I don’t know where to find those films, offhand – my approach would just be to search online, same as you can do.
I supported Aaron Russo when he sought the Libertarian presidential nomination, and I understand what he’s getting at in this clip, but I don’t think his attack on democracy is very well founded.
Democracy is hardly the worst system of government! Autocratic regimes that are less accountable to the people are generally worse. And while democracy does allow a majority (or even a minority, if they are the plurality of those who vote) to impose their will on a minority (or even on the majority), a constitutional republic often allows the same thing, requiring only a higher vote threshold, or that the constitution allows it.
Recognition of and respect for inherent, inalienable individual rights is not synonymous with a constitutional republic. It may be somewhat more likely in a constitutional republic, since a constitutional republic tends to limit government more than a democracy does, and thus is arguably more likely to be produced by a society that is more supportive of individual rights, but it’s not automatic.
In practice, I’m not sure how much difference there is between them. It may be a bit like arguing about police departments versus sheriffs. Sheriffs seem better in theory, and are maybe better on average (more often elected, more independent of local government), but a given sheriff or sheriff’s department may be worse than a given police chief or police department.
Of the world’s countries that are ruled by governments subject to selection by popular election, I couldn’t say which of them operate as constitutional republics and which as democracies – or whether there is much distinction, given that virtually all of them have constitutions that claim to guarantee individual rights. See attached screenshots from ChatGPT.
I think the statement in your ChatGPT search that stands out:
“but routinely violate them”
I think it is interesting that some believe the Constitution is fluid and
have made it worse through some Amendments like 2020 Proposition 19. They
talk about another Constitutional Convention… who would be the
appropriate People at the table?
I don’t know where to find those films, offhand – my approach would just
be to search online, same as you can do.
I supported Aaron Russo when he sought the Libertarian presidential
nomination, and I understand what he’s getting at in this clip, but I don’t
think his attack on democracy is very well founded.
*Democracy *is *hardly *the worst system of government! Autocratic
regimes that are less accountable to the people are generally worse. And
while democracy *does *allow a majority (or even a minority, if they are
the plurality of those who vote) to impose their will on a minority (or
even on the majority), a constitutional republic often allows the same
thing, requiring only a higher vote threshold, or that the constitution
allows it.
Recognition of and respect for inherent, inalienable individual rights is *not
*synonymous with a constitutional republic. It may be somewhat more
likely in a constitutional republic, since a constitutional republic tends
to limit government more than a *democracy *does, and thus is arguably
more likely to be produced by a society that is more supportive of
individual rights, but it’s not automatic.
In practice, I’m not sure how much difference there is between them. It
may be a bit like arguing about police departments versus sheriffs.
Sheriffs seem better in theory, and are maybe better on average (more often
elected, more independent of local government), but a given sheriff or
sheriff’s department may be worse than a given police chief or police
department.
Of the world’s countries that are ruled by governments subject to
selection by popular election, I couldn’t say which of them operate as
constitutional republics and which as democracies – or whether there is
much distinction, given that virtually all of them have constitutions that
claim to guarantee individual rights. See attached screenshots from ChatGPT.
