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From: mwm@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: freedom, democracy, etc
Message-ID: <684@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 27-Jan-85 05:14:19 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbtopaz.684
Posted: Sun Jan 27 05:14:19 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 30-Jan-85 04:46:42 EST
References: <630@wucs.UUCP>
Reply-To: mwm@ucbtopaz.UUCP (Praiser of Bob)
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ. of Calif., Berkeley CA USA
Lines: 32
Summary: 

>  = Paul, of course
>> = mwm@ucbtopaz (<mike)
>> > = faustus@ucbcad.UUCP (Wayne)

>> > What is wrong with saying, "coercion only in a few cases where
>> > the situation justifies it"? Or, "coercion only when the majority
>> > opinion is in favor of it"? 	 	Wayne
>> First, "the will of the majority." ... [Slavery in the US] was the will of 
>> the majority, but was it good? 
>Examples like this show that democracy is absolutely the worst system of 
>government.
>Except for all the others.
>Including libertarianism.

Paul, name one (just one) libertarian society that has done worse than
a democracy. Then maybe I'll consider such blatant misquotes.

>> Now, "only when the situation justifies it." We are now getting to the
>> heart of the matter. *How* do you decide that "the situation justifies it?"
>Reason and experience.  (Ask a simple question ...)

Oh, goodie! Reason and experience suggest that the will of the majority is
*never* justification for using force to... Oh, you mean the reason and
experience of the majority? But then they get to decide when they can use
force, so they can use force anytime they want. Tyranny by committee is
still tyranny.

BTW, Paul, I've decided that you're right about the fascist view of
relativism. Now, if only we could convince the ardent "will of the
majority" people of the bogosity of that view.

	<mike