NationStates Jolt Archive


The End of Liberty: Why does nations bother to be democratic?

Gyrobot
02-10-2007, 03:17
Note this is more of an OOC discussion. I know I sound like a troll, but this really bothers me, with a good deal of the oldest nations being dictatorships, why do new nations bother to be democratic? You know you cant stop the Dictator machine anymore, just cave in and accept our new overlords. I mean, Praetonia and Sarzonia is now basically gone, democracy is dead. Everything related to freedom is pretty much dead...
Fordock
02-10-2007, 03:21
It makes us feel good?

Honestly just because I created a society that I would want to live in and I also created it based on my political beliefs. If it can beat someone great. If not I know I like my nation and enjoy Rping it. Why does it even mater. Democracy is great for Rping purposes and allows conflict and multiple characters.
British Londinium
02-10-2007, 03:26
I have the facade of a democracy. Does that count?
Gyrobot
02-10-2007, 03:26
Meh, its just I feel like I am the only real long time Democractic Nation active on NS now. Feels like an achievement and disappointment since all the other old timers are totalitarean dictatorships.
Mephras
02-10-2007, 03:27
I would guess it makes you look good, less open to criticism,

oh and you seem to get a bonus on many of the calculators for political freedoms. which are more important to smaller nations :p

but seriously i think maybe it's because all ns nations are technically dictatorships with the creator as the dictator, and it's easier and more realistic to implement certain ideals when you can force them through.
Lord Sumguy
02-10-2007, 03:29
bah! There is always hope! Or at least there will be soon if what i have planned goes well..
Kampfers
02-10-2007, 03:29
Um, Sarz was a totalitarian dictatorship and Prae is still around. Where have you been?
Gyrobot
02-10-2007, 03:37
Gone for several months (About 4 or 5 I think) Recently got my nation reborn and still sad to see the world in sad affairs.
DMG
02-10-2007, 03:41
What does being a democracy or dictatorship have to do with a country's military power?
Velkya
02-10-2007, 03:45
You know you cant stop the Dictator machine anymore, just cave in and accept our new overlords.

Because a republican or democratic system of government is more effective and inherently more politically and economically stable than any totalitarian state could ever be.
Velkya
02-10-2007, 03:48
Not so long as Questers and his Commonwealth are around, they are the champions of the free world as far as I can see.

There is no "free world", just democratic nations.
Vontanas
02-10-2007, 03:49
Not so long as Questers and his Commonwealth are around, they are the champions of the free world as far as I can see.

LORD SUMGUY: I'm interested in this little thing you're working on. I suspect you've gotten the assistance of someone strong, or you wouldn't be flaunting it so much. Can you TG me a link of the thread once you get it up, and an estimate as to when it'll be up?
Free Socialist Allies
02-10-2007, 03:49
I enjoy my godless, pot-smoking, democratic, liberal utopia. Deal.
Vetalia
02-10-2007, 04:00
Because democratic government is good for our economy, and our economy is the backbone of our culture, and our culture is the backbone of our society. Our people aren't keen on dictators plundering our massive wealth for their own benefit, so we prefer to keep the government under our control.
Axis Nova
02-10-2007, 04:09
My government is moderately democratic (though in a lot of ways it's more of a republic), and I certainly get by just fine.
Otagia
02-10-2007, 04:13
Not so long as Questers and his Commonwealth are around, they are the champions of the free world as far as I can see.
Yes, because racist, sexist bigots are great at the whole "freedom for all" thing.... ;)

Otagia's a (representative) democracy, so you're not the ONLY one out there. A few differences in how it's run from the NS in order to streamline things, but it's still almost entirely democratic. Of course, I'm not the most active (IE, I don't get involved in wars for stupid reasons, and there seem to be very few good reasons around...), so it's easy to overlook me.
Gurguvungunit
02-10-2007, 04:17
I choose to be a democracy because it is easy and it is morally right. On NS, there aren't many problems commonly associated with democracies that exist in the real world, because NS is a pretty basic simulation. It's fun, sure, but the design of the game makes being a democracy very easy. You actually have to want to be a dictatorship to end up there (yes, let's ban elections!) whereas in reality it is very easy to sacrifice political freedom for stability or security that comes from dictatorships.
Lord Sumguy
02-10-2007, 20:08
Not so long as Questers and his Commonwealth are around, they are the champions of the free world as far as I can see.

LORD SUMGUY: I'm interested in this little thing you're working on. I suspect you've gotten the assistance of someone strong, or you wouldn't be flaunting it so much. Can you TG me a link of the thread once you get it up, and an estimate as to when it'll be up?

will do, although i doubt you'll like it much. I'm only flaunting it because I'm bored and like messing with you all. Also, its not someone.
Gataway
02-10-2007, 20:17
I have a fake democracy...being that their is an Imperial senate and council of elected officials and yet they have no power unless given some by the emperor himself...they can come up with suggestions yes...but that is the limit of their power.and yet since they are elected the people get a perception that they have an actual say in the government thus keeping them content..the only democratic thing where the people have any actual say is when it comes to local mayors and judge elections..but even these can be overturned by the Emperor if he comes to odds with the elected official

..I've started swinging my nation more into a docile Nazi-Germany type state...persecution internally of undesirable groups of people but not imperialistic and instead increasingly isolationist...and the establishment of
Praetonia
02-10-2007, 20:25
I am not barely gone, although the distinct lack of interesting RPs is limiting my activity.

Although Praetonia is barely democratic anyway. The government has so little power that no one could really be said to "rule". Praetonia is closer to a minarchy than anything else, although with a monarchy and a 'liberal imperialist' foreign policy. An odd country, all in all.

Liberty > democracy. Although democracy > other types of dictatorship.
Gataway
02-10-2007, 21:14
I am not barely gone, although the distinct lack of interesting RPs is limiting my activity.

Although Praetonia is barely democratic anyway. The government has so little power that no one could really be said to "rule". Praetonia is closer to a minarchy than anything else, although with a monarchy and a 'liberal imperialist' foreign policy. An odd country, all in all.

Liberty > democracy. Although democracy > other types of dictatorship.

Benevolent Dictatorship > all
The Charr
02-10-2007, 21:20
Modern dictatorships have a tendency to do one of three things:

Die quickly.
Be extremely unstable.
Have shite economies.

Of course, realism is irrelevant in a world with super dreadnoughts, ten mile aircraft carriers, and sentient talking canines. But all this aside, there are a great many NS democracies around, some more liberal than others (and some insanely liberal). In fact I tend to notice that it's new nations which often begin as dictatorships, more often than not.

Anyway Gyrobot, what is it with you and this submissive attitude you have? I've noticed that you repeatedly acknowledge seemingly random NS nations and alliances as your new overlords with alarming regularity - I can remember you doing it at least Automagfree and CAD, if you haven't done it even more often.
Skylar Ferguson
02-10-2007, 21:33
why do people bother with government at all. they just control our lives either way so why dont we rid with government and the world goes into anarchy
Ordo Drakul
03-10-2007, 06:19
I have a democracy where voting is mandatory-which has killed civil rights in my nation-while the ideals of a democracy are most in keeping with my own beliefs, my own nation is ruled by a series of powerful monastic orders and priesthoods. This game is sadly lacking in some areas, not the least of which is that each nation is an individual, while RL governance involves much more give-and-take. It makes RP a tad difficult, but since every nation is effectively a dictatorship, it makes Democracy an indication of personal leanings as opposed to anything substantive.
Gyrobot
03-10-2007, 07:03
Anyway Gyrobot, what is it with you and this submissive attitude you have? I've noticed that you repeatedly acknowledge seemingly random NS nations and alliances as your new overlords with alarming regularity - I can remember you doing it at least Automagfree and CAD, if you haven't done it even more often.

Well its more of being against surmountable odds, The CAD and AMF have proven they are an unstoppable juggernaught, if not for CAD and AMF desire to rule over all. We would be as good as gone, or as slaves in the annexed nations. The CAD and AMF have no regard for your life, its is almost akin to being in Dark Eldar's Dungeons...
Vetalia
03-10-2007, 07:06
Well its more of being against surmountable odds, The CAD and AMF have proven they are an unstoppable juggernaught, if not for CAD and AMF desire to rule over all. We would be as good as gone, or as slaves in the annexed nations. The CAD and AMF have no regard for your life, its is almost akin to being in Dark Eldar's Dungeons...

Well, not unstoppable...there have been nations victorious over them in the past. Regardless, they could be felled if they attempted to take on a region or a similarly large group of allied nations. It just so happens that they tend to be quite intelligent in regards to their military targest so as to reduce the chance of that happening. However, no single power could feasibly rule over the entire world for very long.

My people are just prudent (or cowardly, depending on your viewpoint) when it comes to armed conflict, so we prefer to avoid it. Now business, that's a totally different thing...we're ruthless in our financial dealings and usually won't back down unless things turn very dangerous very quickly.
Gyrobot
04-10-2007, 01:34
Can I get a record of CAD/AMF defeats then?
Lord Sumguy
04-10-2007, 01:52
I was under the impression that CAD was a recently created alliance...
Kleomenes
04-10-2007, 02:12
My nation is a semi representative dictatorship, in that people elect senators to represent them, and the senators can veto decisions by the dictator with a 2/3 majority, and elect a new dictator when the old one dies.

Basically just because you're a dictatorship, doesn't make you evil.
Praetonia
04-10-2007, 17:51
Can I get a record of CAD/AMF defeats then?
The only wars either have been in where the sides were even were massive alliance bloc wars that always got retconned.
Vontanas
04-10-2007, 18:05
Yes, because racist, sexist bigots are great at the whole "freedom for all" thing.... ;)

Otagia's a (representative) democracy, so you're not the ONLY one out there. A few differences in how it's run from the NS in order to streamline things, but it's still almost entirely democratic. Of course, I'm not the most active (IE, I don't get involved in wars for stupid reasons, and there seem to be very few good reasons around...), so it's easy to overlook me.

Tell that to twentieth century America.

Lord Sumguy: Perhaps you're thinking of the CAP? Anyways, when is this thing involving some sort of tripartite pact and co. going to start? There's nothing at all interesting going on.
Cookesland
04-10-2007, 18:05
I like being different, making what kind of country i'd like to live in, and plus i'm ardent supporter of Democracy so it just seems appropos