Capitalism/Democracy: The Priestly Products

[Abishai100]

When does democracy seem incompatible with democracy?

Anyone a fan of Three Kings?



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A trio of priests/magicians gathered to engage a powerful red warlock named Endymion about the contradictions between democracy, a system of voting and trust, and capitalism, a system of competition and bargaining. The trio was comprised of Lord Shiva, master of destruction/meditation, Alas, a crusading knight, and Jesus, prophet of civilization. The 'Trio' knew that Endymion was well-aware of the flaws in civilization because of the contradictions between capitalism and democracy, so they prepared to engage the warlock with wits/words.

{The 'Trio'}

SHIVA: Capitalism fosters ambition; democracy fosters networks.
ALAS: Capitalism is based on competition; democracy is based on negotiation.
JESUS: Capitalism requires bargaining; democracy requires evaluation.

ENDYMION: Capitalism and democracy are ultimately incompatible!

SHIVA: That's not certain; capitalism and democracy both encourage 'reviews.'
ALAS: Yes; eBay seller-ratings ensure trustworthy trades.
JESUS: Consumer goods are supposed to represent the sanctity of popular opinion.

ENDYMION: Perhaps consumerism fosters contracts, but capitalism is very competitive!

SHIVA: Election-systems encourage competitive political campaigning...
ALAS: Media-coverage of political elections reveal a social interest in 'marketing' contests.
JESUS: You can't create consumerism without attention to fair-trade and hence democracy.

ENDYMION: You can buy political badges for campaigns, but capitalism creates piracy too!

SHIVA: Look at the lottery-prize system in America; it's a democratic system of capital.
ALAS: Yeah; the government condones the distributions of money-prizes that aid spending.
JESUS: The lottery system seems to promote both democracy and capitalism and fair-play.

ENDYMION: Lottery-winners are like politicians who boast about their authority and prestige!

SHIVA: The TV game-show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is both democratic and competitive.
ALAS: There's nothing wrong with 'contests' which celebrate political participation.
JESUS: Right; what about civilization architecture video-game such as SimCity?

ENDYMION: SimCity is a fine example of governing/managing markets and institutions!

SHIVA: Let's agree then that SimCity is a 'beacon' of negotiation and festivity.
ALAS: There's no reason to assume that marketing is incompatible with etiquette...
JESUS: We encourage kids to play video-games since they praise the adult-world.

ENDYMION: Perhaps SimCity fosters IQ, but when politicians guzzle burgers, we shriek!

SHIVA: Bill Clinton ate lots of cheeseburgers, but he was also popular among young voters.
ALAS: Politicians engaging in pedestrian 'life' can become popular for marketing.
JESUS: President Donald Trump was a capitalism-baron and casino-mogul himself...

ENDYMION: Is Trump a diplomat of traffic...or compromise?

SHIVA: It seems that 'TrumpUSA' is a society for 'marketing prestige.'
ALAS: The American toy-store franchise Toys 'R Us symbolizes civilization hygiene.
JESUS: We may wonder if President Trump endorses the charity-program Toys for Tots.

ENDYMION: If TrumpUSA is compatible with Toys for Tots, perhaps America is 'civil.'

{Endymion}


After this monumental debate between 'The Trio' and Endymion, it was resolved that while democracy and capitalism may sometimes seem at odds (e.g., The Gulf War), for the most part, there are terrific 'sectors' for marketing 'social participation' (e.g., WikiLeaks). The Trio did concede that democracy, in principle, is trust-based, while capitalism, in principle is competition-based. However, Endymion conceded that social charity-programs in America such as Toys for Tots represent a social investment in coordinating ideology with consumerism. America and TrumpUSA seemed for the moment...stable.



As the Trump Administration prepared to deal with a nuclear engagement with North Korea and a biochemical terrorism engagement with ISIS, President Trump wondered if there was nothing learned from the lessons of the Gulf War. However, 'The Trio' visited Trump and comforted him in his dream, reminding him that governance always facilitated teamwork. When Trump awoke from his dream, he encouraged Americans to think positively about OPEC and NATO.



After President Trump successfully dealt with North Korea and ISIS, and the potential for a disastrous war was subsided, Trump and First Lady Melania hosted a gorgeous outdoor lit-up summer dinner and concert party in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The President reminded the guests at the event that capitalism-defense would always translate to the safeguarding of democracy contracts and hence social participation. First Lady Melania Trump collected money-donations for Toys for Tots.



As 'The Trio' congratulated themselves for dispelling the terrible omens of the warlock Endymion, a true messenger of conflict, they decided to take a vacation to the Swiss Alps to do some skiing. Shiva wondered how consumerism would continue to shape social contracts, and Alas worried about the 'evolution' of OPEC. Jesus was grateful that TrumpUSA was a 'tower' for sanity. Capitalism and democracy would be coordinated by the 'priestly products' of American enterprise. Everything was smooth...for now.

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[emilynghiem]

Very rich food for thought Abishai100
You bring to mind Machiavelli's THE PRINCE
"Having highlighted the flawed nature of monarchial, aristocratic, and democratic forms of government,
Machiavelli concludes that the best form of rule includes a combination of all three forms of authority
organized in such a way that they mutually check one another (458).

Machiavelli’s “Circle of Governments”

Basically
* "Monarchy" (rule by one) in its corrupted/abused form
leads to Tyranny or Dictatorship
(abuse of Judicial Authority to mandate without consent or due process)
* "Aristocracy" (rule by some or the few) in its corrupted/abused form
leads to Oligarchy and Elitism/Class war
(as today's abuse of Legislative and Political Authority to bully, coerce or exclude
individuals by larger groups with greater collective resources/influence/authority,
instead of no taxation without representation and equal protection
of the laws without discrimination by creed, class or affiliation)
* Democracy (rule by the people or the many) in its corrupted/abused form
leads to Mob rule or Mobocracy
(see above but multiply that by the masses)

What we need is to organize locally accountable districts and schools
to manage "democratic due process" (using conflict resolution, mediation
and consensus problem solving) to represent our diverse communities
instead of trying to take the ideas/beliefs of one person, group or region
and dictate that for everyone else. SEE www.ethics-commission.net

A little civics education goes a long way. Everyone should be required
or have access/assistance with policies and procedures in order to secure equal representation for equal protection of the laws.

 

[Abishai100]

Thanks for your great response, I read Machiavelli in high school U.S. history and have been fascinated ever since...I find him much more clear than a politically 'bogged' socialization-analyst such as Marx.

Thanks again!

 

[Natural Citizen]

Statists gonna state.