CaveMan, on 15 August 2012 - 12:57 AM, said:
I'm perfectly aware of the fact that a specific layout of government wasn't solely responsible for the whole of society's changes once the enlightenment began (and specifically in the last 200-300 years), but what more or less is is the fact that the major change that's come in that time was a change from an oligarchical society, which restricted input on how to run society to a few, to a system in which many now make that contribution, through market economics, civic involvement, advancing science, whatever.
What you're basically suggesting is that we go back to an oligarchical system, and then just hope we get the "good" oligarchs, once we decide to relinquish control, and hope they somehow will promote continuing to have an educated and otherwise free populace, even though that's always a direct threat to them in a system designed to have them make decisions without our input, while trying to maximize it everywhere else (umm, have you seen the troubles increasing education, awareness, and demands for rights are creating for your own example, the Chinese government?). Basically, you're suggesting we erect our society around a massive fundamental contradiction, in which an oligarchical government expects people to get as educated as possible, and use as many freedoms as possible, to try to better their own lives and the state of society, but not ever complain that a group they have no control over effectively arbitrates what freedoms and opportunities they actually get from society, and just take whatever ruling comes down on any issue, without desiring any input, no matter how much they disagree.
I'll tell you what, if you think China is so great, well I bet they wouldn't mind one more person living there. For my part, I saw about half a dozen cities and took part in interacting with a few local levels of government for a foreign adoption over three weeks, and that was about as much as I will ever care to experience of their present society.
Also, last I checked, the US doesn't amount to the whole of the western world, but I'd like to see a source that shows that we do worse than Ancient Rome for wealth disparity, even including their slaves.
Edited by Catamount, 15 August 2012 - 06:54 AM.