Democracy Is No Bulwark Against Oligarchy

Thursday, December 26, 2024

That's the lesson of 2024, and John Adams thought about it a lot.

Posted by Corky at 07:33 PM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

2024 may be the first election in American history in which a majority of United States voters specifically chose oligarchy.

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-- The New Republic (@newrepublic.com) December 26, 2024 at 2:35 PM

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None of the Founders fretted as much about oligarchy as Adams; he was writing about its dangers as early as 1766, and in 1785 he urged that the Pennsylvania Constitution permit sufficient payment to its legislators to allow ordinary people to serve, lest "an Aristocracy or oligarchy of the rich will be formed."

Six years after he ended his presidency (the weakest part of his legacy), Adams wrote that "the Creed of my whole Life" had been that "No simple Form of Government, can possibly secure Men against the Violences of Power. Simple Monarchy will soon mould itself into Despotism, Aristocracy will soon commence an Oligarchy, and Democracy, will soon degenerate into an Anarchy."

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2024-12-26 11:27 AM | Reply

He also warned of the dangers of political parties.

#2 | Posted by TFDNihilist at 2024-12-26 12:18 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Oligarchy: A small group of people having power over the people and their Government and all aspects of life.
Patriarchy: A system of government where men have all the power and women little to none.
Plutocracy: A ruling class whose power comes from their wealth.

America: screwed, just screwed, as the Russian people were, are, when they woke to find out their democracy was just voted out of power.

#3 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-12-27 06:34 AM | Reply

Democracy Is No Bulwark Against Oligarchy

That's the lesson of 2024, and John Adams thought about it a lot.

Posted by Corky a

looks like the new leftist-dogma KLAN term du jour is "oligarchy'....at least from DR"S Barney Fife of posters.

--Cause the other stupid manure worked so well last November 5...

#4 | Posted by shrimptacodan at 2024-12-27 07:18 AM | Reply

Just glad you learned a new word.

Now do, 'fascism'.

#5 | Posted by Corky at 2024-12-27 10:09 AM | Reply

"2024 may be the first election in American history in which a majority of United States voters specifically chose oligarchy."

I think a significant number of them have absolutely no idea what they were voting for. The masses are kept ignorant, and sustained just well enough by the wealthy that it keeps them from revolting.

#6 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-12-27 01:58 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

President Musk: Shut Up!

Jabari Jones

www.youtube.com

43 secs

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2024-12-27 05:48 PM | Reply

In feudalism, the king is the one with all the riches. In capitalism, the one with all the riches is king

#8 | Posted by hamburglar at 2024-12-27 07:25 PM | Reply

re: #6

Never forget, a lot of people stayed home this round

#9 | Posted by hamburglar at 2024-12-27 07:26 PM | Reply

Re 9

And I think that misinformation (foreign and domestic) and AI algorithms have had more of an effect on what people think and believe than we are willing to admit.

#10 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-12-27 07:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

re: #10

You kidding?!?! We're the most free-thinking freedomers that ever freedomed before! /sarcasm

#11 | Posted by hamburglar at 2024-12-27 08:03 PM | Reply

@#6 ... I think a significant number of them have absolutely no idea what they were voting for. ...

I've stated previously that my view is that the 2024 election was won mainly upon name recognition and not policy.

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-27 08:12 PM | Reply

- name recognition

And media attention... whether it's positive or negative, as long as they spell his name correctly.

#13 | Posted by Corky at 2024-12-27 08:22 PM | Reply

A lot of Germans voted for Hitler to gain power. Even more stood to attention and saluted as he walked by, drove by. They cheered and cheered, and then their guy murdered millions of people and then the world rebelled and at the end Berlin was pretty much totally destroyed.
We are, I would imagine, on the same kind of path, and one fears that the American people will not wake up, as the Russian voters did not wake up, until it was all lost.

#14 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-12-28 06:10 AM | Reply

A successful democratic system really cries out for a well-educated and -informed electorate equipped with critical thinking skills.

We don't have that in this country.

#15 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-12-28 06:27 AM | Reply

"and then their guy murdered millions of people"

Yup. With a big, fat boatload of aiders and abetters. The horrendous "ordinary men [and women]" who went along, encouraged by their action or inaction, and participated. Partners in crime. Make Germany great again.

Twain may not have said or written it, but that phrase about history not repeating itself but sure echoing a lot seems applicable.

#16 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-12-28 06:49 AM | Reply