First of all, I am from a country always having political problem. Elected governments often (if not always) corrupt or govern in the way to benefit themselves over the nation or people. Politicians likely go for their own benefit and hardly represent people needs as they are supposed. People of Thailand, Philippines, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, etc have to protest, set up a mob, etc to request or send a message of what they really need instead of doing that through their representatives. Why does democracy seem to work well in Europe and North America, but not in the rest of the world? What is missing in those systems? Do they have less good politicians? Is it their culture? Aren't people aware of their roles and rights? Don't they have enough education? What is wrong with their systems? How can we fix them?
Politics - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
if democracy doesn't work it is because the nations people aren't ready for it yet..
2 :
something called imperialism
3 :
It is entirely cultural.
4 :
true democracy can seldom thrive in an atmosphere of extremely divided wealth...extreme poverty vs. extreme wealth...these conditions often exist in those nations.
5 :
"Is it their culture?" Yes, I think that is exactly what it is.
6 :
Democracy is based in the rights and needs of the individual. The legitimacy of the regime derives from respect of the majority. In societies dominated by communal, tribal, or familial concerns, democracy will of necessity not operate well because the individual is not free to express themselves to the detriment of larger groups. Those societies also tend to be paternalistic, and so if someone in a position of power thinks that the people are making the wrong decision there isn't respect for the will of the people to prevent that powerful person from simply sweeping the elected government aside.
7 :
It's culture. Don't fool yourself into thinking democracy is without corruption. We're up to our necks in it.
8 :
If you look at the headlines in America, you'd think democracy doesn't always work here neither. We have greedy politicians and lawmakers who are only concerned with there own pocket books. Some governments fear democracy and fear the control they'll lose over the population if they allow everyone freedoms. Take communism for instance. Everyone has to follow the same road and nobody is allowed to express an opinion. Government is supposed to be for the people. But, it seems like around the world the Government is turning into classifying the body of population into two classes. Upper class and Lower Class. No governments want to see a middle class prevail. Again that points to nothing but self GREED.
9 :
Some of those problems you mention do, unfortunately, apply to some extent to politicians in both America and Europe as well. Certainly culture is a factor. And other past experiences. Certainly democracy works best in a population with a large middle class. I think what we sometimes forget is that democracy, as we now know it, has EVOLVED basically since the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, nearly 800 years ago. I think we do a disservice when we expect nations/cultures to quickly form a democracy similar to our own when the actual development of our own system has, in fact, been very long and, at times, very difficult.
10 :
Why do we have to fix them? They dont work because they are savages.
