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In Reply to: Thought-provoking quotation posted by Alan on October 01, 2003 at 06:12:07:
Looking at history, it seems that societies in general are pretty fluid. Many democracies have stayed around for a long time, but the form I like best is a Social Democracy. This combines control against the greed precedent while at the same time providing great freedom. I guess if I learned one thing while traveling overseas, it is that there is a great deal of more freedom in general in most other Western Countries.
Democracies have been interrupted by attempts at dictatorial and totalitarian rule, but those seem to be the shortest lived, dying with or before the dictator for the most part.
Most European Western Countries have more parties that can be voted for and have a legitimate chance. The Social Democracies that stay around are voted in by the people.
Even a very private and capitalist nation like Switzerland has a high standard of living for pretty much everyone. No one has to go to callous medical "charity" hospitals(found thruout the States, but not in all States, probably worst in Texas) and be turned away if they have costly or chronic illness. And they have very competent Drs. and hospitals there. Germany also.
And France. That I know of. In the states, it seems you have to have a combination of basic factors going for you: money, connections, looks, charisma. (Not all together necessarily!)
There is not much regard for basic human needs on a broad scale.
