'When there is rioting in third-world countries, like China, it is often attributed to the countries' "regime". What are we to attribute the British riots to? Democracy?'
Yes. Democracy, by itself, is not a good thing. Pure Democracy is nothing but gang warfare: my gang is bigger than yours, so I win, and you lose. The loser isn't going to be happy. That's why what's necessary is a constitution that guarantees individual rights, and democracy is only used to choose who enforces the constitution.
What we are seeing in Britain, as in Greece, is people used to living off of the government dole being told they will have to make do with less. They've grown used to the dole, and pulling the rug out from under them makes them angry - so they riot.
It won't stop there. Every Western country is in the same situation. We've promised people more than we can deliver, and the chickens are coming home to roost. We can't give what we don't have.
I just watched what I assume was a British movie the other day, Harry Brown, with Michael Caine. Ever see it? Maybe the government just needs to turn him loose on the rioters for a day or two, and things will settle down. :)
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Date: 2011-08-10 01:07 am (UTC)Yes. Democracy, by itself, is not a good thing. Pure Democracy is nothing but gang warfare: my gang is bigger than yours, so I win, and you lose. The loser isn't going to be happy. That's why what's necessary is a constitution that guarantees individual rights, and democracy is only used to choose who enforces the constitution.
What we are seeing in Britain, as in Greece, is people used to living off of the government dole being told they will have to make do with less. They've grown used to the dole, and pulling the rug out from under them makes them angry - so they riot.
It won't stop there. Every Western country is in the same situation. We've promised people more than we can deliver, and the chickens are coming home to roost. We can't give what we don't have.
I just watched what I assume was a British movie the other day, Harry Brown, with Michael Caine. Ever see it? Maybe the government just needs to turn him loose on the rioters for a day or two, and things will settle down. :)