Has democracy in general proven to be a failure based on countless historical examples of abhorrent behavior?
952334
Large-scale democracy is a failure.  Look at the horrible voting rates, the feeling among the people that they cannot influence the government, the disgusting influence of money in politics...  But localized democracy is the best political system there is.  When you can actually have a say over the laws and rules that govern your life,  when political power is not centralized hundreds or thousands of miles away, then you feel a sense of empowerment and a bond with your community that just is not present in large-scale democracy (except for the artificial bond of nationalism, which has scary results).  \n\nDemocracy as it is practiced in the US today needs to be abolished and replaced with a more localized, participatory democracy.  (no, i am not dissatisfied with the recent election.  in fact i am overjoyed about it, but it doesn't change the inherent flaws of the system.)
980179
Is anyone ever ready for democracy?
569844
If you watched movie Equilibrium you might guess. Your country has become shadow of democracy ruled by certain designated circles which use and not used to real democracy.
333769
History has proven pure communism or socialism doesn’t work.  Humans are free thinkers and eventually demand access to individual freedoms and rights.  History has also proven pure democracy and capitalism doesn’t work either.  Louis, Tocqueville warned of a “tyranny of the majority” which some say may be occurring in America today.\n\nThe answer is a balance between the two.   In a perfect society there would be enough social programs to support the poor, sick, and needy while providing opportunity for those “go getters” who wish to pursues wealth and success.
537870
No. Because even if the violence stops, it is in their culture to oppress women.  So, no I do not believe that there will ever be a real democratic system there.
1137231
I hate to admit it but I completely agree with your right to believe that...and I'm not in total disagreement with you. I think that if a Democracy works right it is the greatest form of government. However a Democracy gone bad can be a disgusting beast and all forms of government become corrupt nothing quite like greed and power to cause corruption...Now I can see how someone looking at the current government in the United States and decideing they want no part of a Democracy..Why our government cant understand that I dont understand I truly think we live in the past because we know how great Democracy can be we believe it still is great and that it can be fixed and hopfully it can...but as I said I can completely see your point...but all forms of government eventually become corrupt...you probably stand a better chance of reforming a Democracy..
349974
IN THE DAYS OF THE 18TH CENTURY, THIS COUNTRY WAS SO LARGE THAT A DIRECT DEMOCRACY WAS NOT A VERY GOOD OPTION.  SO THEY WENT WITH THE NEXT BEST THING.  BUT IN TODAYS TIMES, A DIRECT DEMOCRACY IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE WITH THE HIGH TECH COMMUNICATIONS WE HAVE TODAY.  THE CORRUPT SYSTEM WE HAVE TODAY IS PROOF THAT A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY IS DOOMED TO FAIL.  A DIRECT DEMOCRACY WOULD BE FAR MORE HONEST.
115171
I don't think that this is necessarily an African problem.  I think that in order to successfully cultivate a democracy that the people have to have a deep inner desire for that democracy.  They have to want it to work.  In a lot of countries we're trying to do some nation-building, and in such we're trying to help other countries become democracies, but that only worked for us because we wanted it.  We can't force it on people as we're finding out all over the world.  If there are people against a democratic form of government (and if the people who are for it aren't for it strongly enough), then there are too many ways they can muck it up for everyone else.
328138
It's not quite that simple. We are not true democracy, but a representative democracy, which has the same principles, but obviously everyone in the whole country does not need to vote on every single thing that passes through congress, ese we would spend our entire lives in the poll lines. Anyway, direct democracies only work in very small countries with a minute population.
507138
in general no democracy has ever lasted very long,  America was formed to be a republic, where the need of the government and all people held an importance.\n\nNow that America is switching thier government to a more pure democractic system,  This normally allows for corruption and control by fringe groups ( which we see happening)  It weakens a nation to such a point that there is either a military or civil revolt or the country is taken over by another nation.
598731
1970's -- incinerated 600,000 peasants in the country next to the country the US was at war with.\n\nafter that ... hooked up with saddam hussain and helped end democracy in several latin american nations.\n\ntoday ... hard to believe people in the US buy the line about spreading democracy.
403018
Does the shabby behavior with Jews for 2000 years in all over Europe or America tell you something?
107426
You are absolutely right.  Why are we pushing our failed model of democracy onto others?  How is our president comfortable with himself for pedaling that out to other countries?, just knowing that he was not elected by democratic means.\n\nto change a culture's attitude, something big has to happen, apparently bigger than 9-11 or Katrina.... ooooo! scary times!!\n\nIf you find out how to change a culture's attitude, then lets go to Africa to do away with some of the corruption and lack of women's rights, etc.; those things that keep AIDS spinning out of control.
1143401
no.  was never a democracy.  it was intended to be a republic, but we all got sold to the highest bidder.  now its a corporate run capitalistic prison state.
338134
The U.S. is a representative republic. A true democracy would never work on a large scale.
719637
People have a very warped idea of democracy.\n\nIt technically is impossible but without it, it cannot form.\n\nIn the beginning, they siad that woman could not vote and men could.  It was siad to be an unfair democracy.\nThen they tried to make it fairer and then realised that they was stopping the general public from having an input and corrected that to ensure democracy is fair.\nThen there was the death penalty and is it inhumane to use this as punishment and this country (Canada) removed that and there is still discussion about corperal punishment - We are deneying children of the right to not be spanked and imposing our thought that it is OK on our children.  Some countried have banned that, and then they found there was still other unfairnesses that do not line up with the definition of democracy so that it is fair to.\n\nTo really get a good idea of what is right and wrong, we can't just consider our own views and votes but how they effect others to.  This is the bases of the European Union and so they brought in the human rights acts and safety laws that consider everyones rights to such digities dispite the majority votes against it.  i.e. children are not spanked dispite most adults would, that is not respecting the children.\n\nThis goes on and on getting adjusted to make it fairer and fairer.\nIn a sense, democracy is about un-fairness as much as it is about fair-ness.\nJust because we have a majority vote, it does not make that vote for what ever we want right in consideration for the whole eg. death penalty.\n\nDecracy is not meant to be fair, it is meant to become fair!\nThrough democracy we learn!\n\nCREED
603111
many people argue that there really is no such thing as a true democracy.\nEven in the greatest democracies we still elect leaders who may or may not really represent the voice of the people.\nPerhaps a true democracy would operate something like American Idol, where we pick up a phone and text our votes on every issue that comes up.\nThere's a thought!