Democracy vs. liberty


Thought provoking column from one of the better writers today
Yes, I know the source on this one is WorldNetDaily, but that is offset because it is Walter E. Williams. Emphasis added.

Our founders intended for us to have a limited republican form of government where rights precede government and there is rule of law. Citizens, as well as government officials, are accountable to the same laws. Government intervenes in civil society only to protect its citizens against force and fraud, but does not intervene in the cases of peaceable, voluntary exchange. By contrast, in a democracy, the majority rules either directly or through its elected representatives. The law is whatever the government deems it to be. Rights may be granted or taken away.

Clearly, we need government, and that means there must be collective decision-making. Alert to the dangers of majority rule, the Constitution's framers inserted several anti-majority rules. To amend the Constitution, it requires a two-thirds vote of both Houses, or two-thirds of state legislatures, to propose an amendment, and requires three-fourths of state legislatures for ratification. Election of the president is not done by a majority popular vote but by the Electoral College.

Good stuff and well worth reading.

We sometimes forget that the purpose of government is not to act, but to resist action. That works best when the scope of government is small and restricted.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Fri - March 2, 2007 at 05:29 AM  Tag


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