It's not exactly clear what sort of political beast the U.S. is remaking itself into these days, but by the lights of this undogmatic 1946 Encyclopedia Brittanica film it appears to be moving steadily from democracy towards despotism. Among the many indications are these pertaining to economic inequity, power, and information:
If a community's economic distribution becomes slanted, its middle income groups grow smaller, and despotism gains a foothold. [...]
A power scale is another important yardstick of despotism. It gauges the citizen's share in making the community's decisions. Communities which concentrate important decision-making rate in a few hands rate low on the power scale, and are heading toward despotism. [...]
The test of despotic power is that it can disregard the will of the people. It rules without the consent of the governed. [...] When legislators become ceremonial assemblies only, and have no real control over lawmaking, their community rates low on a power scale. [...]
A community rates low on an information scale when the press, radio and other channels of communication are controlled by only a few people [...].
And let's not forget the ultimate test of a democracy:
Look beyond the legal formalities of an election in measuring a community on the power scale to see if the ballot is really free.
How far along the despotism scale are we? The proof will be in the pudding this November. Unsurprisingly, the majority of US-ers want the Democrats to regain control of Congress; but if the Democrats regain control, they're liable to start investigating Republican misdeeds and (notwithstanding Pelosi's disclaimers) may even try to impeach Bush et al. What will happen?
The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which all other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery... – Thomas Paine
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