What makes a government good? (NO spam)
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fable
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[QUOTE=frogus23]@Fable - you share Anselm's view that existence is a perfection?[/QUOTE]
Not quite by a mile. I think that the universe is the universe; and that being far more limited as individuals (in senses, intuition and intellect), we tend to create structures that are tools with which to comprehend it. These tools are images of the universe, but not the universe, itself. To the extent that the tool and the user are more or less closer to the universe, so is the perception. So there's no perfection in existence, since we cannot perceive if it did exist; but there are levels of increasing comprehension, each of which appears more perfect, being better apprehended.
Um, you're making me spam my own topic. I will struck down by lightning if you continue, which I know you'll find cool, but really...
Not quite by a mile. I think that the universe is the universe; and that being far more limited as individuals (in senses, intuition and intellect), we tend to create structures that are tools with which to comprehend it. These tools are images of the universe, but not the universe, itself. To the extent that the tool and the user are more or less closer to the universe, so is the perception. So there's no perfection in existence, since we cannot perceive if it did exist; but there are levels of increasing comprehension, each of which appears more perfect, being better apprehended.
Um, you're making me spam my own topic. I will struck down by lightning if you continue, which I know you'll find cool, but really...
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
[QUOTE=fable]...what exactly makes a good government? What should a good government do? What activities should it provide, and why? How would a good government fare in a real world?[/QUOTE]
I'm convinced that this is a trick question, fable.
It seems to me that just about every governmental model has merits - in the airy realm of the theoretical. In the scruffy realm of reality, however, all of them seem to fall short in some regard. Ethical and moral dilemmas abound in day to day life, and no one form of government can address them all to the satisfaction of all parties involved - that is, both the governors and the governed. The ideal government can only exist in the ideal world, and as of yet the ideal world has not been discovered.
Therefore, I can only answer with the following: What would make a government good is if it didn't exist. An existence of hunting and gathering in extended familial units was how we started, and what we should probably return to.
That aside, a good government in my opinion necessarily subordinates itself to the governed. The governed should possess the means to change it if and when they wish to peacefully, without bloodshed. A good government would limit itself, and abide by those limitations in all its activities. While a government must possess power and authority by necessity, this power would be curtailed by what I like to think of as "bureaucricide"...that is, preventative measures to stop the formation of powergroups in the governmental machine.
A good government would promote the education of the citizenry, the free dissemination of information with minimal censorship, and free enterprise by citizens. This government would be blind in effect, levying a tax to fund itself and the public works it is designed to create and maintain by taxing the consumption of the governed, not their incomes. Finally, this government would be prohibited from becoming involved in the private lives of it's citizens. Since morality is a very subjective issue, it is an issue best left to the discretion of the individual, not the rule of law.
I'm convinced that this is a trick question, fable.
It seems to me that just about every governmental model has merits - in the airy realm of the theoretical. In the scruffy realm of reality, however, all of them seem to fall short in some regard. Ethical and moral dilemmas abound in day to day life, and no one form of government can address them all to the satisfaction of all parties involved - that is, both the governors and the governed. The ideal government can only exist in the ideal world, and as of yet the ideal world has not been discovered.
Therefore, I can only answer with the following: What would make a government good is if it didn't exist. An existence of hunting and gathering in extended familial units was how we started, and what we should probably return to.
That aside, a good government in my opinion necessarily subordinates itself to the governed. The governed should possess the means to change it if and when they wish to peacefully, without bloodshed. A good government would limit itself, and abide by those limitations in all its activities. While a government must possess power and authority by necessity, this power would be curtailed by what I like to think of as "bureaucricide"...that is, preventative measures to stop the formation of powergroups in the governmental machine.
A good government would promote the education of the citizenry, the free dissemination of information with minimal censorship, and free enterprise by citizens. This government would be blind in effect, levying a tax to fund itself and the public works it is designed to create and maintain by taxing the consumption of the governed, not their incomes. Finally, this government would be prohibited from becoming involved in the private lives of it's citizens. Since morality is a very subjective issue, it is an issue best left to the discretion of the individual, not the rule of law.
CYNIC, n.:
A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.
-[url="http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/devils/a.html"]The Devil's Dictionary[/url]
A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.
-[url="http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/devils/a.html"]The Devil's Dictionary[/url]
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Rudar Dimble
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[QUOTE=Chanak]I'm convinced that this is a trick question, fable.
It seems to me that just about every governmental model has merits - in the airy realm of the theoretical. In the scruffy realm of reality, however, all of them seem to fall short in some regard. Ethical and moral dilemmas abound in day to day life, and no one form of government can address them all to the satisfaction of all parties involved - that is, both the governors and the governed. The ideal government can only exist in the ideal world, and as of yet the ideal world has not been discovered.
[/QUOTE]
The problem with governments is that humans run them. And they have flaws. So a government may look perfect in theory, but it will never be when it comes to reality.
It seems to me that just about every governmental model has merits - in the airy realm of the theoretical. In the scruffy realm of reality, however, all of them seem to fall short in some regard. Ethical and moral dilemmas abound in day to day life, and no one form of government can address them all to the satisfaction of all parties involved - that is, both the governors and the governed. The ideal government can only exist in the ideal world, and as of yet the ideal world has not been discovered.
[/QUOTE]
The problem with governments is that humans run them. And they have flaws. So a government may look perfect in theory, but it will never be when it comes to reality.
Broken promises
"They made us many promises,
more than I can remember.
But they kept but one -
They promised to take our land...
and they took it"
Chief Red Cloud
"They made us many promises,
more than I can remember.
But they kept but one -
They promised to take our land...
and they took it"
Chief Red Cloud
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Rudar Dimble
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2002 11:00 am
- Location: "I did? Hmm...I must be getting old."
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I suppose this question includes the fact of borders, as in having different nations and different governements working next to each other at the same time?
If that is the case, then... I'm getting a little "The Meaning Of Life" flushed here. As I'm getting on a bit, and have had the fabulous opportunity to live in quite a few different parts of the world, I've pondered this question ad nauseam. I think it all comes down to the time and place and the mind of the people. The perfect government now, is completely different from the perfect government even 20 years ago, not to mention a 100, 500 or a 1000 years past. The so-called evolution of mankind sets new standards for a Good Government practically every year. So...
A Good Government IMHO is one that is "aware."
Whatever that might mean...
If that is the case, then... I'm getting a little "The Meaning Of Life" flushed here. As I'm getting on a bit, and have had the fabulous opportunity to live in quite a few different parts of the world, I've pondered this question ad nauseam. I think it all comes down to the time and place and the mind of the people. The perfect government now, is completely different from the perfect government even 20 years ago, not to mention a 100, 500 or a 1000 years past. The so-called evolution of mankind sets new standards for a Good Government practically every year. So...
A Good Government IMHO is one that is "aware."
Whatever that might mean...
I am not young enough to know everything. - Oscar Wilde
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!