• deaf_fish
    link
    fedilink
    51 year ago

    I think most leftists are against power centralization. Most leftist want a more powerful democracy.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      11 year ago

      A more powerful democracy leads to more centralization. Because a more powerful democracy is a more powerful government. When you increase the size and scope of the things that a central government can control you by definition increase it’s power.

      • deaf_fish
        link
        fedilink
        51 year ago

        A larger government doesn’t mean that power is centralized in that government. Power centralization depends on who has and is wielding power. With an authoritarian government, the power is centralized to a very few number of people. The power in a democratic government is spread amongst the people which makes it very decentralized. The government may be big or small, but that doesn’t really matter in terms of power.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          11 year ago

          A “stronger democracy” at least in the context of modern Republics does mean a stronger central government; especially when implemented from a Western “Liberal” party. The thing is, in that these systems the choice isn’t (or at least Pre-Trump wasn’t) between a dictator and a democracy. It was a decision between federalization and centralization. Between limitations on a legislative branch of government or mob rule.

          Strong Democracies gave us things like Jim Crow. Strong power delegation gave us things like Brown vs. Board of Education.

          • deaf_fish
            link
            fedilink
            11 year ago

            Not necessarily, there is nothing saying that a strong democracy will result in a big government. Just like there is nothing preventing authoritarians from having a big government.

            I will agree though, if you are authoritarian, you probably don’t want a big government, it is just easier to threaten and enact violence against your people to get the outcomes you want. Likewise with a democracy creating state structures to help get peoples needs met gives you a higher chance of getting reelected.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              11 year ago

              Not necessarily, there is nothing saying that a strong democracy will result in a big government. Just like there is nothing preventing authoritarians from having a big government.

              In theory, maybe that’s true. But that’s not the intention, design or historical reality of the situation.

              I will agree though, if you are authoritarian, you probably don’t want a big government, it is just easier to threaten and enact violence against your people to get the outcomes you want.

              Maybe but you definitely don’t want a heavily Federalized government. Federalization always diminishes the power of a central government.

              • deaf_fish
                link
                fedilink
                11 year ago

                Federalization always diminishes the power of a central government.

                What do you mean by this?

                In general I prefer decentralized power. The fewer people with power leads to bad outcomes. People become expendable.