The Death of Democracy

It is sad that we have to witness the start of the death of democracy.

Like many other countries Greece has economic problems.

In order to clear its debts the European Union worked out a bailout package. This package had certain strings attached. These strings were things that would affect the lives of the Greeks.

Before accepting this bailout plan, the Greek Prime Minister decided he would put it to a referendum of the people, to see if it was what they wanted. He was doing his job as a true democratic leader: his first concern was what the people wanted.

It is perhaps understandable that the other countries of the EU want to resolve this problem and so asked the PM to rethink. After all although Greece is a sovereign country, its people are also part of a larger community, that of the EU.

What right though does President Obama have to ask the PM to rethink?

Of course the economic situation of Greece and the EU will have an affect on the US but what right does the US have in trying to deter an act of democracy in another country. Does the US consider the effects on other countries before they act and they certainly would not appreciate any foreign influence on their Government?

America has for many years said that it is trying to spread democracy around the world and has even gone to war on several occasions, in order to bring democracy to more countries.

Why then now, would they try and stop an act of true democracy in another country?

Iceland were first to have a referendum on a similar issue and 95% voted not to pay back the banks. They did this knowing full well it would bring its own problems and cause them to be shunned by other countries but they made their own choice, which is the only right and proper thing to do in any democratic country.

It is ironic that in the same year that the United States is running a campaign against bullying in schools, that they should employ bullying tactics on an international scale.

Although these bullying tactics have always gone on, they are usually only used against poor third world leaders. Greece is far from that, it could even be argued that it was the Greeks that first invented democracy. Much of the Roman political system was based on that of the Greeks and that in turn, to some degree, was mimicked by countries of the west, even to the point of the US Capital Building being stylized in the Roman manor.

In doing this act the US should no longer consider themselves the leaders of the free world or the defenders of democracy.

Is this a sign that it is the beginning of the end for democracy?

Remember that the Greek PM was only going to ask the people. If this was such a great deal why would other leaders be so afraid of the outcome?

Has it now come to the point that leaders do not want to or have to listen to what the people say?

Has democracy already been replaced by a kind of “moneyocracy” an economic and political system that only listens to what the “money” has to say regardless of the feelings of the people?

It is sad that in the same month as many countries around the world have a remembrance day, memorial or veterans day, to remember the millions that have lost their lives in wars to either bring or keep democracy to humanity, that it may now also be remembered as the month that brought the death to democracy itself.