Article

2008-02-08 International-UN-NGOs

Democracy must give way to rule by experts (Liberal Fascism in action)

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Posted by Mike 2008-02-08 09:14|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 I guess Jackboots fit well under those academic robes. Seeing more proof of it every day.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-02-08 09:35|| 2008-02-08 09:35|| Front Page Top

#2 Replace DEMOCRACY with a REPUBLIC OF LAWS where the INDIVIDUAL is sovereign.

Somethign we have slowly erorded here in the US with the vox populi trumping the individual.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-02-08 09:37|| 2008-02-08 09:37|| Front Page Top

#3 The same thing happened with the Roman empire too. The senate was replaced by a popular general and he became the state. Same thing happened in Germany too. We must not be swayed by the siren song of an easy life at the expense of our liberty. Once lost, it is nearly impossible to get back and only at a great loss of life.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-02-08 10:00|| 2008-02-08 10:00|| Front Page Top

#4 Your biodegradable paperz, pleeze. Eeetz for der children...

Posted by The Gaia Gestapo 2008-02-08 10:03|| 2008-02-08 10:03|| Front Page Top

#5 Philosopher-Kings front and center.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-02-08 10:28|| 2008-02-08 10:28|| Front Page Top

#6 What is astounding is that they could be both so brazen about their knowledge and so ignorant of the origins of our governing structures at the same time. But, perhaps the later explains the former. An argument for more REAL history in undergraduate education.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-02-08 10:36|| 2008-02-08 10:36|| Front Page Top

#7 From comments:

David Shearman you are a madman.

You are the latest in a long line of obsessives, generally with a scientific background, who have been convinced that a tyrannical government would elevate your bugbear to the number one, indeed, the sole social priority of the nation, over the demands of all other citizens.

That you would choose China as your only evidence for this proposition merely shows how far your feverish obsession with global warming has taken you from sanity.

As someone who has just returned from two years of living in China I can only report to you that the disgustingly polluted air and barren deforested landscape there argue more eloguently than words exactly the opposite case. Liberal Democracy is by far the best system for protecting the environment while dictatorship is the worst.

While the Chinese government may have passed a tokenistic ban on plastic bags it has also been pushing economic development at a breakneck pace and approving scores of carbon-emitting coal-fired power stations.

However, if it pleases you to imagine that a dictatorship would adopt your goals for society (which in your own mind are self-evidently desirable - why can't everybody see.. the fools), instead of exterminating minorities or class enemies, enforcing a state religion, expropriating private wealth to lavish on the rulers, or trying to build the world's tallest building, then by all means keep scribbling.

Posted by Seafarious 2008-02-08 10:39|| 2008-02-08 10:39|| Front Page Top

#8 Nazi Germany too was run by experts. They were very concerned about the environment, animal welfare, public infrastructure, technological innovation and scientific advances and fantastically efficient at killing people.

/f*ck Godwin's Law

Posted by Excalibur 2008-02-08 10:58|| 2008-02-08 10:58|| Front Page Top

#9 "Intellects" since Plato have argued about the nobility of 'enlightened rulers' over democracy. Might have something to do with Plato's old teacher, Socrates and some hemlock. Send a case of the '07 vintage to Shearman and Smith.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-02-08 11:01|| 2008-02-08 11:01|| Front Page Top

#10 Did anyone here not see this coming?

Posted by Matt 2008-02-08 12:22|| 2008-02-08 12:22|| Front Page Top

#11 It's sheer laziness. With a tyrant in place, benevolent or otherwise, our savant merely need persuade one person, who might well be overwhelmed by our savant's knowledge and personal charm. In a democracy, our savant must persuade the multitude, some of whom will actually know more than he on the subject -- and disagree, while the majority will be simply uninterested in the subject, hence not amenable to his point of view.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-02-08 13:05|| 2008-02-08 13:05|| Front Page Top

#12 This guy would have done Orwell proud.

First, the use of language: "perceived liberties"...."consensus science"...."surfeit of democracy ".

Second, he says the following about China:

"China has become, or is just about to become, the worlds greatest emitter of greenhouse emissions. Its economic growth suggests that it may soon emit as much as the rest of the world put together. Its environment is in a deplorable state, with heavily polluted rivers and drinking water, serious air pollution, both of which have a heavy burden of illness. Pollution and climate change are reducing productive land in the face of an increasing population which is compelled to import some of its foodstuffs."

and then argues that we need a government like the "savvy Chinese rulers" because they are banning plastic bags.

Posted by DoDo 2008-02-08 13:21|| 2008-02-08 13:21|| Front Page Top

#13 However, DoDo, the Chinese emit less CO2 per capita than the US. Therefore they are more enlightened. (Of course, they have 3 or 4 times the population of the US)

Posted by Rambler">Rambler 2008-02-08 13:24|| 2008-02-08 13:24|| Front Page Top

#14 And anyone who doesn't agree is not smart enough to understand the problem.

Posted by danking70 2008-02-08 13:50|| 2008-02-08 13:50|| Front Page Top

#15 "Democracy must give way to rule by experts"

Ummmm - NO.

And I'll be glad to explain either letter of that to you, you facist IDIOT.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-02-08 15:23|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-02-08 15:23|| Front Page Top

#16 So. This individual doesn't think societies made up of the most educated people in the world has the ability to make determinations regarding the weather? Or, maybe this individual knows society can and is trying to find a way to do an end run around the people.

Posted by www 2008-02-08 16:32|| 2008-02-08 16:32|| Front Page Top

#17 If these guys were serious they'd go to China with a copy of Bob Zubrin's books on Flexi-fuel translated into Chinese. Convince the dictatorship that if they demanded all cars brought into China had to be flexi-fuel it would (a) get the oil monkey off their back (b) stick it to the Japanese who are behind in flexifuel tech. (c) Show how important China is that they can demand things and us foreigners will comply.

Same with India.

Zubrin talks about the US converting and the ripple effect but if China and/or India did so it would have some effect as well and if you are really against global warming and not simply trying to stick it to the US this would be an option.

Posted by rjschwarz 2008-02-08 17:34|| 2008-02-08 17:34|| Front Page Top

#18 HMMMMMM, "Communist Capitalism" [Commpitlaism], versus Commie-Socie "Democratic/Popular Centralism-Centrism", etc.; the "US HAS TOO MUCH FREEDOM/DEMOCRACY/LIBERTY" versus PRAVDA's [paraph] "AT LEAST UNDER THE USSR/COMMUNISM, PEOPLE = SOVIET CITIZENS WERE PERMANENTLY POOR BUT OPTIMISTIC".

As said or inferred long ago on the Net, iff one believes that 9-11/WOT > WAR FOR GLOBAL EMPIRE/CONTROL = OWG-NWO, where the US is concerned Amers must ergo believe that Amer will inevitably face an INTERNAL, NATIONAL POINT OF CRISIS-DEBATE , perhaps even SECTARIANISM OR FULL FLEDGED CIVIL WAR, via the "REPUBLIC versus EMPIRE" agendas, most notably ala ancient Rome.
These will be issues which cannot be avoided lest be done to a [worse] national detriment, and which undoubtedly dedic enemies or opponents of America = Free/DemoCapital America will use or manipulate to their own anti-US/anti-USWest advantage and agendums.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-02-08 19:30|| 2008-02-08 19:30|| Front Page Top

#19 See also MARIANAS BUSINESS JOURNAL > OP-ED - SUPPLY AND DEMAND WILL/MUST ALWAYS RULE THE MARKETS, no matter whom GOP-Dem = -ISM is in charge.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-02-08 20:12|| 2008-02-08 20:12|| Front Page Top

#20 NOSI.ORG > GEOPOLITICS: THE RISE OF CHINA AND THE FUTURE OF THE WEST - CAN THE LIBERAL SYSTEM SURVIVE?

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-02-08 21:27|| 2008-02-08 21:27|| Front Page Top

#21 I'm sure Betsy and I can persuade him to change his mind (Betsy is a 10-gauge double-barrel shotgun). Leave my liberty and private property alone, or lose your head - literally.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-02-08 21:35|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-02-08 21:35|| Front Page Top

#22 See, Old Patriot? Thats why our savant prefers to deal with tyrants.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-02-08 23:14|| 2008-02-08 23:14|| Front Page Top

#23 Saw a video on flexi-fueled cars in Brazil. It turns out that lots of US ones are too. Ones were the models are similar to those in Brazil. Its just that the switches were left off....

So, if he loves flexi-fuel he can just as GM, and Ford how to flip the switch.....

As to a dictatorship of "experts"....NO!

Posted by 3dc 2008-02-08 23:21|| 2008-02-08 23:21|| Front Page Top

23:52 trailing wife
23:47 JosephMendiola
23:41 JosephMendiola
23:39 Eric Jablow
23:35 JosephMendiola
23:33 JosephMendiola
23:30 Alaska Paul
23:26 Seafarious
23:21 3dc
23:16 trailing wife
23:16 DarthVader
23:14 trailing wife
23:13 Alaska Paul
23:08 trailing wife
23:05 trailing wife
23:01 Alaska Paul
22:54 Alaska Paul
22:52 Frank G
22:47 Alaska Paul
22:41 Alaska Paul
22:33 Sock Puppet of Doom
22:28 Alaska Paul
22:26 Frank G
22:24 Frank G