this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2026
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Fewer than half of young Australians believe democracy is always preferable to other forms of government, as trust in institutions wanes, new research has found.

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[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I think if you really experienced democracy you would believe that. Like when would democracy not be preferable?

[–] fizzle@quokk.au 14 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Ah, in the neolithic era?

I'm only kind of joking. The trouble with statements predicated with "always and under all circumstances" is that they are intended to include all circumstances.

The situations we're most likely to encounter where we want our leaders to be more dictatorial is of course war, where I presume elections may be suspended temporarily.

In the case of a global disaster like a solar flare or meteor strike democracy probably wouldn't be preferable.

Another issue is that what is preferable is subjective. So if a majority wants to implement a fascist policy persecuting a minority, then obviously democracy is not preferable for that minority.

[–] jtrek@startrek.website 5 points 2 days ago

The trouble with statements predicated with “always and under all circumstances” is that they are intended to include all circumstances.

Yeah that's a really broad statement. You just need one case where democracy is not preferred, and the whole statement is false. Democracy is not preferred when the majority wants to do evils.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I think your brain is maybe a little broken by the propaganda here. Democracy != westminster shite or tyranny of the majority. It's just broadly rule by the people. Proper democracy works via consensus with protections for marginalised voices, and can grant people revocable authority when fast decisions are needed. Like you can democratically decide to listen to a firey when your house is on fire without giving that person dictatorial powers.

[–] fizzle@quokk.au 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You've kinda just imposed your own definition of democracy there chief. Its not necessarily incorrect, but its another problem with such a comprehensive generalisation. Are all definitions of democracy always preferable? Which definition of democracy is always preferable?

Regardless, thats not really my point.

I disagree that democratically listening to the advice of the firey is the preferable form of governance when your home is burning down. There are loads of reasons why people in a burning house may not be able to make sound judgements. Its precisely the type of emergency where an authoritarian crisis manager, the firey, should be calling the shots.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

Romans tried that, sucked for them. Learn from history, don't as Marx said repeat it as farce

[–] couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

When you're holed up with a bunch of morons

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 day ago

You'd prefer to be ruled by a subset of them?