20070609
(answer to the question "Can lottery replace/complement democracy?")
Your concept sounds close to Athenian democracy, but it would be much more complex nowadays. A parliament is made of lawmakers and lawmakers are coping with a very complex system of laws, impacts, lobbies... The people need to know their MPs better than they would know candidates in a reality TV show. Not all politicians are crooked or evil, and democracies work because of the expertise of great lawmakers. Besides, I don't want the future of my country to be sponsored by Ladbrokes or betwin.com. As a parallel reality show to contribute to the education of the masses maybe, but not as the main dish, and even that show could turn into a dangerous joke, making people less interested in actual politics, more boring and less demagogical.
In the Middle Age, some cities used to treat a fool as their king or their bishop for one day, but the joke was on him ("Fete des fous" or "Fools Fete / Party", not to be confused with April Fools' Day).
During the French elections, Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate, suggested to have a group of voters randomly selected to keep an eye on their MPs, mayors... which any citizen has already a right if not a duty to do in a democracy. So the joke was on "Demagolene".
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Thursday
Red Blogule to W - Bush flip-flopping before the debate
Archives 20040928
Funny how Dubya's man in Iraq (the great democrat Allawi formerly known as "Saddam Sans Moustache" in Baghdad) raised the opportunity of an international conference about Iraq just days before the Kerry-Bush debate on international issues.
The French had been asking for such a conference for over one year, but Bush remained deaf to their recommandations. Now the French diplomats are finding ways to postpone this meeting since they do not want the process to be hostage to Bush's reelection bid.
I'm sick and tired of the manipulation of the international agenda by King Dubya of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America. The truth is Bush failed. He brought chaos instead of democracy. He fueled so much hatred across the muslim world any true democratic process would bring extremists to power. Do the Americans want to be treated as puppets too ? Do they really want four more years of this sick joke ?
SM on a forum
Funny how Dubya's man in Iraq (the great democrat Allawi formerly known as "Saddam Sans Moustache" in Baghdad) raised the opportunity of an international conference about Iraq just days before the Kerry-Bush debate on international issues.
The French had been asking for such a conference for over one year, but Bush remained deaf to their recommandations. Now the French diplomats are finding ways to postpone this meeting since they do not want the process to be hostage to Bush's reelection bid.
I'm sick and tired of the manipulation of the international agenda by King Dubya of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America. The truth is Bush failed. He brought chaos instead of democracy. He fueled so much hatred across the muslim world any true democratic process would bring extremists to power. Do the Americans want to be treated as puppets too ? Do they really want four more years of this sick joke ?
SM on a forum
Red Blogule to "garbage diplomacy" - Cheney accused in France ?
Archives 20040924 (see blogules 2004)
"Lobby Dick" could very much be convicted for the Halliburton-Technip scandal (corruption in Nigeria during the late 90s). The French prosecutor is considering asking the presidents of all the companies involved (Halliburton's KBR, France's Technip, Italy's Snamprogetti and Japan's JGC) to testify.
John Ashcroft is to meet France's Minister of Justice, Dominique Perben, on september the 30th. The issue will definitely be raised, and one could envision 2 scenarii :
- the clash : nothing is done to prevent Cheney's embarrassing fate
- the last minute deal : we save your campaign, do something for us (ie cancel that heavy fine you set earlier this year for the French regarding the Executive Life scandal - the person who's supposed to pay the most is a close friend to Chirac).
SM on a forum
"Lobby Dick" could very much be convicted for the Halliburton-Technip scandal (corruption in Nigeria during the late 90s). The French prosecutor is considering asking the presidents of all the companies involved (Halliburton's KBR, France's Technip, Italy's Snamprogetti and Japan's JGC) to testify.
John Ashcroft is to meet France's Minister of Justice, Dominique Perben, on september the 30th. The issue will definitely be raised, and one could envision 2 scenarii :
- the clash : nothing is done to prevent Cheney's embarrassing fate
- the last minute deal : we save your campaign, do something for us (ie cancel that heavy fine you set earlier this year for the French regarding the Executive Life scandal - the person who's supposed to pay the most is a close friend to Chirac).
SM on a forum
Red Blogule to the French language - No equivalent to "liberal"
Archives 20040901 (see blogules 2004)
(discussion : "neocon" a reaction to Bourdieu's "neoliberalism" concept)
There is a translation issue here. In French, a "liberal" person is in favor of unleashed capitalism and total deregulation. From an Hegelian point of view, one may think the French are so much enslaved in capitalism their language considers ultimate capitalism as ultimate freedom.
The thing is we frogs don't have a word that could match "liberal" as you mean it. We tend to stick to XIXth century references (capitalism vs socialism, progressivism...). Such adjectives as "pragmatic" fix some voids, and one could translate "centrism" with "how-the-heck-should-we-call-em-guys-that-don't-fit-in-ism".We badly need to change references, and economy remains a fairly exotic science to the bulk of my fellow citizens (the Bourdieu you quote is a philosopher). To sum it up I think we somehow dub "conservative" someone who didn't adapt to the first industrial revolution (the majority of the population doesn't even know such thing as an "industrial revolution" ever happened), "liberal" someone who'd like a longer leash for his attachment to our "omnipotent - ventripotent" state, and "socialist" someone who loves to consider himself generous but who'd never give up any of his privileges nor share his own wealth.
We're so much fond of "isms" that we're not likely to think "responsible economics" anytime soon.
SM on a forum
(discussion : "neocon" a reaction to Bourdieu's "neoliberalism" concept)
There is a translation issue here. In French, a "liberal" person is in favor of unleashed capitalism and total deregulation. From an Hegelian point of view, one may think the French are so much enslaved in capitalism their language considers ultimate capitalism as ultimate freedom.
The thing is we frogs don't have a word that could match "liberal" as you mean it. We tend to stick to XIXth century references (capitalism vs socialism, progressivism...). Such adjectives as "pragmatic" fix some voids, and one could translate "centrism" with "how-the-heck-should-we-call-em-guys-that-don't-fit-in-ism".We badly need to change references, and economy remains a fairly exotic science to the bulk of my fellow citizens (the Bourdieu you quote is a philosopher). To sum it up I think we somehow dub "conservative" someone who didn't adapt to the first industrial revolution (the majority of the population doesn't even know such thing as an "industrial revolution" ever happened), "liberal" someone who'd like a longer leash for his attachment to our "omnipotent - ventripotent" state, and "socialist" someone who loves to consider himself generous but who'd never give up any of his privileges nor share his own wealth.
We're so much fond of "isms" that we're not likely to think "responsible economics" anytime soon.
SM on a forum
Red Blogule to the New Lie - France was not against a war on Iraq (if all other options failed)
Archives 20040829 (see blogules 2004)
GWB on CNN's Larry King Live : "this debate on coalitions is a very interesting debate. Sometimes I think they're basically saying that there is no such thing as a coalition unless the French are involved. But the truth of the matter is, the French are involved in Afghanistan, and the French have been involved in Haiti. The French government just didn't agree with the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power. And, therefore, there was a difference of opinion on that issue."
A Frenchman, I cannot accept this lie : the issue was not about removing Saddam from power but about starting a war with a wrong motive, without any propper peace strategy, but with a clear and immediate danger of fueling terrorism across the planet in general and BRINGING it to Iraq in particular. The war in Afghanistan was completely linked to the war on terror. Too bad Mr Bush used this token for an illegal wild ride, forgetting to finish the job where it mattered : instead of financing what was planned there, he's asking for more billions to cover up his mess in Baghdad. Afghanistan is back to drug mass production, insecurity, corruption and intolerance. Dismission accomplished.
Bush should remember the position of the French government : they were not against a war on Iraq, but only if all other options failed. War isn't only a matter of boys using toys and friends getting contracts. The decision of going to war should not be left into the hands of this man.
SM on a forum
GWB on CNN's Larry King Live : "this debate on coalitions is a very interesting debate. Sometimes I think they're basically saying that there is no such thing as a coalition unless the French are involved. But the truth of the matter is, the French are involved in Afghanistan, and the French have been involved in Haiti. The French government just didn't agree with the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power. And, therefore, there was a difference of opinion on that issue."
A Frenchman, I cannot accept this lie : the issue was not about removing Saddam from power but about starting a war with a wrong motive, without any propper peace strategy, but with a clear and immediate danger of fueling terrorism across the planet in general and BRINGING it to Iraq in particular. The war in Afghanistan was completely linked to the war on terror. Too bad Mr Bush used this token for an illegal wild ride, forgetting to finish the job where it mattered : instead of financing what was planned there, he's asking for more billions to cover up his mess in Baghdad. Afghanistan is back to drug mass production, insecurity, corruption and intolerance. Dismission accomplished.
Bush should remember the position of the French government : they were not against a war on Iraq, but only if all other options failed. War isn't only a matter of boys using toys and friends getting contracts. The decision of going to war should not be left into the hands of this man.
SM on a forum
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