subjugate you to any rule I wish. And if you have a good life, that’s only because I happen to have mercy on you. Democracy attempts to end or at least limit this notion by making the leaders more accountable to its citizens. So it’s a noble idea, albeit there are obvious kinks. The kinks are most manifest when people disregard these democratic principles, like ignoring votes or engaging in violent overthrow.
Another obvious annoyance with our democracy, as you allude, is when you personally and morally don’t like certain laws in place, such as abortion. But it’s better than a Christian coming to power who c.v.s. makes you go to church and bans Yiddishkeit (as an aside, a poll last year shows that something like 80% of fundamentalist Christians wanted to institute “christian law” in the U.S.). Despite this annoyance, at least democracy gives you a chance to win people over to your viewpoint with your obvious chein and budding intellect. Compare that with Kabul or Iraq where people blow each other up in order to implement their religious laws on others. Want to move there? Until Moshiach comes, I’ll take democracy.
Germany’s democracy wasn’t the reason for the authoritarian regime. Yes, a democracy allows bad people to introduce their dangerous views and possibly come to power. But that’s a given in a might-makes-right society. In fact, it was Hitler’s doing away with democracy that helped him to do what he did (like canceling elections, for one!). In the end, a stable democracy depends on maintaining your good faith in the system. And its ability to protect people’s rights better than a ‘might-makes-right’ system depends on maintaining good neighbors.