C'da, > If so no amount of reasoning will change your perspective, and I shall not > waste >my time.
I am afraid, thats the best I could come up. Oh, I am amenable to changing my perpective if you can convince me that ALL people in India believe as you do that democracy in India is in shambles. No, no, I don't blame you for your views. Heck, even a die-hard like myself, has doubts of its functioning many a time. :-). What, I don't agree with you is that its in dire straits, and of the solutions you offer. The fact is that inspite of all the definitions of democracy, many countries (even the dictators - like Musharaff) believe that their people have all the freedoms etc. Sure, a lot needs to be done in India to make it a more robust democracy, but its a far cry from some other countries close by. BTW: I recently read someplace, China has Order, and India has Law. --Ram On 5/18/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ram: > > >> Whether a democracy is fake or the real thing, depends on whom you > > ask. > > *** Is that the best you could come up with for examining the quality of a > democracy. If so no amount of reasoning will change your perspective, and I > shall not waste my time. > > But if you responded from the seat of your pants, and realize that maybe your > comment was not the best you could do, then perhaps there is room to > discuss. And I will await your response :-). > > c-da > > > From: Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: 2005/05/18 Wed AM 10:31:13 EDT > > To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > Subject: Re: [Assam] Paternalistic government > > > > C'da, > > > > >Fake democracy means little, particularly when > > > power lies elsewhere, and the people have neither protection nor a real > say in > > > ordering their lives. > > > > Whether a democracy is fake or the real thing, depends on whom you > > ask. Ask Egypt's Mubarrak, or Jordan's Abdullah, and they will tell > > you that they have great democracies functioning. In fact, I have > > heard both of them say so and number of times. > > > > Now, ask people in the 'best' democracies in the world, and they will > > tell you that they do not. Many in the US will tell you that. > > > > Many Indians (specially some NRAs) and they will tell you India has no > > democracy at all. > > > > >a benevolent autocracy also could become unaccountable in a short > > period of time. > > > > Absolutely true. > > > > > Having said that, such an autocracy for a limited period of time might be > > > necessary for Assam to dig itself out of the mess it is in today, until > > > the > > > defective or make believe one could be retooled, re-organized, reformed > > > to function effectively, bottom to top. > > > > Is it? This is like the Bushies saying that there must be a war (a > > 'just' war to be precise) so that there can be peace. > > > > So, what you are suggesting is that Assam go thru some sort of penance > > (agni porikha or test-by-fire) so that it can function properly? > > > > --Ram > > > > > > > > On 5/17/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > There may be a point here. Fake democracy means little, particularly > when > > > power lies elsewhere, and the people have neither protection nor a real > say in > > > ordering their lives. > > > > > > Unfortunately, just like make believe democracy without functioning > > > institutions to ensure accountability and transparency, a benevolent > autocracy > > > also could become unaccountable in a short period of time. > > > > > > So it is not a reliable alternative to real democracy with real powers of > the > > > people to order their lives, in freedom, even the it might be very > tempting to > > > opt for it. > > > > > > Having said that, such an autocracy for a limited period of time might be > > > necessary for Assam to dig itself out of the mess it is in today, until > > > the > > > defective or make believe one could be retooled, re-organized, reformed > > > to function effectively, bottom to top. > > > > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Date: 2005/05/17 Tue PM 10:28:31 EDT > > > > To: Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > > > Subject: [Assam] Paternalistic government > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > In a state like Assam,where survival is constant struggle for most and > where the preservation of the sanctity of human life is a burning issue,would > it be inappropiate ( or far-fetched) to install a BENEVOLENT DICTATOR to take > the rein of state administration,who will be willing to ensure basic standard > of > living for all? Would the people of Assam be unhappy with a paternalistic > government? > > > > > > What do you think? > > > > > > KJD > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Assam mailing list > > > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > > > Mailing list FAQ: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > > To unsubscribe or change options: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Assam mailing list > > > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > > > Mailing list FAQ: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > > To unsubscribe or change options: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
