October 17, 2003 20:29 | Features

A quick comment for Warren

Wilansky 2003: The Imperial Presidency

Ouch. First of all, speaking for myself, I ain't no "commie". ;)

That said, I am reading a very interesting book by one Sir Herbert Read, titled "To Hell with Culture". Amongst other things, he goes on about democracy (the driving idea being the role of culture in so-called democracy), and how a "real" democracy is "physically impossible". One thing I find very interesting in his writing is that he reminds us that Marx and Engels were fundamentally democratic. As always, the good things get corrupted by power, and culture is the tool used for greasing the ascent of the corrupt.

All the more reason why ideas like Ito-san's "Emergent Democracy" et al (like Jim Moore's "The Second Superpower Rears its Beautiful Head"), and not to mention what's going on with the Dean Campaign, are so interesting and bear further thought and elaboration...

Again, these things are not the end-all, be-all solutions or anything; they are, however, the harbringers for some very interesting thinsg to come.

Comments
Fri, Oct 17, 2003, @ 22:08
1- Warren

Ack! welcome to blogging, an off-the-wall comment / article i posted just after the war comes back to haunt me...

don't worry....greater blogging context will begin next week...since my blog clean up is almost done.


Sat, Oct 18, 2003, @ 20:32
2- Warren Wilansky

Okay, well, now that i've finished apologizing for my unfinished blog, yet again, i'll actually respond to your comments on the idea of democracy.

I have for quite a while now found myself focussed on, reading, linking and emailing my friends tons of these anti-Bush articles. And while I'm 100% sure that my political leanings have a strong impact on why I'm so critical of the "Bush Regime", my struggles with the concept of the "Imperial Presidency" have more to do with the struggles of democracy than the battles of the left or the right.

I think that we are both on a similar page with the concept of democracy. I don't see the concept of democracy as a political system that overrides or battles with others such as communism or fascism or dictatorship. The concept of democracy to me has to do more with the levels of freedom of speech and political participation that a society allows. The more inclusive the society is to the majority of the population, the more democratic it is. Obviously, at the same time if "everyone" is supposedly included in system, you have to question what kind of self expression has been quashed to get "everyone" involved and in agreement.

So, i agree with you that the pure communist theory that Marx and Engels laid out on paper is in essence an extremely democratic system. But as we know, most applications of it in our recent history have gone against the spirit of the system. For all it's warts and contradictions, the Western Democracies have done a good job of allowing a high level of personal freedom to exist.

I think it's this reason that when you have reach a certain, imperfect pinnacle, that I'm concerned and bothered by a US administration that blatantly goes against what the nation has evolved into. It troubles me that they are working openly to ensure that it becomes less democratic and that a smaller, wealthy minority is being given increasing power.

Let's hope that the Western World continues to be diverse, open and ready to meet the challenges that are upon it. I also hope that if the day comes when a left leaning administration starts to take just as an extreme world view, that i will have the same problems with it.

Oh, and Gail says hello.


Mon, Oct 20, 2003, @ 15:17
3- Laura in DC

Are you a Dean supporter? If so, post on my blog and let me know and I will add you to my blogroll.


Mon, Oct 20, 2003, @ 15:18
4- Laura in DC

How does it determine spam probability?