Can democracy work in a society that is largely uneducated/illiterate?

[her209]

What are your thoughts?

 

[glenn1]

Sure, it just doesn't work well. See Haiti or Detroit for examples.

 

[imported_Condor]

Education for the masses is a relatively new endeavor. Democracy is not.

 

[NJDevil]

Originally posted by: Condor
Education for the masses is a relatively new endeavor. Democracy is not.

Democracy in its current form is quite new. The Greeks had a different democracy, and on a much smaller scale. Universal suffrage in the United States did not occur til the 20's, and until the 60's, a large population of americans were legally discriminated against (some would argue this continues with homosexuals).

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: her209
What are your thoughts?

Yes, you may generally end up with a typical "tyranny of the majority" issuse. For the available choices of government that we have, democracy is the best opition.

 

[Stunt]

No.

In a true democracy the people elect representatives to express their views and use these views to help the people in their day to day lives. In a largely uneducated population, decisions are destined to be unreasonable and deconstructive; leading to the ultimate destruction of the state itself.

Luckily most democracies are educated; it is a natural human ability to learn, able to embrace educational means within the society. Therefore we have been able to attract well qualified and intelligent officials to make good decisions, maybe not the best, but not so bad the country will be perminantly damned.

If a population is uneducated and unable to see what is best for themselves; they should forfiet their rights to those who can identify these opporunities. Much like metally disabled people need direction and the need for managers within an organization. Companies have been known to fall flat on their face without proper management; nothing to do with the quality of the masses.

 

[bdude]

Yes, india seems to function somewhat.

 

[bamacre]

I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: bamacre
I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

 

[Rainsford]

I suppose that depends on your defintion of educated. I think a democracy can really only work if the people generally believe in the concept of democracy, if everyone involved just looks at is as a way for their group to try and screw over other groups, no, it won't work very well. It doesn't even seem to work all that well in highly educated countries like the US, for the same reason.

 

[ramuman]

Originally posted by: bdude
Yes, india seems to function somewhat.

You might consider that the Indian education system is in many ways better than ours. Same goes for China. We're not outsourcing jobs out of here to just customer service reps in those countries. Many technical jobs are being outsourced as well.

However, India's democracy isn't a perfect example of a democracy. Then again, neither is ours.

 

[Jhhnn]

Sure it can- it did in this country in the beginning, even if the electorate was not very inclusive...

And I think it can in any country where the populace isn't heavily indoctrinated via a cult of media celebrity personality worship, AKA dittoheads and whatever applies to whatever personality they happen to worship...

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: bamacre
I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

You've seen the U.S. students scores dropping like a rock and they no longer teach science.

Education is now a spiritual experience. :laugh:

 

[ntdz]

Of course it can work. It worked way back in Roman times, and it works now in places like India. It also worked back when the USA was first founded, and back then people were considered uneducated and illiterate by todays standards.

 

[nk8]

India is a very good answer for your question. Infact each state in india has its own flavour of democracy.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: bamacre
I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

I think I consider them more uninformed and apathetic.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: her209
What are your thoughts?

It barely works now.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: bamacre
I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

Uh, I didn't say that.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: bamacre
I ask, how well is Democracy working in the USA?

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

You've seen the U.S. students scores dropping like a rock and they no longer teach science.

Education is now tolerance and acceptance. :laugh:

Fixed. Teaching children sex education, acceptance of other races, cultures, and sexual preferences has taken time away from science, math, etc. We are teaching things parents should and can teach, and replacing that education with things most parents can't teach.

 

[kogase]

In all democracies demagogues are elected. The question is really: how hard do those demagogues have to try? In an uneducated society they don't have to try as hard, but let's face it--they've always got enough money.

 

[judasmachine]

yes and no. it can sustain itself, but as has been mentioned you end up with a sort of tyranny by the majority. democracy has to balance between majority rules, and keeping the minorities as placated as they can.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: ntdz
Of course it can work. It worked way back in Roman times, and it works now in places like India. It also worked back when the USA was first founded, and back then people were considered uneducated and illiterate by todays standards.

:thumbsup:

Where it won't work is where Religion takes a precedent over government.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: ntdz
Of course it can work. It worked way back in Roman times, and it works now in places like India. It also worked back when the USA was first founded, and back then people were considered uneducated and illiterate by todays standards.

:thumbsup:

Where it won't work is where the Religious become susceptible to the government's use of it as a tool.

Fixed.

The people you speak of used to not vote at all. It was the perceived immorality of the left, and society in general, that allowed this large group of people to be led astray. And thus they have become yet another force out to save the world from evil, only to become that which they fight against.

 

[Train]

I think this thread is on to something, but slightly misses the mark.

It's not the uneducated that will cause a democracy to fail, its the smart people who manipulate the truth in order to take advantage of the uneducated people for political gain that will cause a democracy to fail.

 

[dannybin1742]

You consider your population largely uneducated/illiterate?

very much so, thats why the republican party is still around