Wednesday, 18 July 2007

Democracy

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. "
George Bernard Shaw, Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)

I'm in risk of being overwhelmed with commitments and new demands. This is a signal to start setting some boundaries to preserve my integrity. The other side to this is that it gives me the impetus to raise my energy levels and use my creativity.

A little detour then. I look around the various countries of the world and listen to the news. What strikes me is that the form of government that most people end up experiencing is probably what they are ready for. Democracy relies on awareness of the voting population. If the voting population is unaware or perhaps even uninterested, is democracy really effective? Is there a level of competence and knowledge required in order to properly vote. Does a surgeon get voted into office? And then does he ask for a vote when making surgical decisions? It's always amusing to see people complaining about a leader that they voted into office...

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