Quote:
Originally Posted by White Fox
That's still pretty dangerous. Suppose the will of the majority wants to just declare the national debt null and void because they don't want to pay the $450,000 that their family owes on it. Imagine what would happen, but do you think that the people would still want it if they knew? Whenever you talk about the "will of the people" or whatnot, you usually find yourself supporting a totalitarian form of government. It's much better for government to have its power based on the people, but still have individuals making the decisions (which, if the people don't like, they can vote out of office).
|
But government should never stray away from the will of the people. I would argue that it is more dangerous to say that the government should not represent the will of the people. The government should always be responsive and responsible to the people and never independent from it.
If enough people want to overturn debt that probably means that the vast majority of wealth is distributed among a small group. If 51% of the country owes debts, I think they have the right to declare them void.
__________________
"Masters of War" by Bob Dylan
"When a man assumes public trust, he should consider himself as public property"
-Thomas Jefferson
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
-Albert Einstein
"One man with courage is a majority"
-Thomas Jefferson