“Democracy is a pathetic belief
in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far
as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to
help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great
masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office
thereby.”
~ H.L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy
~ H.L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy
Democracy, simply put, means mob rule.
In other words, it is the hoard of masses practicing collective stupidity. It
is a worthless and dangerous effort that leaves the stench of failure wherever
it is implemented.
The
actual definition of the word democracy is government by the people, or a form
of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised
directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. More
clearly stated, as I mentioned earlier, mob rule.
The
notion that “the people” have all the power, and are supreme over a government
created through elections, is ludicrous on its face. That has never happened in
history, and frankly, could not ever come to fruition, regardless of lofty
ideology and delirious imagination.
The
term democracy is bandied about as if it were a euphoric and magical state
sought by all who claim to love freedom. This country after all is thought by
the majority to be the greatest bastion of freedom on earth, so is this gross
misconception about freedom surprising?
Most believe that all men seek and desire
liberty, but could anything be more inaccurate? I would posit that
mankind in general has never been satisfied or content with freedom. In truth,
the opposite is the case, as the common man fears freedom more than slavery. The masses are not ever happy
with real freedom, as freedom requires intelligence, responsibility, courage,
and competence. Given that the human species is only comfortable in the herd,
and wants to be coddled instead of being strong, liberty is anathema to natural
human desire.
In
America, these truths are evident throughout society, and are becoming more
evident with each and every generation. Common people seek safety and contentment
in the flock, without any eagerness to actually do the work necessary to
sustain freedom. In fact, the masses are terrified of being free, and are very
uncomfortable with the concept of liberty. It sounds good in theory, but in
practice requires intellectual fortitude, courage, an enlightened soul, and
wisdom, things that those in the group do not possess.
While it may be disturbing for most to
face stark realities, there is a lower order of men among us, and they make up
the bulk of society. I do not believe this to be arguable, nor do I use this
knowledge as an excuse to discount the importance of the makeup of societies.
There are obvious differences in people, and those differences can be subtle or
severe, but in the end, few are enlightened. One factor that stands out among
the masses is that the most important matters are decided by emotion, with fear
as the driving force behind decision-making. This type of behavior
breeds dependence, and is a recipe for the acceptance of control. When the majority
lives with this attitude, freedom cannot exist.
This
gives rise to the concept of popular will, and when the majority is relegated
to decisions based on fear, emotion, envy, and safety, society as a whole is
left with confusion, apathy, and tyrannical rule. This leads to despair,
division, and chaos. This is where we are today in America.
One
look around will expose the results of this societal disaster called democracy.
We live in a society of victims, each group a minority within the whole of a communal
mess. This is just one of the reasons that the electoral practices of the
political system in which we live are so worthless and destructive of sanity.
There are those of intellect who oppose this system, but they are a vast
minority outcast by the mob. They are marginalized, cursed, threatened, and
silenced, all due to the indoctrinated ignorance of the herd, and the masters
they follow.
The collective group that
makes up the majority relies on false worship of the state, thus the common
attitude is one of allegiance, which is “the loyalty of a citizen to
his or her government or of a subject to his or her sovereign.” This
is religious in nature, and simply results in a compliant society under the
control of the few. When most of any society falls to this level, all freedom
has already disappeared, and this is exactly what democracy is meant to
achieve. It is now the current state of affairs in this country, and only a
monumental effort could alter the course we are on today.
In a
system such as this, integrity is replaced by mediocrity, courage is replaced
by cowardice, intelligence is replaced by ignorance, and compassion is replaced
by indifference. This leaves only a road to perdition.
So is this hell called democracy our
future? I cannot say, because I am only a messenger, and do not have the power
to change humanity. No man is or should be in that position. But so long as
democratic politics are considered a cure for our ills, so long as mobs vote to
install trimmers to lord over them, and so long as men seek equality of
outcomes, corruption and despair will continue.
The absurdity of it all is
mind-boggling, but then the pleasure comes in the comedy that is the human
condition.
Gary D.
Barnett [send
him mail] is a retired investment professional living and writing in
Lewistown, Montana. Visit his website.