Question

Democracy rarely functions as a successful government structure. Agree or disagree?

Answer 1

Works better than others.

Answer 2

Communism works only in theory. Dictatorship leads to revolts eventually.

Answer 3

Certainly true, historically speaking. As a rule they seem to descend to the famous "bread and circuses," where ashort-sighted majority votes itself benefits from the work or wealth of a minority until the latter quit or are exhausted. Then the scheme collapses amid accusations and acrimony, and a strong man comes along and imposes a tyrrany.

Some would say that the simple biological nature of human beings -- we evolved to live in tribes of less than 100 individuals -- mean pure democracy simply can't function with more than a few dozen individuals involved. Others suggest that this is nonsense, and we simply haven't really tried democracy -- haven't given it a fair shot -- because of bad faith, the actions of some powerful minority, bad luck, and so forth. Still others suggest that while pure democracy may be unworkable, some variation on it -- republicanism, social democracy -- might do the trick for a nation of millions.